Rating of Natural Sites for the Revised Tentative List
After a rapid evaluation of the numerous sites, which were proposed, a list of 21 prospective natural sites for consideration in a revised Tentative List was compiled. Eight of the sites that remain on the 1980 Tentative List were included as well as 13 others that merited consideration. The selection framework outlined in section 3 was employed to rate each of the prospects and to develop a “short list”. Each site (except the four extensions) was given a rating of High, Medium, Low, or Unknown for each of the five quality indicators. Ratings were arbitrarily based on descriptive materials available on each site and, of course, room was left for exceptions.
Judgements on which level of significance was appropriate for the primary indicator “distinctiveness” were made on the following scale:
HIGH: Clearly outstanding at a global level
MEDIUM: Significant at a bioregional level
LOW: Nationally or provincially significant
UNDETERMINED: More data required
Ratings for each of the four secondary indicators logically follow their descriptions given in section 3.2 above, i.e.:
HIGH: Satisfactory boundaries, minimal human activity, critical or only site for the species or feature, exceptional level of diversity
MEDIUM: Less than satisfactory boundaries, moderate human activity, one of several sites for the species or feature, moderate diversity of features
LOW: Unsatisfactory boundaries, significant human activity, commonly occurring species of features, low diversity
UNDETERMINED: Incomplete data
Final judgment on level of significance was indicative only, but did give a rough idea of relative importance. If a site is rate HIGH under “distinctiveness”, it would be automatically considered of international importance, especially if it also rated HIGH on at least several of the secondary quality indicators. Sites with at least 3 MEDIUMs or HIGHs under the 4 secondary quality indicators are considered to be at the bioregional level of importance, while all others are either of national or of undetermined significance.
Results from the rating indicated that there were seven natural sites with intrinsic values of international importance that would be strong candidates for the revised tentative list. Four of these were from the Arctic: Ivvavik National Park of Canada/Vuntut National Park of Canada / Herschel Island Territorial Park (Yukon); Auyuittuq National Park of Canada (Nunavut); Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada (Nunavut); and Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary/ Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Nunavut and Northwest Territories). Although Sirmilik National Park Reserve of Canada (Nunavut) is also rated a HIGH on “distinctiveness”, it would be a much more powerful proposal if in future an adjacent area of Lancaster Sound is incorporated into the park (an adjacent marine protected area). From other regions of the country the two “internationally significant” sites are Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (B.C.) and the Mount Edziza, Spatsizi and Stikine Provincial Parks complex (B.C.).
Four sites were rated to be at the regional level of significance: Wapusk National Park of Canada (Manitoba); Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve (Newfoundland and Labrador); Tuktut Nogait National Park of Canada (N.W.T.); and Aulavik National Park of Canada (N.W.T.). Additional information could result in eventual addition of any of these as well as any of the four sites in the “undetermined” category: Joggins Fossil Site (N.B.); Sable Island (Nova Scotia); Great Lakes (Ontario); and Fossil Forest of Axel Heiberg (Nunavut).