Involvement of resident peoples in protected area management: A case study of Banff National Park (Alberta)

In the case of Banff National Park, there is opportunity to incorporate local knowledge into the plans and decisions made regarding the management of natural and cultural resources within a protected area. Residents within the Town of Banff, in Banff National Park, have acquired unique and valuable knowledge about the parks' resources. This knowledge has been gained over time and through personal experience. Past experiences have caused many of them to lose interest in participating in the formal and informal participatory processes available to them. Political agendas and advice provided by natural scientists and external experts are viewed by residents as taking priority over other factors influencing manager's decisions. Residents' views on key aspects of management and decision-making are presented along with their views on future challenges.; Managers of Banff National Park would benefit from moving towards a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to decision-making and planning that incorporates local, contextual knowledge. Inappropriate decisions have been made resulting in downstream repercussions that could have been avoided had more validity been granted to the knowledge and advice available at the local level. Evidence of this is provided by some of the decisions associated with the Town of Banff and restoration of the Cascade Corridor. Residents lack trust in the abilities of authorities to make appropriate and effective decisions with respect to the local natural and cultural resources. The author provides recommendations for ways to raise the profile of local knowledge and build trust between residents and authorities.