A brief history of nature education in provincial parks

“Through these interesting and enjoyable experiences which are both educational and recreational, interpretation contributes to the inspirational value of the outdoors and fosters an understanding, an appreciation, and an intelligent use of our parklands.”

– Alan Helmsley, Department of Lands & Forests, 1960

Ontario Parks’ nature programs are designed to help people discover and connect with the natural and cultural history of the park during their visit.

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Then and now: Ontario Parks visitors

This blog post comes from Senior Marketing Specialist Anne Craig. 

It’s the summer of 1963. Lester B. Pearson has just been elected the Prime Minister of Canada, and “It’s My Party” by Lesley Gore is topping the CHUM chart.

Ontario is enjoying a year of economic growth, riding on the tails of a booming manufacturing sector. One of the most popular summer vacations is camping at a provincial park.

But campers were a lot different in 1963 than they are today. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between what campers were like in 1963, and today.

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