Displays areas regulated as a conservation reserve in order to: * permanently protect representative ecosystems, biodiversity and significant elements of Ontario's natural and cultural heritage * provide opportunities for ecologically sustainable land uses, including traditional outdoor heritage activities and associated economic benefits * allow for scientific research and provide points of reference to support monitoring of ecological change on the broader landscape Official GEO title: Conservation Reserve Regulated

The Parks and Protected Areas dataset contains Parks and Protected Area boundaries for sites administered by the Government of Alberta. National parks, because of their similar intent, are also included. GIS line work representing provincial park/protected area boundaries has been interpreted from written legal descriptions appended to Orders-in-Council granted Royal Assent by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. In case of discrepancy between the GIS data and the written legal description, the written legal description shall take precedence. The Government of Canada is the authoritative source for GIS boundaries of National Parks. National Park boundaries are included herein for reference, only. GIS line work representing National Park boundaries has been interpreted from written legal descriptions within Schedule 1 of the Canada National Parks Act, and adapted to align with the Alberta Provincial Base Features/Foundational Data collection. Defining document is Canada National Parks Act, Statues of Canada 2000, Chapter 32, Assented to 20th October, 2000. In case of discrepancy between the GIS data and the written legal description, the written legal description shall take precedence. Please note that this dataset replaces the following datasets: Ecological Reserve, Heritage Rangeland, National Park, Natural Area, Provincial Park, Provincial Recreation Area, Wilderness Area, Wilderness Park, and Wildland Park.

Ontario provincial parks are classified as one of the following : * Wilderness * Nature Reserve * Cultural Heritage * Natural Environment * Waterway * Recreational These parks are managed by Ontario Parks. The [Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006](http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06p12_e.htm) guides how these areas are planned and managed. The purpose of the Act is to: * permanently protect a system of provincial parks and conservation reserves * protect Ontario's natural and cultural heritage * maintain biodiversity * provide opportunities for ecologically sustainable recreation Instructions for downloading this dataset: * select the link below and scroll down the metadata record page until you find **Transfer Options** in the **Distribution Information** section * select the link beside the **Data for download** label * you must provide your name, organization and email address in order to access the dataset This product requires the use of GIS software. *[GIS]: geographic information system

The Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) is the authoritative source of data on protected and conserved areas in Canada. The database consists of the most up-to-date spatial and attribute data on marine and terrestrial protected areas in all governance categories recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs, or conserved areas) across the country. Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are also included if they are recognized as protected or conserved areas. CPCAD adheres to national reporting standards and is available to the public. The CPCAD is compiled and managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), in collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial, and other reporting authorities that provide the data. The database contains combined data from all these Canadian reporting authorities, who have determined that their areas meet the Canadian criteria as protected or conserved areas. The CPCAD is used by a wide range of organizations, including governments, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), academia, land managers, industry, and the general public. CPCAD supports many uses including Canada’s national reporting on protected areas, Canada’s international reporting on protected areas as a result of Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, and Canada’s protected areas program by providing baseline information. More detailed information on CPCAD is available by downloading the User Manual. The data is current as of the date of the most recent revision.

The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program provides data and information to track Canada's performance on key environmental sustainability issues. The Ecological integrity of national parks indicator summarizes the condition (good, fair, poor) and trend (improving, stable, declining) of ecosystems within 43 national parks. National parks help to protect biodiversity, preserve ecosystem services, connect landscapes, and provide a natural solution for climate change by capturing and storing carbon. National parks also help to build knowledge and understanding of ecosystems and connect Canadians with nature. Information is provided to Canadians in a number of formats including: static and interactive maps, charts and graphs, HTML and CSV data tables and downloadable reports. See the supplementary documentation for the data sources and details on how the data were collected and how the indicator was calculated. Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: https://www.canada.ca/environmental-indicators Supplemental Information Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators - Home page: https://www.canada.ca/environmental-indicators Supporting Projects: Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI)