Editor: We applaud Parks Canada for rerouting the Banff Marathon to avoid potential wildlife conflicts on Bow Valley Parkway. We also note that this is not the first time a race has had to be stopped or rerouted due to wildlife conflicts.
Which raises the question of the appropriateness of these events in a national park setting.
While these events may be a benefit to participants and the hospitality industry, the potential impacts on other park visitors, residents and wildlife seem to be disproportionate.
We respect that tourism is the lifeblood of our town, but it’s interesting to note that our neighbours to the south, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Park, are both achieving record visitation numbers, all without having to resort to special events.
In fact, Yellowstone is reportedly openly discussing the concept of visitation limits and rethinking its campaign to attract millennials and minorities to the park, due to severe overcrowding and ecological impacts (http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/y-stone-tourists-go-wild-and-it-could-affect-everyone/article_eb3ee3d8-b56a-5f2c-b97d-b39fa88c6c97.html).
Many of the visitation and ecological issues in Banff have historically mirrored Yellowstone National Park, with similar issues surfacing in Banff at a slightly later date – which begs the question: given Banff National Park’s visitation trajectory, the increasing emphasis on special events and the foreshadowing of the problems Yellowstone is experiencing, do you want your park to be remembered for rock concerts and races, or for its beauty and connection to nature?
Reg Bunyan,
Vice-president, Bow Valley Naturalists
