[Paddlewise] Queen Charlottes: Parks Management

I was surprised and dismayed at the way Parks Canada is managing Gwaii
Haanas, during my visit there.  I felt Parks' style concentrated on
"management from the office," with very few resources in/on the park
itself.  In contrast, the Haida Watchmen were EXTREMELY helpful and
knowledgeable.  

Here is a short list of my gripes about Parks, many of them echoed by
locals and outfitters in the Charlottes  Anybody have different
experiences to share?

1. The reservation system was cumbersome, needlessly expensive, and did
not permit early enough reservations (March 1 was earliest date).  

2. Our orientations were delivered by "office rangers" who had spent
little time in the Park, and who were defensive when questioned about
possible misinformation in their orientation talks.

3. The "random camping" policy, though well-intentioned, is unworkable
in Gwaii Haanas and completely out of touch with reality:  some beaches
receive extremely heavy use (mandated by their location, not the habits
of paddlers).  There is also heavy use of some primo campsites by
outfitters, to the near exclusion of independents.  In particular, the
intertidal flush is a hopeless method for dealing with human waste in
heavy-use areas.

4. Finally, Parks has essentially no presence in the Park itself.  We
used local residents (in Rose Harbour), Haida Watchmen, and outfitters
to help us when we needed it, because Parks was invisible.  I saw three
Canadian Coast Guard vessels on patrol and NEVER saw a Parks patrol
boat, in my 28 days on the water.  The outfitters who ferry people and
yaks into/out of the Park were the best resource in an emergency.

Next year, Parks expects to extract CDN$ 10/person/night for visitors
(to a max of $60/head, I believe).  I do not see Parks providing much
return for that fee.  What do others think?

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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