Preparatory Activities
Youth Groups | Activity Sites | Activities | Kits

DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR PARK VISIT

Discuss with parent helpers and drivers the exact area of the park you plan to visit and review the route to be taken. Emphasize that, for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and WILDLIFE, the speed limit within the park is 30 km/hr. Please drive carefully. Parking is permitted in paved parking lots only. We suggest that no valuables be left in the vehicles, even if the vehicles are locked.

Discuss with children the purpose of provincial parks and protected areas. They are part of a global and provincial plan to set aside a portion of the landbase to preserve the biodiversity of natural environments.

Ask the children to make a list of behaviours on the field study that would show respect for the natural environment and a commitment to its care. Possibilities include:

• stay on the designated trails when changing activity locations.
• when off-trail, walk carefully, watching each step to avoid crushing small plants, bushes and trees.
• leave ant hills, nest and rotting logs alone and intact. These are the homes of a variety of life forms.

All of the provincial park rules reflect this need to respect, preserve and protect the environment. The park rules that would directly affect your visit include:

1. Wildlife live in the park because they are able to meet their needs for food, shelter and water. Feeding them is not necessary. In fact, it can create significant hardships for them because they become dependent on this food. The learned behaviours associated with this can also be dangerous for the wildlife. Do not feed or harass wildlife (including birds). Quietly observe them instead.
   
   
2. Thousands of people visit the park each year. If each person took only one cone or picked only one plant that still represents a significant impact on the natural environment. Cutting, defacing, picking or removal of any plant, fossil, rock or other park material is prohibited. Leave them behind for others to enjoy and natural processes to occur.
   
   
3. Each year, thousands of people visit the park. If each person threw their garbage on the ground, it would be difficult to clean up and dangerous for the wildlife who could confuse the litter for food. Litter should be placed in garbage cans or in your pocket if no garbage cans are available nearby.
   
   
4. As much as possible, the Fish Creek Provincial Park will remain a natural place. Wildlife are not accustomed to pets chasing them or threatening them with noise. For these reasons, pets must be kept on a leash in the park. This protects not only wildlife but also people and their pets as well.
   
   
5. To preserve and protect this natural environment, we must be very careful how we interact with the park. Open fires can spread uncontrollably, dramatically changing the landscape. For this reason, fires are permitted only in designated firepits located in some picnic areas. Visitors must bring their own firewood, roasting sticks and a container to fill with water to extinguish the fire.