Communicating the values of ecological integrity: A case study of the Icefields Parkway.

摘要

The Parks Canada Agency legislated ecological integrity (EI) as its first management priority, in an "integrated" approach to park management that includes the directives of visitor experience and public education. Planned upgrades to the Icefields Parkway region in Banff and Jasper National Parks aim to showcase this integrated approach. This research explores what it means to provide educational experiences that correspond with current conceptions of EI from the perspective of educational specialists working in this region. A literature review of EI narratives, the fields of interpretation and environmental education addresses linkages between park education and EI management goals. Results obtained from participant observations, key-informant interviews, and focus groups reveal: (1) that educational specialists perceive EI in a complex and pluralistic manner; and, (2) that they see a need for standard interpretation to embrace a pluralistic environmental education approach to increase visitors' appreciation for, understanding of, and will to protect EI.