HERITAGE WEEK 2011
A Century of Conservation Parks and Cultural Landscapes This year’s Heritage Week theme celebrates the centennial of two institutions that are very important to British Columbians — BC Parks and Parks Canada. Created in 1911, Canada’s Dominion Parks Service was the first such national organization in the world. The same year, the Government of British Columbia passed legislation to create Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island, the beginning of our provincial parks system. Today, there are hundreds of provincial parks throughout B.C. Our national parks, and National Historic Sites which are part of the same system, protect and celebrate priceless natural treasures and some of our most historic places. It is easy to take our parks for granted. But these park systems would never have come into being without a strong conservation ethic. The natural wonders and historic sites that have been protected over the past 100 years are open to all British Columbians, in perpetuity. They also attract thousands of visitors to our province, making a significant contribution to our vital tourism industry. Parks and heritage are two sides of the same coin. The culture of conservation, caring for what has value and protecting it for future generations, is the common element. Let’s celebrate a century of conservation this Heritage Week. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HERITAGE WEEK ON OUR WEBSITE. Read about Ruckle Provincial Park on Page 5.
www.heritagebc.ca