Pigeon River Provincial Park Management Plan Ministry of The Canadian Le Reseau Heritage de rivieres Natural Riven du patrimoine @ Resources System canadien Ontario © 1994, Queen's Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario, Canada Additional copies of this publication are obtained only from: Ministry of Natural Resources Regional Parks 435 James Street South Suite 221 Thunder Bay, Ontario P7E 6E3 Phone: (807) 475-1321 3174-3 (0.4 k, P.R., 94.12.01) ISBN 0-7778-3410-3 APPROVAL STATEMENT Pigeon River Provincial Park, along with LaVerendrye Provincial Park and portions of Quetico Provincial Park, has been nominated into the Canadian Heritage Rivers System as the Boundary Waters­ Voyageurs Waterway. This nomination affords national recognition of the rich natural, cultural and recreational resources, not only of Pigeon River Provincial Park itself, but the entire waterway system. I am pleased to approve the Pigeon River Provincial Park Management Plan, as official policy for the management and development of this park. The plan reflects this Ministry I s intent to protect the natural and cultural features of Pigeon River Provincial Park and maintain and develop high quality opportunities for outdoor recreation and heritage appreciation for both residents of ontario and visitor to the Province. Ca eron D. Clark Regional Director Northwest Region Thunder Bay TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION .... · . 1 2.0 PARK CLASSIFICATION • • 2 3.0 PARK GOAL • • • 2 4.0 PARK OBJECTIVES · · · · · · 2 4.1 Protection objective · · · · · ·· · 3 4.2 Recreation Objective · · · · · · · · 3 4.3 Heritage Appreciation Objective ·· · · 3 4.4 Tourism Objective · · · · · · · 3 5.0 PARK BOUNDARY • • • 4 6. 0 PARK ZONING . 4 6.1 Natural Environment Zones . 4 6. 1. 1 NE1 . .. 4 6.1.2 NE2 . .. .... 5 6. 1. 3 NE3 . 5 6.2 Nature Reserve Zone . ... 5 6.2. 1 NR1 . .. .. ... 5 6.3 Development Zones 5 6.3.1 D1 ...... .. 6 6. 3 • 2 D2 . .•. 6 6.4 Access Zone . .. ..... 6 6. 4 • 1 Al . .. 6 6.5 Historical Zone . .. 6 6.5. 1 Hl ......... .. 6 7.0 CANADIAN HERITAGE RIVER SYSTEM • • 7 8.0 RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP POLICIES · ·· ··· · · · 7 8.1 Water Management . · ···· · · · · · 7 8.2 Vegetation Management · · · · · 8 8.3 Fire Management ··· · · · · 8 8.4 Wildlife Management · · · · 8 8.5 Fisheries Management · · · · · · 8 8.6 Landform Management · · · · ·· · · · · 9 8.7 Cultural Resources Management · · ··· · · 9 ii 9.0 OPERATIONAL POLICIES · . · · · · · · · · 10 9.1 Natural Heritage Education · · · · · · · 10 9.1.1 Park Information · · · · · · 11 9.1.2 Interpretation · · · · · · · 11 9.1.3 Recreational · · · · · · · · · · · · 11 9.2 Recreation Management · · · · · · · · · · · 11 9.3 Tourism Services · · · · · · · · · · 12 9.4 Marketing . · · · · · · · · · · 13 9.5 Research . · . · · · · · · · · · · · · 13 10.0 DEVELOPMENT POLICIES . · .. .. 13 10.1 D1 . · . 14 10.2 D2 . · . 14 10. 3 Al . .. · . 14 11.0 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW · . 15 11.1 Implementation Priorities. · . 15 11.2 Plan Review and Amendment. · 15 12.0 SUMMARY OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION. • • • 16 REFERENCES • • • 18 LIST OF FIGURES Page 1. Regional Setting · . 1a 2. Zoning Map . · 4a 3 • Proposed Development . 14a LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Resource Management Policies by Zone Category ... 7a 2. Permitted Recreational Uses By Park Zone. 12a 3. Implementation Priorities 16 4. Issues and Resolutions . 17 iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION diversity of Pigeon River. The Thunder Bay region of Although maps designate a ontario has been described as specific group of mesas south "one of Canada's most scenic of the City of Thunder Bay as landscapes" (Mollard and Janes, liThe Nor' Westers" , area 1984) . This statement is residents use the name to refer attested to by the many to the complete range of hills pUblications, on both a extending to Pigeon River. The national and provincial scale, impressive scenery is due to that have used the general the intrusion of diabase, an area, and Pigeon River igneous rock that is injected Provincial Park specifically, parallel to the layering of the for illustrative purposes older rock it invades, to form (Banks, 1989; Bird and Hale, a sill. These sills, referred 1982; Hewitt and Freeman, 1972; to as Logan sills after Sir Mollard and Janes, 1984; Pye, william Logan who first 1969; Theberge et al., eds., described them (Pye, 1969), 1989). The high mesas, cuestas being more resistant to erosion and dike ridges between Thunder than the surrounding rocks form Bay and Pigeon River provide a cap and now stand out in majestic views of Lake relief. Of significance in the Superior. Pigeon River area is a series of narrow, almost vertical, Pigeon River Provincial Park is northeasterly-trending diabase located where the Pigeon River dikes, which served as feeder enters Lake Superior, roughly passages in the formation of 45 kilometres south of the City the above mentioned sills. of Thunder Bay in Northwestern ontario (Figure 1). The park's Pigeon River Provincial Park, southern boundary, which then called Middle Falls follows the Pigeon River, Provincial Park, was coincides with the established in 1957. This small International Boundary between five hectare holding was Canada and the united States. classed as a Recreation Park. The border is shared with the An additional 902 hectares east State of Minnesota to the of the park was set aside as a south. Traditionally, the park Park Reserve in 1973. In 1983, has provided a variety of the Ministry of Natural recreational opportunities such Resources produced land use as overnight camping, scenic guidelines to direct future use viewing, picnicking and hiking. of Crown Land throughout the Its focal point, is Pigeon Province. The Thunder Bay Falls (28 metres) , more District Land Use Guidelines commonly known as High Falls, (OMNR, 1983) recommended the and its associated steep-walled adjacent Park Reserve be gorge. incorporated into the park and that the subsequently larger Given its relatively small size holding be re-classified (949 hectares), few parks in Natural Environment in the Ontario park system can consideration of its match the physiographic significant natural and 1 FIGURE 1 Regional Setting I~f :' Provincial Park [!J Provincial Park ~Bounqary Waters ~'Canoe Area ~:~~1~~rk Wilderness E·:" CI:I Pigeon River r;-1 Grand Portage ~ Provincial Park L:J State Park 25 0 50 100 km ffi North 11111-1 I I CANADA ONTARIO lake Superior Local SettIng CANADA U.S.A. 20 10 o .2 0 km I I I I 1a cultural features. In 1985 (0. recreational attributes, as Reg. 493/85) the Park Reserve well as its geographical was incorporated into the park. setting on the International In 1993, portions of the river Boundary where it abuts Grand bed were added to the park to Portage state Park in bring the current land base to Minnesota. 949 hectares. Since 1985 the park has been managed as a Natural Environment Park 3.0 PARK GOAL through the auspices of an Interim Management statement The goal for Pigeon River pending the completion of the Provincial Park is "to protect Park Management Plan. an outstanding landscape that includes natural and cultural This document, the Park features of provincial Management Plan, evolved from significance and, in so doing, the publ i.c review of the provide compatible recreational Background Information and opportunities." Alternative Concepts document and the Preliminary Management Plan. The approved Park 4.0 PARK OBJECTIVES Management Plan provides the rationale and guidelines by Attaining the above goal would which the park will be managed ensure that Pigeon River over the plan's 20 year Provincial Park contributes to lifespan. The Park Management the achievement of each of the Plan is reviewed regularly four established objectives of throughout this 20 year period the Provincial Parks System, and a mandatory review is held which are as follows: after 10 years. 4.1 Protection Objective 2.0 PARK CLASSIFICATION To protect provincially significant elements of the Pigeon River Provincial Park is natural and cultural landscapes classified as a Natural of ontario. Environment Park. The ontario Provincial Parks; Planning and Pigeon River Provincial Park Management Policies (1992 contains a variety of natural update) describes Natural and cultural resources that are Environment parks as provincially significant. These incorporating "outstanding include: recreational landscapes with representative natural features • a diabase mesa/dike ridge and historical resources to system ( "swarm" ) that some provide high quality consider nationally recreational and educational significant. experiences." • events and processes associated with former glacial Natural Environment status lakes which were restricted to reflects the park's diverse this small corner of the physiography, rich history and province {i.e., the Pigeon 2 River area). 4.3 Heritaqe Appreciation • vegetation associated with objective diabase mesa tops and dike ridges. To provide opportunities to • the opportunity to protect observe and appreciate the clay sUbstrates, which are natural and cultural heritage relatively under-represented in of the Pigeon River-Lake the Provincial Park System. superior area through • the representation of unstructured individual prehistoric, historic and more exploration and/or recent features associated with interpretation and education aboriginal peoples, the fur based on the character and trade, explorers and the timber significance of the park and industry. its immediate area. These resources will be Interpretation programs will protected through appropriate provide