Christoph Stadel and Don Huisman The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve (RMBR): Challenges, opportunities, and management issues at the southern fringe of Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba Christoph Stadel University of Salzburg, Austria Don Huisman Erickson, Manitoba Key Messages • Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve (RMBR) is one of three biosphere reserves in the Canadian prairies. • Multiple interactions take place between Riding Mountain National Park, the adjacent municipalities, and First Nation reserves. • Projects and activities pose challenges that for successful resolution require cooperation among RMBR stakeholders. Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve (RMBR) was founded in 1986, 53 years after the establishment of Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP). Currently the RMBR is one of 18 biosphere reserves in Canada, three of which are located in the Prairie region. The reserve has a total area of approximately 13,310 km2 comprising the RMNP core area measuring 2,700 km2, a buffer zone of 268 km2, and a transition zone or cooperation area of 10,342 km2. Fourteen municipalities and four First Nation reserves are located within the transition zone. Three of the reserves (Rolling River, Keeseekoowenin, and Waywayseecappo) are located in the southern part of the RMBR. This paper focuses on the complex ecological, demographic, cultural, socio-economic, and political-administrative framework and relationships between RMNP, the municipalities, and the First Nation reserves. ‘Baskets’ of complementarities, mutual opportunities and benefits contrast with multiple challenges, diverging interests, and potential sources of conflict. Recently, enhanced communication, closer interactions, and joint projects have characterized relationships, at least in some areas between the National Park, and some of the municipalities and First Nation reserves. However, genuine environmental commitment and protection, as well as a strong, diversified economic base, and a harmonious coordination of these principal objectives may require an even stronger effort and cooperation between all of the regional stakeholders. Keywords: Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve, Riding Mountain National Park, rural municipalities, First Nation reserves, interaction and cooperation, challenges and regional management issues This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Correspondence to: Christoph Stadel, Department of Geography and Geology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, A 5020 Salzburg, Austria Email: [email protected] Prairie Perspectives: Geographical Essays 2019, 21: 30–38 30 ISSN 1911-5814 Christoph Stadel and Don Huisman The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve Introduction: Biosphere reserves in Canada have three principal functions. First, they contribute to the con- servation of ecosystems, and to the preservation of cultural heri- In 2016, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural tage. Second, they foster the economic and social viability of the Organization (UNESCO) recognized 669 designated biosphere countryside and the livelihoods of local people. Third, they con- reserves in 120 countries. Of these, 18 are located in Canada tribute to local and regional capacities for education, training, and three—Riding Mountain, Manitoba, Redberry Lake, Sas- research, monitoring, networking, and partnerships with respect katchewan, and Beaver Hills, Alberta—within the Prairie region to conservation and regional sustainable development. (Figure 1). The biosphere reserves are composed of three inter- Today, local perceptions of and attitudes towards biosphere related zones with supposedly complementary and mutually re- reserves are ambivalent and sometimes controversial. Some inforcing functions. Core areas comprise legislated protected re- communities are proud of being part of a biosphere reserve, may gions whose principal aims are the conservation of landscapes, identify with it, and are aware of the benefits, in terms of main- ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. Buffer zones adjoin taining ecological integrity, or enhancing their economic poten- the core areas. Their function is the pursuit of activities compat- tial, for example in ecotourism promotion. Others may perceive ible with a sound ecological base. Transition zones, or areas of biosphere reserves as externally imposed administrative units cooperation, are regions where the greatest human-nature inter- that hinder the exploitation of natural resources and regional action takes place. The mandate of such zones is community development opportunities. Borrini-Feyerabend et al. (2002, 5) and regional development that is both ecologically and socio- have pointed out that, in the context of local heritage, indigenous culturally sustainable. people have made, and continue to make, a significant contri- Biosphere reserves in Canada are highly diverse in size, bution to the establishment, maintenance, and conservation of physiography, ecology, and human activity, as well as in their sacred sites that long precedes the establishment of legally es- function and management mandates. In general, the reserves tablished protected areas. Figure 1 The UNESCO world biosphere reserves of Canada Source: www.biospherereservecanada.ca Cartography: W. Hiebert Basemap: Natural Earth Prairie Perspectives: Geographical Essays 2019, 21: 30–38 31 ISSN 1911-5814 Christoph Stadel and Don Huisman The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve Biosphere reserves in Canada are represented and supported 14 municipalities and four First Nation reserves. The focus of by the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association (CBRA). It co- the study is on the southern fringe of RMNP as this is the most ordinates projects by providing funding, research, monitoring, dynamic arena of interchanges and cooperation, but also of fric- education, and training. The vision of the CBRA is tions. A host of issues and challenges characterize this zone, for example in wildlife management, infrastructure services, the vi- to be a leader in creating vibrant, healthy, sustainable commu- ability of municipalities and First Nation communities, sustain- nities across Canada, while conserving Canada’s natural and able agricultural development, and the proliferation of cottage cultural heritage. As model regions and dynamic learning sites subdivisions. for collaborative projects…BRs strengthen and celebrate Ca- nadian values and action national priorities including biodiver- sity conservation, sustainable development, and reconciliation The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve (RMBR): between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples (CBRA 2018, General characteristics 1) RMBR (Figure 2) was established in 1986, 53 years after the In 2013, the CBRA cooperated in the compilation of the founding of Riding Mountain National Park. The RMBR is lo- guidebook Learning From Each Other: Proven Good Practices cated in western Manitoba, some 300 km northwest of Winni- in Canadian Biosphere Reserves (Godmaire et al. 2013). This peg, and about 100 km north of Brandon. Its core coordinates report lists projects relating to the broad themes of land manage- are 50°45’N and 100°19’W. The RMBR is situated in the so- ment and ecosystem services, sustainable tourism, and educa- called “Parkland region,” a transition zone of grassland, and tion. It uses most of the Canadian biosphere reserves as case aspen-oak and mixed forest biomes. Within Manitoba’s Prairie studies. region, the RMBR represents a unique topographic, ecological The objective of this paper is to examine the multiple eco- and cultural landscape. Its altitudinal range extends from 304 m logical, cultural, economic, social, and political-administrative at the shore of Lake Dauphin to 755 m at the highest point of interactions between the core area of Riding Mountain Bio- Riding Mountain. The total area of the RMBR is 13,310 km2, sphere Reserve (RMBR), the Riding Mountain National Park with the core area of RMNP measuring 2,700 km2, a small adja- (RMNP), and its adjacent zone of transition. The latter includes Figure 2 Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve Source: Stadel 2015, updated 2019 Cartography: W. Gruber Prairie Perspectives: Geographical Essays 2019, 21: 30–38 32 ISSN 1911-5814 Christoph Stadel and Don Huisman The Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve cent buffer zone of 268 km2, and a neighbouring transition zone ing and livestock operations. In the Parkland region, agricultural of 10,342 km2 (UNESO 2015). activity was supplemented by lumbering and timber operations As part of the Manitoba Escarpment, Riding Mountain rises in the upland areas (Stadel 1995, 144–147). conspicuously from the flat Manitoba Lowlands at its eastern and Quite early in the 20th century, the recreational potential of northern faces. To the south and west, in contrast, there is a grad- the lakes and forests of Riding Mountain was discovered. Ini- ual landform transition to adjacent hummocky knob and kettle tially, primarily local people visited the beaches of Clear Lake; topography, gently rolling moraines, outwash plains and some they camped and built their first cabins in Riding Mountain. deeply entrenched glaciofluvial channels. Because of its higher With the rise of automobile traffic and the improvement and ex- elevation and associated cooler and moister climate, the RMBR pansion of roads, recreation and tourism in the Riding