National Parks' Challenges
Lesson, Student Section
Printable Version (2 pages) PDF 82Kb RTF 13Kb
Your Challenge • Your Essential Information • Your Instructions • Assessment Rubric
Your Challenge
Our national parks need you!
One of our national parks is facing a serious issue. You have been asked to join a group of stakeholders to deal with this issue. Your group’s task is to find the most balanced, workable, and sustainable solution. You will review information related to the issue, then hold a round table meeting where you will consider various points of view, debate the alternatives, and try to reach a consensus on the solution. You will then present your group’s solution to your class.
Your Essential Information
Print out the following before you start:
Worksheets (2 pages, Print 1 copy of "How to be a Stakeholder" worksheet per student and 1 copy of the Roundtable Group worksheet per group)
Round Table Guidelines (2 pages; 1 copy per group)
Precautionary Principle Fact Sheet (1 page; 1 copy per group)
Assessment Rubric (3 pages; 1 copy per group)
Case Studies
From the case studies below, review the one that was assigned to you (you can do this on-line or with a printed copy).
Your Instructions
1. As a group, put your issue in context. Locate the park on a map. Read about the park on its Web page, and in the National Park System Plan. Look for images of the park in the Parks Canada Photo Gallery. Go to Other Web Resources for links to more information, or visit your school library.
2. As a group, look at your case study and Stakeholder Descriptions. Read through the descriptions and decide who will take on the role of each stakeholder. Like national park managers, who must consider many different points of view when looking for the most workable solution to an issue your group will examine your issue from a variety of perspectives.
3. Individually, from the point of view of a stakeholder, review your case study.. Prepare for the round table by writing down answers to each of the questions on Worksheet 1 (“How to be a Stakeholder”).
Determine:
- What is the main issue?
- What are your interests and concerns?
- What information do you have to support your point of view?
- What results do you hope to achieve?
Make a list of possible ways to deal with the issue.
4. With your class, review the Round Table Guidelines. As a group, define the level of consensus you will require: do you want unanimous agreement, majority agreement, or a lack of open disagreement? Review the Precautionary Principle. Think about how this principle affects your proposed solution to the problem. On your own, before the next class, think about how you will present your interests and concerns.
5. As a group, hold a round table discussion, using the questions on the Worksheet 2 (Roundtable Group Worksheet) as a guide. Ensure that team members take turns recording the answers to the questions. Establish interests and concerns for each stakeholder, thoroughly analyze the options, and try to arrive at a consensus on the preferred solution.
6. As a group, present the issue, each stakeholder’s interests, and your preferred solution to your class. Explain how far apart you were at the beginning, and how you were able to arrive at a consensus, or explain why you were not able to reach consensus. Reflect on how satisfied you are with your solution.
7. Independently, take some time to reflect on how the issue relates to you and how you can contribute to healthy ecosystems inside national parks and beyond. For example, you can take part in monitoring ecosystem health in your community through one of the Nature Watch programs. Visit the Get Involved section to find other ideas and resources. Choose one or two ideas and follow through with them.
So, how did you do? Did you find a solution to the problem facing your national park? Don’t worry if you didn’t. Ecosystem management is complex, and there is rarely one ideal solution to an issue.
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