responsible trail management
RESPONSIBLE TRAIL MANAGEMENT Phase 2 Gatineau Park
Consultation – Phase 2 April 16, 2015
2
Context • Series of consultations with Park trail user groups in order to: • Enhance the recreational offer • Protect sensitive natural elements • Reduce habitat fragmentation • First consultation: • Trails used, experience sought, and requests • June 16, 2014, October 1 (Pontiac) and October 9, 2014
• Second consultation: • Situation update, trail management principles, and possible types of collaboration • April 16, 2015
• Next steps: • Work in groups (by activity/theme) • Third consultation: sharing solutions
3
Session objectives •
Situation update following the 2014 summer analysis: •
Information about the ecological sensitivity of certain Park habitats in relation to the most popular unofficial trails and received requests
• Discuss trail management principles • Discuss possible types of collaboration and potential
solutions to reduce the ecological impact of these trails while offering new recreational opportunities.
4
Requests of users • Direct access to Park for neighbouring residents • Access for municipalities of La Pêche, Pontiac, Chelsea • • •
• • •
• •
(Chelsea trails) and the city of Gatineau New mountain biking practices (OMBA) Backcountry Fat Bike trails Restore the equestrian trail and associated infrastructure More snowshoeing trails Additional rock climbing faces Hang-gliding site Cross-country ski trails for high-level competitions
5
Ecological sensitivity • Trail analysis according to: • Legally protected species at risk • Wetlands • Waterways • Legally protected habitats (e.g. nesting sites) • 241 km of trails analysed: • Trails on the Eardley Escarpment • Various user requests • Winter trails proposed for year-round use
• GIS analysis (geomatics information)
6
Legally Protected Habitats Habitats Wetlands, lakes and waterways Blunt-lobed woodsia American butternut, Black maple, Rock elm American cancer-root (Conopholis americana) Ram’s head Lady’s slipper Pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea ) Rattlesnake plantain Woodland sunflower Fragrant sumac Douglas’ knotweed Purple-stem cliffbrake Louisian waterthrush Least bittern - reproduction site Peregrine falcon nesting site Western chorus frog Sensitive species Heronries
Buffer Zone (metres) 15 m 150 m 5m 150 m 150 m 150 m 150 m 300 m 300 m 150 m 150 m 100 m 500 m 500 m 300 m 150 m 500 m
7
Least bittern • CRITICAL HABITAT: 500 m from a reproduction site
• Nest rests on a platform of stiff stems (islands of dense
vegetation) • Swamps dominated by robust emerging plants (cattails)
surrounded by open water zones • Nest generally less than 10 m from an open water zone required for feeding • Stalks prey in shallow water
8
Peregrine Falcon • CRITICAL HABITAT: Integral protection zone: 250 m on either side of
nest along full height + 50 m band up and down cliff edge • Human presence during nesting causes: • Stress and agitation • Adults to stay away • Nest abandonment, fall or premature flight of young • Site abandonment with repeated disturbances • Couples, loyal to nest site, will never return to
disturbed nest site.
9
10
Legally Protected Habitats*
*Unofficial trails are not shown
11
Habitat protection benefits • Reduced fragmentation • Creation of zones
suitable for large mammals • Increased quality of
habitats • Reduction of invasive
species
12
Workshop • Trail management principles (30 min.) • Do you agree with the proposed principles? • If not, what changes would you suggest? • Possible types of collaboration and potential solutions to
reduce the ecological impact of these trails and to enhance the recreational offer (30 min.) • What approaches would you suggest in order to reduce the ecological
impact from unofficial trail usage and backcountry activities? • How do you see your group’s/community’s involvement in the implementation of these approaches? • What management models have you experienced elsewhere that could be used for Gatineau Park?
• Plenary (30 min.)
13
Next steps • Work in groups (by activity/theme) • Over the next year • Email updates every 6 months • Hiking • Biking • Residents • Winter
• Third consultation: • Sharing solutions • 2016
Consultation – Phase 2 April 16, 2015
2
Context • Series of consultations with Park trail user groups in order to: • Enhance the recreational offer • Protect sensitive natural elements • Reduce habitat fragmentation • First consultation: • Trails used, experience sought, and requests • June 16, 2014, October 1 (Pontiac) and October 9, 2014
• Second consultation: • Situation update, trail management principles, and possible types of collaboration • April 16, 2015
• Next steps: • Work in groups (by activity/theme) • Third consultation: sharing solutions
3
Session objectives •
Situation update following the 2014 summer analysis: •
Information about the ecological sensitivity of certain Park habitats in relation to the most popular unofficial trails and received requests
• Discuss trail management principles • Discuss possible types of collaboration and potential
solutions to reduce the ecological impact of these trails while offering new recreational opportunities.
4
Requests of users • Direct access to Park for neighbouring residents • Access for municipalities of La Pêche, Pontiac, Chelsea • • •
• • •
• •
(Chelsea trails) and the city of Gatineau New mountain biking practices (OMBA) Backcountry Fat Bike trails Restore the equestrian trail and associated infrastructure More snowshoeing trails Additional rock climbing faces Hang-gliding site Cross-country ski trails for high-level competitions
5
Ecological sensitivity • Trail analysis according to: • Legally protected species at risk • Wetlands • Waterways • Legally protected habitats (e.g. nesting sites) • 241 km of trails analysed: • Trails on the Eardley Escarpment • Various user requests • Winter trails proposed for year-round use
• GIS analysis (geomatics information)
6
Legally Protected Habitats Habitats Wetlands, lakes and waterways Blunt-lobed woodsia American butternut, Black maple, Rock elm American cancer-root (Conopholis americana) Ram’s head Lady’s slipper Pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea ) Rattlesnake plantain Woodland sunflower Fragrant sumac Douglas’ knotweed Purple-stem cliffbrake Louisian waterthrush Least bittern - reproduction site Peregrine falcon nesting site Western chorus frog Sensitive species Heronries
Buffer Zone (metres) 15 m 150 m 5m 150 m 150 m 150 m 150 m 300 m 300 m 150 m 150 m 100 m 500 m 500 m 300 m 150 m 500 m
7
Least bittern • CRITICAL HABITAT: 500 m from a reproduction site
• Nest rests on a platform of stiff stems (islands of dense
vegetation) • Swamps dominated by robust emerging plants (cattails)
surrounded by open water zones • Nest generally less than 10 m from an open water zone required for feeding • Stalks prey in shallow water
8
Peregrine Falcon • CRITICAL HABITAT: Integral protection zone: 250 m on either side of
nest along full height + 50 m band up and down cliff edge • Human presence during nesting causes: • Stress and agitation • Adults to stay away • Nest abandonment, fall or premature flight of young • Site abandonment with repeated disturbances • Couples, loyal to nest site, will never return to
disturbed nest site.
9
10
Legally Protected Habitats*
*Unofficial trails are not shown
11
Habitat protection benefits • Reduced fragmentation • Creation of zones
suitable for large mammals • Increased quality of
habitats • Reduction of invasive
species
12
Workshop • Trail management principles (30 min.) • Do you agree with the proposed principles? • If not, what changes would you suggest? • Possible types of collaboration and potential solutions to
reduce the ecological impact of these trails and to enhance the recreational offer (30 min.) • What approaches would you suggest in order to reduce the ecological
impact from unofficial trail usage and backcountry activities? • How do you see your group’s/community’s involvement in the implementation of these approaches? • What management models have you experienced elsewhere that could be used for Gatineau Park?
• Plenary (30 min.)
13
Next steps • Work in groups (by activity/theme) • Over the next year • Email updates every 6 months • Hiking • Biking • Residents • Winter
• Third consultation: • Sharing solutions • 2016
