Gatineau Park: public participation and changing park purposes in the wildland–urban interface

Abstract

Gatineau Park is a classic example of a park confronted by management issues related to the wildland–urban interface. This study examined the planning process for the master plan to explore the issues of public participation and changing park purposes as they relate to recreation in the wildland–urban interface. Although the plan acknowledges that Gatineau Park, unlike most large natural parks, protrudes into a large urban area, the planning process did not involve a systematic survey of the views of current and potential park visitors as well as the diverse population in the region as is suggested by literature on the wildland–urban interface. The plan, by stating that the park will be “managed primarily for conservation then for recreational use” (National Capital Commission, 2005, Gatineau Park Master Plan. Ottawa, ON: Author, p. 19), created a dichotomy that does not reflect an increasing recognition of the complementary nature of park visitation and the maintenance of ecological integrity.