#ForTheLoveOfParks campaign builds groundswell of support from conservation organizations across Ontario

There’s a good chance that in the past year, you have ventured out at least once to enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of the changing seasons in Ontario’s parks and natural spaces.  There’s also a good chance that while enjoying the outdoors, you noticed coffee cups, plastic water bottles, and other litter strewn along the trail. Can you imagine what our parks would look like if everyone did that?

Throughout the pandemic, parks were a critical lifeline, as one of the few places Canadians could safely access to connect with nature and maintain physical and mental well being. In 2021, over fourteen million visitors made the journey to national and provincial parks in Ontario, smashing the previous year’s record by almost two million. The high demand has put a spotlight on the use of parks and natural areas, where protected area organizations have seen a marked increase in littering, venturing off-path, and other behaviours which pose challenges for staff and threaten protected areas.

#ForTheLoveOfParks is a collaborative campaign between Ontario Parks and Parks Canada to address these challenges and to promote visitors’ shared responsibility for our natural areas. In 2022, the campaign has expanded to include the Niagara Parks Commission, Conservation Ontario, and Camping In Ontario and will not only convey park rules and expected behaviours, but deepen public understanding of the detrimental effects that negative actions can have on Ontario’s natural habitats.

As Canadians prepare to visit one of the amazing parks in Ontario, this summer it would be my pleasure to arrange an interview regarding this campaign with one of our spokespersons to ensure your readers are ready for their next adventure.

For more information on this campaign, please see the attached backgrounder. Further information on Parks Canada locations is available here and the #ForTheLoveOfParks video from the 2021 campaign can be viewed by following this link.