"_...,§_' " "jg

'-

W Pll‘t't Emnnn I" \‘l).k \\ U)‘

"0

W15/ ,VM a

Canadian Heritage Rivers System

While Canada has been blessed with access.to what seems to be unlimited supplies of fresh water, there is a wide spectrum of thought within the general public that we are not managing this tremendous resource wisely. In the late seventies federal, provincial and territorial parks ministers directed their officials to develop a proposal for the establishment of a Canadian Heritage Rivers System. The proposal was accepted by a majority of the participants with only a few exceptions to the recommendations of the task force.

The objectives of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System are to give national recognition to the important rivers of Canada and to ensure their future management - such that:

a) the natural heritage which they represent is conserved and interpreted:

b) the human heritage which they represent is conserved and interpreted:

c) the opportunities they possess for recreation and heritage appreciation are realized by residents of and visitors to Canada.

In June of this year, the province as represented by the Department of Tourism and Parks contracted with the Island Nature Trust to do a preliminary study to determine which Prince Edward Island rivers might be nominated as Canadian Heritage Rivers.

A Steering Committee chaired by Doug Murray, Director of Parks, will direct the Study Team. Other members of the Committee are Arthur Smith, Dept. of Environment, Bruce Smith, Dept. of Environment, Bill Glen, Dept. of Energy and Forestry, Richard Veinot, Dept. of Community and Cultural Affairs and Nicholas

Coomber, Canadian Parks Service. The Study Team will be under the leadership of Dianne Griffin, assisted by Fred Horne, Paula Banks, Kelley Crawford and Janita Glencross. The study will be

conducted in four phases:

1. Development of a heritage and recreational value classification system.

2. Data Collection and analysis.

3. Management feasibility and implications.

4. Summary, conclusions and recommendations.

A draft final report will be made available at the end of November, 1991.

The following are the 17 rivers to be studied; Brudenell, Cardigan, Dunk, Fortune, Hillsborough, Hunter, Kildare, Mill, Montague, Morell, Murray, Southwest, Stanley, Vernon, West, Wheatley, and Trout.

-14-