Exercise 3: Parks and Conservation
February 16, 2026 By: Capri Holm
Dr. Mark Butorac
HIST 3991: Environmental History
Capri Holm
February 16, 2026
A recent example of national parks’ shift from preservation to tourism is the desire to reduce traffic at Lake Louise (Colgan). Colgan argued that the vast increase in tourism and traffic has overwhelmed the parks’ infrastructure, increasing pollution and pressure on wildlife and thereby threatening ecological stability. This directly correlates with Sandlos’s work, in which he discussed the historical shift from preservation to tourism within the national parks. Specifically, Sandlos noted that previously attracting and hosting large numbers of visitors to parks had caused ecological problems (66) and that there should be greater foresight. Although national parks are beautiful and valued for fostering deep connections with nature, greater recognition of the environmental consequences of increased tourism and overuse should take precedence in present and future planning.
A recent example of conservation practices is Cruickshank’s report on Canada’s failure to protect lands and waters within its designated timeframe, 25% conservation by 2025. Interestingly, Cruickshank made a good point about ongoing geopolitical trade issues with the United States, noting that Canada has had to make difficult decisions to regain resources and gain greater independence. This has led to their “pursuit of new mining projects [that] has the potential to conflict with its conservation commitments” (Cruickshank). This directly relates to Steinberg’s book, particularly chapter nine, in which Steinberg discussed the conflicts between preservation and utilitarianism, exemplified by Gifford Pinchot (122). Although Canada’s inability to conserve water and land within its given timeframe is extremely unfortunate (Cruickshank), the uncertain political climate and resource requirements pose a difficult balance.
The links can be found here as well as in the works cited:
Lake Louise Tourism: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lake-louise-moraine-lake-parks-canada-9.7073302
Canadas Conservation: https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-misses-2025-conservation-target/
Works Cited
Colgan, Greg. “Parks Canada Looks at New Tactics to Curb Lake Louise Overcrowding.” CBC, 6 Feb. 2026, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lake-louise-moraine-lake-parks-canada-9.7073302.
Cruickshank, Ainslie. “Canada Failed to Protect 25% of Lands and Waters by 2025.” The Narwhal, 26 Jan. 2026, https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-misses-2025-conservation-target/
Sandlos, John. “Nature’s Playground: The Parks Branch and Tourism Promotion in the National Parks, 1911–1929.” In A Century of Parks Canada, 1911–2011, edited by Claire Elizabeth Campbell, 53–78. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2011.
Steinberg, T. “Chapter 9: Conservation Reconsidered.” In Down to Earth: Nature’s Role in American History. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.