Newfoundland & Labrador

Currently, Newfoundland & Labrador has three National Parks: 





Gros Morne

Gros Morne is the second largest national park in eastern Canada and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, 2013)



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Outdoor tourism activities include (but are not limited to) hiking, strolling along coastlines and beaches, observing wildlife as well as the geologically interesting sites of Green Gardens, the Tablelands and Green Point.



Sherman Downy’s top 10 things to do in Gros Morne National Park:

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The vision for Gros Morne's Park as directly outlined in Park Management Plan (2009) is as follows:

Gros Morne National Park of Canada sets out a vision for the future that seeks to preserve and strengthen the ecological integrity of the park in a way that integrates ecological, cultural, social, and economic values. The plan supports high quality meaningful visitor experiences, and public education based on the park’s ecological and cultural heritage, and seeks to ensure sustainability of traditional and recreational activities.

(Parks Canada, 2009)

Parks Canada uses a Zoning system to classify land and water areas which can be found in the link below as well as the opportunities available for park visitors:



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Terra Nova National Park

Terra Nova National Park is Canada’s most easterly national park and encompasses four hundred square kilometers where one can kyak, canoe, explore dense boreal forest, hike on twelve different trails, view wild life and ice bergs as well as swim, fish or camp (Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, 2013). Known for its extensive boreal forest and rugged coastline, Parks Canada is "mandated to protect the park’s natural values and ecological integrity and to connect Canadians with this special place, through providing opportunities for visitors to understand, appreciate and enjoy the park" (Parks Canada, 2009).

The Parks Management Plan can be found at the link below:



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Torngat Mountains

The Torngat Mountains National Park is the newest addition to Canada’s list of National Parks. It covers 9700 kilometres from Saglek Pjord to the northern tip of Labrador, and westward from the Atlantic seacoast to the Quebec Border (Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, 2013). It is quite a remote location and therefore requires careful planning as there are no roads, no campgrounds and no signs telling you where to go or what to see. However, Parks Canada recommends that a visitor be accompanied by a trained Inuit polar bear guard when hiking (Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, 2013). Other activities may include engaging in local Inuit culture, mountain climbing, back country skiing, and observing arctic flora and animals such as polar bears, black bears, caribou and arctic hares.



Cooperative management is a key strategy here and, as with the other two parks, the Torngat Mountains also has a management plan in place since 2010:



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Provincial Parks

There are 13 Provincial Parks in Newfoundland and Labrador where one can camp overnight. There are also 7 Natural and Scenic Attraction Provincial Parks which are designed primarily for day use activities, 1 Waterway Provincial Park, 10 Provincial Park Reserves with the T'Railway Provincial Park completing the current system (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012). Activities can vary from park to park and a full listing can be found here:



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Ecological reserves

 

The WER Act is a great example of wilderness-protection legislation in Canada. This act allows the public to participate in how reserves are established/managed and ensures that protected areas retain their natural qualities (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012).

Wilderness Reserves are large areas (greater than 1000 km²) designed to protect significant natural features and landscapes, and provide opportunities for low-impact outdoor recreation (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012).
Example: The Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve protects one of North American’s unspoiled barren lands, which is home to almost 15, 000 caribou (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012).
 

Ecological reserves are smaller areas (less than 1000 km²) designed to protect unique, rare or endangered plants, animals, or other elements of our unique natural heritage (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012).
Example: Witless Bay Ecological Reserve protects nesting seabirds such as Atlantic puffins.
Low impact recreational activities – such as hiking, educational tours, and scientific research – are allowed in most ecological reserves, but in general the guidelines for visiting are more strict than for wilderness reserves
(Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012).



Table 1: Table of Protected Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador (Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012)

  





































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​​Evidently, NL has a lot of area for improvement when it comes to protected areas. It is important to have protected areas such as National parks as they uphold the aspects of ecotourism. They are maintained natural ecosystems which allow tourists to enjoy pristine ecological beauty. In addition, they provide hope for animals who may be threatened or endangered, thus, they directly contribute to conservation. 

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Whales, Birds and Icebergs



Many companies across the province host tours featuring whale watching, bird watching, as well as iceberg sightings.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1: Whale Watching Hot Spots in Newfoundland and Labrador (Tourism NL, 2013)



Note: The dots represent the best places to watch whales in the province.​

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When it comes to conservation and protection while viewing Marine Mammals and Turtles, Fisheries and Oceans Canada have certain guidelines:







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As well, the federal government has proposed a 100 m whale watching buffer zone as seen in this CBC news article from last year:

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Ecotourism Activities