National parks and protected areas play a key role in the adaption and mitigation of climate change, according to a Canadian Parks Council report.
The report, prepared by the Canadian Parks Council Climate Change Working Group, highlighted specific efforts and actions taken by parks and protected areas (territorial, provincial and national parks) that respond or adapt to, or mitigate climate change.
According to the report, land-based protected areas make up about 10 per cent of Canada鈥檚 total landmass.
Parks contain areas that 鈥渕ay represent the only remaining examples of relatively undisturbed ecosystems.鈥� Not only are protected areas safe for plants and animals, they also 鈥渟tore vast quantities of carbon thereby reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from land use change.鈥�
The report didn鈥檛 mention Jasper National Park specifically, but that doesn鈥檛 mean there are a lack of environmentally friendly or climate change mitigation initiatives in the park.
鈥淧arks are a relatively green destination so there鈥檚 not a big industrial contribution that there would be in the rest of the country,鈥� said Jurgen Deagle, Parks Canada environmental management specialist. 鈥淏ut as an agency we鈥檙e looking at the reductions in Jasper specifically, and we鈥檙e trying to amend some of those things.鈥�
Many initiatives revolve around energy use or energy consumption because 鈥渢hat鈥檚 our biggest contributors of greenhouse gases in the park.鈥�
One of the best examples of the park鈥檚 solar panel utilization is at Maligne Lake, he points out.
There used to be a diesel generator that powered the warden station, though most of the power went to the phone system. 鈥淲e switched that over about five years ago to a 100 per cent solar system, so there鈥檚 a number of big solar panels up there and we totally removed the diesel generator.鈥�
鈥淣ew regulations came in seven or eight years ago for water quality, we had to have better treatment of drinking water at campgrounds,鈥� said Deagle, so a solar-powered water treatment system was implemented.
Also, at the compound, 鈥渨e鈥檙e switching a bunch of our lights over to LEDs, similar to what the town has done with their street lights.鈥�
Parks also has implemented vehicle fleet guidelines with 鈥減re-approved vehicles that we鈥檙e allowed to order from when we replace a vehicle, and those are based on price and emission standards, so if there鈥檚 equivalent vehicles, but one burns less fuel than the other, we鈥檒l order that one.鈥�
To cut down on the amount of vehicle commutes between the Parks administration building and the compound, a couple of bikes are available for employees to use for travel back and forth. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a long distance, but [emissions] add up if you do it 10 or 15 times a day.鈥�
The report discussed the importance of establishing partnerships for future successes in the mitigation and adaptation of climate change because partnerships help broaden engagement. One example of how Parks works closely with the municipality is through the jointly funded environmental stewardship coordinator position, which focuses on a 鈥渨ide range of environmental initiatives from waste reduction to compost and recycling.鈥� Environmental Stewardship Coordinator Janet Cooper is also helping draft a green building policy that will update or add-on to the zoning regulations that would allow for green buildings or improve the energy efficiency of renovations and construction in Jasper.
The report concludes that people and organizations need to work together with parks and protected areas to continue adapting and mitigating climate change. 鈥淓veryone plays a role in climate change, not just parks and protected areas,鈥� said Deagle. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 biking to work or reducing the amount of waste they generate, there are lots of little choices that everyone can make.鈥�
Sarah Makowsky
[email protected]
