History Of Algonquin Park To 1954

Author : George Warecki
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781894993784
Total Pages : 61 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (937 download)

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Download or read book J.R. Dymond written by George Warecki and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "During the 1930s, scientists came to Algonquin Park with increasing frequency to conduct ecological research. They were attracted by the park's relatively undisturbed natural areas, which served as outdoor laboratories essential for field studies. To this handful of biologists, Algonquin's rich natural diversity contrasted sharply with southern Ontario, where wild land was being gobbled up at an alarming rate by the forces of industrialization and urbanization. Determined to forestall this destruction of Ontario's natural heritage, some of the scientists founded a new organization in 1931: the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (FON). They were led by John Richardson ('J.R.') Dymond (1887-1965), a University of Toronto zoology professor who had a profound influence on the history of Algonquin Park. Dymond and the FON articulated a conservation philosophy that departed dramatically from the traditional, wise use or utilitarian arguments. Charged by an aesthetic appreciation and respect for the natural world derived from the changing science of ecology, the new conservationists insisted that all forms of nature − not only parts of it − should be protected in publicly owned sanctuaries, free of resource extraction and mass recreation. Such reserves should be set aside for their own sake, as wilderness remnants, representative of the province's natural diversity, and as scientific benchmarks for ecological research. In promoting these sanctuaries, Dymond freely borrowed concepts and methods from nature reserve advocates in Britain and the United States. This international movement provided the context for a resurgence of field work in Algonquin Park. Through a close relationship with Superintendent and later Deputy Minister Frank MacDougall, Dymond secured a formal place in the park for scientific research. MacDougall was receptive to the biologists' requests for access. Well aware of similar initiatives in the U.S. national parks, he knew that careful research was a prerequisite to drawing up policies for effectively managing Algonquin's forests, fish and wildlife. Dymond took full advantage of this fortuitous consensus. He contributed significantly to the administration of fish and wildlife research in Algonquin during the thirties and forties, personally directing much of the work. Dymond also enjoyed success in promoting the FON cause of setting aside nature reserves in the park for ecological study. His advocacy led to the establishment of three important facilities: the Harkness Laboratory of Fisheries Research (1936), the Wildlife Research Station located within the 'Wilderness Area' (1944), and the Swan Lake Forest Research Station (1950). The hundreds of scientific studies generated at these facilities have made Algonquin Park one of the most important areas in Canada for ecological research. As a cottage leaseholder on Smoke Lake, Dymond developed an almost proprietary concern for the park's natural values. His aesthetic appreciation for Algonquin's beauty and diversity made him, occasionally, an outspoken critic of seemingly insensitive recreationists, field staff, and administrators. During the 1940s he attempted to instill in the public a better understanding of the park's natural values. He began by leading fellow cottagers on informal hikes through the woods (1942), to identify and describe the various flora and fauna. Impressed by this initiative, MacDougall invited Dymond to expand his activities. Based on methods observed in American parks, Dymond launched (1944) and planned the expansion of Algonquin's now famous nature interpretation program. Through these pioneering efforts, he influenced public attitudes toward the natural world and shaped the field of park interpretation across Canada. The early 1950s presented numerous headaches for Algonquin's field staff. A postwar boom in outdoor recreation manifested itself in several ways, including crowded campsites, overused trails, littered canoe routes, and droning floatplanes carrying fly-in anglers − all of which placed great strains on the park's resources. In the face of these mounting pressures, Dymond repeatedly called for a more protective approach to park management. Prompted by the FON and other conservationists, the provincial government adopted a 'back-to-nature' policy for Algonquin in 1954. Its most significant measure was to proclaim the eventual removal of cottage leaseholds from the park. This policy marked the culmination of a twenty-three year campaign by Dymond to reassert one of the original, historic purposes for which the park was set aside: the protection of natural features. All of these contributions helped civil servants, field staff, and scientists by mid-century to fashion a new, modern role for Algonquin Park."--