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Today was Parks Day in Canada. A day for celebrating the invaluable treasure we have represented in our national, provincial, territorial, regional and municipal parks.  I wonder how many Canadians even aware of this or did anything about it?

What press coverage I've seen so far has been focused on a report released yesterday by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society which highlights slowness in expanding protected area systems and improper management of those already established.

Important issues to be sure, but should not be taken as the only ones.

When I look around the planet, I see protected area systems nearly everywhere in crisis. Barely enough funding to keep the doors open. In fact, in some places not even enough to do that. To balance the budget back in May of this year, Californian Governor Schwartzenegger proposed a bill that could lead to the closure of 220 state parks over the next year or so. 

Here in British Columbia, Premier Gordon Campbell and his cabinet recently slashed budgets of many ministries. Within the Ministery of Environment, BC Parks is struggling to absorb the impact of a 50% cut. A former Director of BC Parks remarked to me: "It's a little hard to get worked up over this cut. The agency's budget has already been cut by 80% over the past decade, so half of the remaining 20% is really nothing." That being said, as many as 45 park campgrounds have had their seasons shortened and more parks have no rangers covering them. 

Budgets are not the only thing that has been shrinking. Visitation has been steadily declining throughout North America as well. In the United States, the National Park Service is offering "free" weekends to attract visitors. Here in Canada, Parks Canada has started running ads on television urging Canadians to re-engage with the national parks and historic sites. Over and over, I hear managers and researchers worry aloud that parks are losing their relevancy to Canadians, particularly among youth, urban dwellers, and ethnic communities. 

Is this true? That we care less about our parks?  Strong evidence suggests that it is. When I wrote my book "Phantom Parks: The Struggle to Save Canada's National Parks" in 2000, they were ranked as the third most important icon of national identity. Today, according to one field unit superintendent, they fall somewhere around 35th. She did not recall off-hand what other things proceeded them. Too bad, I'd sure be interested in knowing.

As someone who passionately cares about parks and protected areas, I'm deeply troubled by this trend. If we take them for granted or stop caring about them, they will be rapidly engulfed by the tidal wave of development bearing down from all sides. The only thing that has stood in the way and protected them so far has been a concerned and engaged public.

Not surprisingly, I'm spending a great deal of time thinking about and researching ways to re-engage Canadians with their parks. How to show why national or provincial parks are relevant to them? That is the question I'm struggling with. I'd be pleased to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or ideas to it and the problem.