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• Park Program
  • People and Places
  • Risks, Challenges & Opportunities
  • Benefits of Parks & Special Places
• Park Establishment
  • Feasibility
  • Planning
  • Establishment
  • Operations
• Park Projects
  • Coral Harbour
  • Kugaaruk
  • Clyde River
  • Hall Beach
  • Kekerten
  • Sylvia Grinnell
• Land Claims
  • Parks and the NLCA
  • Parks and the IIBA
• Publications
  • Nunavut Parks
  • Legislation

Planning

Once the interim withdrawal of lands has been requested, and a PSA has been initiated, the second phase of the process begins with the establishment of a Community Joint Planning and Management Committee (CJPMC). In keeping with the IIBA, Nunavut Parks and the relevant Regional Inuit Association (RIA) appoint members from the community to sit on the CJPMC to provide advice and recommendations on the planning, establishment, operation and management of Territorial Parks. It is expected that at least some members from the earlier park committee will be included on the CJPMC to ensure continuity.

Nunavut Parks works with the CJPMC, residents, and others interested (including the Inuit Heritage Trust, Geoscience Office, Regional Inuit Associations, Regional Wildlife Organization, etc.) and Inuit field assistants in developing an Inventory of Park Resources that includes:

• archaeological and Culturally Significant sites;
• cultural heritage, including oral histories and other historical information;
• Inuktitut place names for the park and for locations of interest within the park;
• wildlife populations, vegetation and important wildlife areas that may require special protection or management efforts; and
• geological and mineral resources.

The extent of the inventory must, at minimum, meet the objectives and the requirements of the IIBA and the Territorial Parks Act. In developing these inventories, Nunavut Parks and the CJPMC will first consider information collected during the feasibility phase, and identify areas where additional inventory and assessment work may be required.

Nunavut Parks and the CJPMC use this information to determine park boundaries, appropriate Inuktitut place names, and park interpretive programs. The information is also used to develop Park Master Plans and Park Management Plans. These plans are based on frameworks that are created to ensure a consistent approach to park planning and management throughout Nunavut. These frameworks ensure that completed plans include clear park purpose statements and related management goals; define park boundaries; identify and protect culturally significant sites, important wildlife areas, and recreational areas through ‘zoning’ or other tools; describe what facilities are needed for the park; and describe specific plans for ensuring the park’s important resources and related opportunities will be maintained.

As with earlier phases, community consultation and involvement is an important component of development of park master and management plans. Through the CJPMC, Nunavut Parks hosts community open houses and radio shows; interviews elders, youth and other residents; develops newsletters and other types of information to ensure residents and others interested in the park have the information to make knowledgeable decisions on park planning and management.

Some Management Plans may include sections related to wildlife, which must be reviewed by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB) to ensure they are in keeping with any wildlife management harvesting or any other wildlife related programs; and to ensure that NWMB is aware of park management decisions made by communities.

Once the CJPMC approves the completed plans, they must also be approved by a Nunavut Joint Planning and Management Committee (NJPMC) who makes sure the plan is consistent with the IIBA, and the intent of the park. In its review, the NJPMC may ask the CJPMC and Nunavut Parks to do further work, refine management statements, or revise the plan to reflect any new information they may have concerning the park and re-submit the plan to the NJPMC. Once they are satisfied that the plans are complete, they then forward the approved plan to the Minister, Department of Environment. Similarly, the Minister may also ask the NJPMC to review or revise the plan to reflect any new information he may have.