National parks and the communities in which they are woven are most recognized for their natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
However, they are also significant sources of knowledge on Canada’s natural and cultural heritage and serve as valuable sites for research and learning on conservation and sustainable development.
The Sources of Knowledge Forum is intended to demonstrate how research in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five National Marine Park, and the surrounding community contributes to knowledge of the Bruce Peninsula’s natural and human history.
The Forum is a regular means of presenting research activities, their results and their implications for decision-making. It provides students, educators, researchers, citizens, business operators and policy-makers with access to networks, information and ideas through which local knowledge can be integrated into their respective interests.
The Park Advisory Committee (PAC) was created when the two parks were established in 1987 to advise Parks Canada on park management, help communicate information with member organizations, and undertake initiatives that benefit the national parks and the local people.
On May 2, 2008, PAC established the Sources of Knowledge Subcommittee to “organize a forum to report on ongoing research in the greater park ecosystem and to develop a model for a larger knowledge network.”
The Subcommittee successfully hosted the first Sources of Knowledge Forum in May 2009 with a focus on “Coastal Heritage.” The second Sources of Knowledge Forum in May 2010 focused on “Wildlife and Community Values” and in April 2011 the third Forum explored “Dark Skies, Bright Minds“. Building on this success and interest, the fourth Sources of Knowledge Forum is scheduled for April 28-29, 2012 and will be on “Climate Change: What Might it Mean for the Bruce?“ The forums are hosted in Tobermory, Ontario.
