from a November 3, 2009 News Release
Today the province of Ontario announced an increase of protected area inside Algonquin Provincial Park from 22% to 35%! The total area off limits to logging is now 371,238 hectares - equal to six times the size of Toronto.
Of the 631 protected areas in Ontario, Algonquin is the only one open to industrial logging operations. Conservation groups like CPAWS (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) hope to phase out the logging entirely with future legislation.
Algonquin is is the very first provincial park in Canada, established in 1893. Glaciers retreating from the last ice age left a legacy of over 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometres of streams and rivers within its current borders.
It straddles northern coniferous and southern deciduous forests, sheltering a huge variety of plants and animals in its green beautiful arms. Some of the more fun names of species in fish: Shortjaw Cisco, Slimy Sculpin, Ninespine Stickleback, Burbot... birds: Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Indigo Bunting, Whip-poor-will, Chimney Swift, Eastern Wood Pewee, Veery, Hooden Merganser... reptiles and amphibians: Painted Turtle, Mudpuppy, Milk Snake, Spring Peeper... and among the majestic American Black Bear, Eastern Wolf and simply-named Moose, other mammals include Southern Bog Lemming, Gapper's Red-backed Vole, Star-Nosed Mole and Little Brown Bat. I bet you also didn't know that weighing in for trees, maples came in Striped, Silver, Red, Sugar AND Mountain varieties.
Among recognition for pioneering park management and visitor programs, Algonquin has inspired many artists, through their work reaching imaginations throughout Canada and the world. It is also an important centre for wildlife research.
Wikipedia has a selection of maps showing Algonquin through the years, from its inception to recent cartographic details.
"CPAWS is Canada's voice for wilderness. We're working to keep at least half of Canada’s public land and water wild — forever."
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