The Temagami area is renowned for its rugged landscape and significant natural, cultural and recreational resources. The area attracts visitors from provincial, national and international markets.
Use is expected to increase with the growing interest in adventure travel and relatively accessible wilderness experiences. Therefore, the Temagami area is coming up for further review.
One of the many topics on the table will be private and commercial aircraft access to this area which is made up of parks, conservation reserves (CRs) and Crown Land recreation.
COPA was instrumental the last time a review was held in ensuring aircraft access to the area and that we are included in the groups being consulted this time around. A key topic will be to “explore partnership opportunities to assist in maintaining parks, CRs and Crown lands recreation.”
COPA is particularly interested in discussing this opportunity because private aircraft offer a unique and valuable tool for the management of Temagami. We are the “eyes in the sky” with the ability to survey the area and spot problems like no other means, COPA President Kevin Psutka said.
COPA already has a similar partnership with Nature Conservancy of Canada to help protect and preserve their areas. And in B.C., COPA Flight 72, the BC Floatplane Association, concluded a partnership agreement that guarantees continued access to most parks and recreation areas in the province in return for their assistance in being the eyes in the sky for the BC government. Section 27 of the BC Parks Act is being revised to change the regulation from a general prohibition to a general access provision; a major step forward there.
Over the next few months, MNR will be preparing a Background Information publication which will be distributed to everyone on their mailing list.
This publication will outline opportunities for public input throughout the planning process. The publication will be useful to anyone interested in becoming involved in this planning project.
If you have comments or information you would like to share, or to be included on the mailing list, please contact: Rick Calhoun, District Planner MNR North Bay District 3301 Trout Lake Road North Bay ON P1A 4L7. Tel.: 705-475-5546; Fax: 705-475-5500; E-mail: TIP@mnr.gov.on.ca
Public consultation meetings will occur starting in the Fall and COPA will ensure that notices of such meetings will be on our web site and conveyed to our Flights.
Click here for a PDF of the Planning area for the TEMAGAMI intergraded planning process.