Elk Island National Park

HistoryEdit

Elk Island National Park is situated in the Beaverhills area, which with its aspen thickets and easy access to water, has provided shelter for wintering herds of elk, bison and moose since times immemorial. Though there was never any permanent First Nations settlement in the area, there are over 200 archaeological remains of campsites and stone toolmaking sites. The land has been influenced by the Blackfoot, Sarcee and Cree peoples.

In early post-Contact history, the Beaverhills area was primarily used for commercial hunting. This led to over-hunting and the virtual elimination of beaver from the area by the 1830s and of large ungulates by the 1860s. The area then became valuable for timber until 1894, when fire swept through the area. In 1899, the federal government designated the area the “Cooking Lake Forest Reserve”. But while the forest was protected, it did little to protect the moose, elk and deer populations. Thus, in 1906, five men from Fort Saskatchewan put forward $5000 and petitioned the federal government to set up an elk sanctuary, calling it “Elk Park”. Elk Island Park was later granted federal park status in 1913, and then designation as an official National Park under the National Parks Act which passed through the Canadian Parliament in 1930.

In 1951, a replica of a pioneer cabin was built in the park to honour the Ukrainian-Canadians who pioneered the area. This replica, known as the Ukrainian Pioneer Home, was the first museum or historic site ever dedicated to Ukrainian immigration in Canada. In 1993 it was declared a Classified Federal Heritage Building by the federal government.

WildlifeEdit

Elk Island is home to the densest population of ungulates (hoofed mammals) in Canada. A variety of mammal species including coyote, plains bison, moose, mule deer, lynx, beaver, elk, white-tailed deer, porcupine, and bison are year-round residents. Black bears and timber wolves certainly roam within this park, but they are not commonly seen by wildlife viewers. Over two hundred and fifty bird species that can be found in the park at various times of year. Most notable among these are the red-necked grebes, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, American bitterns and the trumpeter swans.

Wildlife managementEdit

True to its roots, Elk Island National Park still maintains a thriving elk population, estimated at 605 in 2007, as well as around 300 moose and over 500 deer. Parks Canada transferred eighteen western moose from Elk Island to Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Highlands National Park between 1947 and 1949. Reintroduction of traditional species has been an important focus as well. Besides the success of the wood and plains bison introduction, beaver were reintroduced in 1942, and in 2007 numbered near 1000. 1987 saw the beginning of a Trumpeter Swan reintroduction programme which is now seeing mating pairs returning to Elk Island, raising hope for a sustainable population.

Elk Island National Park also remains a seed herd for repopulation efforts in other areas. Elk Island elk have been relocated to various parts North America, including Ontario and the foothills of the Rockies. Plains bison have been reintroduced to conservation areas scattered throughout their historic domain, for example American Prairie Reserve in eastern Montana, Grasslands National Park and the Old Man on His Back Prairie and Heritage Conservation Area in Saskatchewan, and in 2006, 30 wood bison were relocated to the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) to begin repopulation efforts of the area historically inhabited by the now extinct steppe bison.

Bison conservationEdit

Elk Island National Park has a prominent history in large ungulate conservation. As early as 1907, the Canadian government bought one of the last and largest remaining pure-bred plains bison, the Pablo-Allard herd, from Montana. Close to 400 bison were shipped to Elk Island as a temporary waystation until the fencing at Buffalo Park in Wainwright was completed. In 1909 the fence was finished and 325 bison were relocated to Buffalo National Park. However, 40-70 bison evaded capture and became the ancestors of today's herd in Elk Island National Park. In 2007, Parks Canada maintained a herd of about 450 plains bison in Elk Island. When the Bison number over this amount they are sold. The proceeds of the sales go to help finance the needs of national parks.

In the late 19th century, only 300 wood bison remained worldwide, almost exclusively in Wood Buffalo National Park. During the 1920s, 6000-7000 plains bison were also relocated to Wood Buffalo National Park. These bison were not only infected with brucellosis and tuberculosis, which infected the wood bison herd, but the wood and plains subspecies also interbred, and thus it was thought that wood bison were completely extinct by the 1940s. In 1957, however, a disease-free, wood bison herd of 200 was discovered near Nyarling river in Wood Buffalo National Park. In 1965, 23 of these bison were relocated to the south side of Elk Island National Park and remain there today as the most genetically pure wood bison remaining. In 2007, the wood bison population in Elk Island National Park was estimated at 315.

Elk Island has become famous for exporting its ungulates to other conservation areas around North America, and even to Russia. In 1996 elk were sent to Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky. Starting in 2005, a series of plains bison deliveries were made to the American Prairie Reserve in northeastern Montana, including 94 head in 2010 and 72 in 2012. Three groups of 30 wood bison were sent to the Republic of Sakha, in the Russian Federation, partly to replace the extinct steppe bison in the habitat but also a protection again any disease wiping out the North American herd of that species.

Activities and factsEdit

Elk Island National Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year round. Park User Fees apply. Winter activities include unserviced camping, hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and wildlife gazing. Summer activities include hiking, golfing, kayaking/canoeing, mountain biking, wildlife gazing and unserviced camping. Services include telephones, potable water and year-round washrooms. Swimming is not recommended due to risk of contracting Swimmer's itch. Fires are allowed in designated fire pits.

On September 3, 2006, the Beaver Hills dark-sky preserve, which includes Elk Island National Park within its boundaries, was declared in a ceremony held at Astotin Lake.