History Algonquin Provincial Park

1 history

1.1 logging

1.1.1 dark day fire


1.2 current logging
1.3 park formation
1.4 railway, settlement, , beginning of tourism
1.5 administration , management

history
early logging

in 19th century, logging industry harvested large white pine , red pine trees produce lumber domestic , american markets, square timber export great britain. loggers followed small numbers of homesteaders , farmers. @ time, however, area s beauty recognized nature preservationists.

to manage these conflicting interests, ontario government appointed commission inquire , report on matter. act establish algonquin park drawn in 1892 5 member royal commission, made of alexander kirkwood (the chairman , commissioner of crown lands), james dickson (ontario land surveyor), archibald blue (director of mines), robert phipps (head of forestry branch), , aubrey white (assistant commissioner of crown lands). report recommended establishment of park in territory lying near , enclosing headwaters of 5 major rivers, being: muskoka, little madawaska river (including opeongo), amable du fond river, petawawa river, , south rivers.

the commissioners remarked in report: experience of older countries had everywhere shown wholesale , indiscriminate slaughter of forests brings host of evils in train. wide tracts converted fertile plains arid desert, springs , streams dried up, , rainfall, instead of percolating gently through forest floor , finding way easy stages brook , river lower levels, descends valley in hurrying torrents, carrying before tempestuous floods.

report of (ontario) royal commission on forest conservation , national park, mar. 8, 1893

although of area within algonquin had been under license time, intended make park example of forestry practices. licenses cut pine issued. commissioners had recommended when hardwood mature, should cut.

dark day fire

researchers believe smoke forest fire in algonquin park responsible new england s dark day of may 19, 1780. based on investigations scar marks left in growth rings of trees survive forest fires. data obtained such scar marks make possible approximate date of past fire.

current logging

1893 survey of park lands

industrial logging continues in portions of park s interior. numerous methods of timber harvesting take place throughout park including clear cutting, selection cutting , shelterwood cutting.

the algonquin forestry authority reviewing application allow expansion of current logging roads , addition of new ones.

forestry activities in algonquin, including logging carried out in accordance forest management plan prepared according ontario ministry of natural resources , forestry requirements. planning process includes public consulation opportunities @ several stages of preparation. 2010-2020 approved forest management plan algonquin park forest, 2015-2020 phase 2 plan, , associated annual work schedules , reports available on ministry of natural resources , forestry’s website.

park formation

an act establish algonquin national park of ontario passed liberal government of oliver mowat in ontario legislature, may 23, 1893 (56 vic., c.8). although called national park , algonquin has been under jurisdiction of provincial government. no provincial parks existed until algonquin, there new movement create national parks since banff s establishment in 1885. name changed algonquin provincial park in 1913.

notice regarding establishment of ‘the algonquin national park of ontario’, sept. 27, 1893, transcribed on death on painted lake: death of tom thomson
archibald m. campbell, algonquin national park of ontario-its resources , advantages, ottawa naturalist xv (june 31, 1901): 80-89, transcribed on death on painted lake: death of tom thomson

the boundaries of park included 18 townships within district of nipissing, covering area of 3,797 km (1,466 sq mi) of 10% under water. tract of land set apart, public park, health resort , pleasure ground benefit, advantage , enjoyment of people of province. year following park s creation saw portions of 6 new townships added existing park s boundaries (paxton, mccroney, finlayson, butt, ballantyne, , boyd). first 4 put auction same year. production of lumber companies operating in park @ time increased 680,000 m (288 million board feet) in 1886 809,000 m (343 million board feet) in 1896.

peter thomson, first chief ranger of algonquin park, responsible establishing park boundaries, constructing buildings, , posting notices warn hunters , trappers against trespassing. liaised timber operators, oversaw removal of settlers , homes, , notified local algonquin natives no longer hunt or trap in area.

park rangers began patrolling park, game protected, , forest fires suppressed. 1910 wildlife numbers increasing. thousands of people had visited great pleasure resort , said undeniably 1 of beautiful natural parks in dominion, if not on continent. had entailed large expenditure government, recovered chiefly through maintenance of timber licenses. there no fee camping permits, though nominal charge introduced fishing , guides licenses when act establish algonquin national park of ontario again passed legislature, march 19, 1910. new legislation included original area portions of ten townships annexed park since 1893, , allowed further expansion addition of adjacent townships, should become necessary.

another notable figure in park management frank macdougall, park s chief ranger 1931 1941. first ranger supervise park airplane, flying fairchild kr-34. became deputy minister provincial ministry of lands , forests, , portion of highway 60 passes through algonquin park has been named frank a. macdougall parkway in honour.

the railway, settlement, , beginning of tourism

a hand-coloured photograph of canoeists in algonquin park in 1920s

construction of ottawa, arnprior , parry sound railway (o. a. & p. s.) through park in 1896 provided first easy access area. while park’s purpose control settlement within boundaries, families of railway workers of lumbermen took residence in park. village of mowat on west side of canoe lake first established in 1893 logging camp gilmour lumber company. there, logs driven down oxtongue river towards lake of bays , on trenton. in same year park headquarters established near logging camp. arrival of railway had provided easy access lumbermen well. gilmour firm decided put sawmill closer source of timber. 1897 village of mowat had grown 500 residents , there 18 km of railway siding.

the same year saw official opening of railway between ottawa , depot harbour. park headquarters relocated in 1897 mowat point of land on north shore of cache lake, adjacent railway. o. a. & p. s. put station there named algonquin park. railway, taken on canada atlantic railway in 1899, in turn sold grand trunk railway (gtr) in 1905.

in 1898 george w. bartlett appointed second superintendent of algonquin park, replacing late peter thompson. placed under direction of premier of ontario make park self-sufficient, bartlett worked make park more attractive tourists encouraging short-term leases cottages, lodges, , camps. changes came in 1908, when hotel algonquin opened @ joe lake. grand trunk railway opened first hotel, highland inn, near park headquarters. built on hill behind algonquin park station, two-storey year-round resort immediate success. other guest lodges established in park. west side of highland inn, land cleared , raised wooden platforms erected, on tents (supplied hotel), put meet requirements of rapidly growing tourist trade.

at village of mowat, abandoned gilmour lumber co. in 1900, mill’s former boarding house became mowat lodge in 1913. highland inn enlarged, , new camps built. nominigan camp, consisting of main lodge 6 cabins of log construction, established on smoke lake. camp minnesing on burnt island lake created wilderness lodge. both, open in july , august, built gtr affiliates of highland inn.

a second railway, canadian northern (cnor), built across northern portion of park, opening in 1915. both lines later became part of canadian national railway. beginning of end of rail service in park happened in 1933 when flood damaged old ottawa, arnprior , parry sound railway trestle on cache lake. trestle deemed dangerous use , expensive fix, ending through service on southern line (old o.a. & p.s.). service west ended in 1952, , east in 1959. service on old cnor line through north end of park ended in 1995. many of trails in park still make use of portions of old railway rights-of-way.

administration , management

as recreational use of park increased during 1950s , 60s, became clear long-term plan manage park required. 6 years of consultation park users resulted in 1974 publication of algonquin master plan, management plan sought ensure park continue indefinitely serve of competing park interests. 3 major changes came result of plan. one, park divided zones different specified purposes , uses: nature reserve , historic (5.7% of land area), wilderness (12%), development (4.3%) , recreation-utilization (78%) zones. logging in park limited recreation-utilization zones, separated as possible users of park interior in order maintain park s natural environment. each year small percentage of park being actively logged. two, existing timber licenses cancelled, , logging in park done algonquin forestry authority, supplies timber 10 private mills outside park. three, rules put in place limit impact of recreational use of park. cans , bottles banned in interior, , limits placed on number of people per campsite, , number of people can enter park interior per day @ each access point. also, use of boat motors limited, both in power , few of larger , more accessible lakes. master plan has been reviewed , updated 4 times since 1974, latest version being published in 1998.