La Cloche Provincial Park Management Statement

ISBN Q-7778-2391-8

Background information

• Name: La Cloche Provincial Park
• Classification: Natural Environment
• Site Region/Site District: Great Lakes St Lawrence Northern Deciduous Forest/5E3
• OMNR Administrative Region/District: Central Region/Sudbury
• Total Area (ha): 748
• Regulation Date: 1985

Targets

Earth science representation

• Surficial geology: provincially significant glacial spilway lag deposits (c. 6000 yrs BP)

Life science representation

• Warmer / rock / very dry: rock and lichen carpet sand
• Normal / sand / dry: sand
• Colder / organic / wet: black spruce bog
• Normal / rock / very dry: lichen carpet
• Colder / organic / very wet: graminoid fen to low shrub fen
• Normal / rock / dry: white, red and jack pine
• Warmer / rock / dry: red oak
• Cold / mesic / loam: sugar maple, beech and hemlock
• Normal / dry / sand: red maple
• Normal / wet mesic / organic: white cedar / white spruce / white birch / alder

Cultural resources representation

• Research has documented a variety of cultural heritage sites

Recreation opportunities

• Viewing; walking; photography; and, camping is available on adjacent land

Inventories

Figure 1: La Cloche Provincial Park

Management guidelines

Interim management statements identify: park values; guidelines to protect those values; and, restrictions on use.

Land Tenure

La Cloche Provincial Park was established in 1985. It contains 7448 ha of land and water on the north shore of Lake Huron (Figure 1).

There are several private properties surrounded by the park boundary. These are not part of La Cloche Provincial Park:

• 5 cottage lots, and
• 5 mining properties.

There are no land use permits within the park.

Guidelines

All patented land will continue. No additional Crown land will be sold within the park. Should the mining lease revert to the Crown, these lands would come under park regulation.

Existing and proposed development

The park is 20 kilometres south of Highway 17 on the North Channel of Lake Huron. There are no park facilities. The existing buildings were used for as a Junior Ranger Camp for a number of years. One building was built as part of a tourist lodge which operated here prior to Crown purchase of the land. Electrical power is provided from power lines entering the park on the west side. Two small dams exist on La Cloche Creek. Boats are launched in the lower La Cloche Creek.

Guidelines

The existing road will provide access to the development on La Cloche Creek. Provincial park access needs will be evaluated through park management planning. The function of the lodge location will be evaluated during park management planning to determine management needs. Boat launching on Lake Huron will also be evaluated.

The existing grass lawn terrace and lilac shrubs in the area between the main building and La Cloche Creek, are of cultural resource value. A maintenance plan will be prepared to establish plots within the lawn for the lilacs to grow as flowering shrubs.

Recreation activities

A variety of recreation uses occur in the park: boating, canoeing, sport fishing, hunting, hiking, day use, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and wildlife viewing.

Guidelines

The above recreation uses will continue. Appropriate regulations will apply (e.g. Provincial Parks Act, Historic Sites Act, Public Lands Act, Game and Fish Act, etc.). Car camping is not permitted. Recreational uses will be evaluated as part of collection of background information for management planning. Snowmobile routes will not be designated in the park. A hiking trail following the La Cloche range through the park will continue.

Commercial activities

There is one commercial fishing licence for the water on Lake Huron within the park. The park is within Trapline EP27.

Guidelines

Commercial fishing will continue as per existing licences and will be reviewed at the time of management planning. Commercial trapping will be phased out for that portion of Trapline EP27 within the park consistent with Provincial Park Policy Implementation Details (1989) by 2010.

Timber, mineral, or aggregate extraction for commercial purposes is not permitted.

Natural and cultural resources

The park contains a variety of natural and cultural resources of provincial significance:

• La Cloche Mountains;
• Lake Huron North Channel shoreline;
• offshore islands;
• La Cloche Creek outlet;
• archaeological and historical resources associated with pre-contract people’s habitation and use, and early Canadians of the fur trade era; and,
• Wildlife (e.g. White-tailed deer yarding).

Guidelines

Research will identify the features on the property to represent the natural and cultural resources. New development or alterations to existing developments will not proceed until these resources are more fully evaluated. Archaeological and historic features will not be removed or altered (e.g. old foundations).

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources will maintain communications with the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Communications over the research and management of archaeological and historical resources.

The lilac shrubs growing in the lawn between the J.R. Camp and La Cloche Creek are the living stock of shrubs that were given to a fur trade factor by the Crown of England in the 1700’s. They will be protected.

Grounds maintenance practices will enhance the growth of these plants by setting aside plots within the lawn where lilacs will not be cut. They will be maintained as full flowering shrubs re-establishing their regal role as in the factor’s yard of the 1700’s.

Visitor services

Information is provided to the public through a provincial park fact sheet.

Guidelines

The existing fact sheet will continue to be available in the Sudbury District Office, the Central Region, or Main Office.

Research

There is ongoing interest in archaeological and historical resources’ research by the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Communications.

Guidelines

Research of any kind is permitted subject to the Provincial Parks Research Policy (Appendix 1).

Marketing

There are no developed facilities and as such La Cloche Provincial Park is not being marketed for use.

References

The following lists all material cited in the Interim Management Statements (IMS), as well as other relevant sources of information on the park such as District Land Use Guidelines, inventory reports, checksheets, etc.

Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. 1969. Noelville and Verner: Topographic Map Series, 1:50,000 Sheets 41 1/1 and 41 1/8.

Macdonald, I.D. 1978. La Cloche Provincial Park Life Science Checksheet and Field Notes.

Macdonald, I.D. 1978. Parks System Life Science Analysis Preliminary Report Northeastern Region. Sudbury. 67 pp.

Noble, T.W. 1991. Reconnaissance Inventory of the northern portion of the Northern Deciduous Evergreen Forest, Site Region 5E.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1982. Park System Planning in Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1983. Sudbury District Land Use Guidelines.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Espanola District Land Use Guidelines, 1983.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 19. Ontario Basic Mapping Sheet No. 17 20 6800 58100

Provincial Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch, 1992. Ontario Provincial Parks Planning and Management Policies (1992 update).

Forest Resource Inventory Maps - Mowat and Haddo Townships

Appendix 1: Ontario Provincial Parks research policy and application

• Subject: Research Activities in Provincial Parks
• Policy No.: PM 2.45
• New:
• Compiled by-Branch: Provincial Parks and Natural Heritage Policy
• Section: Parks Management
• Date issued: April 1, 1991
• Replaces Directive Title: Research Activities in Provincial Parks and Park Reserves
• Number: PM 2.45
• Dated: November 20, 1980

Purpose

To encourage contributions to provincial park objectives through research by;

• providing overall direction for research activities associated with provincial parks
• establishing guidelines and review/approval processes which facilitate appropriate research by external researchers in provincial parks and which ensure review of research activities which could impact on park resources and values

Definition

Research means any investigations or studies of natural, cultural, social, economic, management, or other features or characteristics of provincial parks.

Policy

Research activities will be encouraged through a variety of means to help provide a better understanding of park environments and to contribute to appropriate management practices and actions.

The provincial park management plan will define overall research interests for the park and, will establish the need for a research plan to address key research issues for parks with substantial research interests and activities.

The management plan will also address the need for specific arrangements, facilities or management to provide improved opportunities for research activities, or to ensure that research activities do not adversely affect park resources. Such details will be specified in a research plan where warranted.

Research needs and priorities will be reviewed periodically for individual provincial parks and for the provincial parks program and summaries will be compiled and made available to interested researchers.

Each applicant must submit a completed application form as prescribed in Appendix A to the appropriate District Manager.

Research in a provincial park must have the approval of the Regional Director with the exception of extension of previously approved projects and minor research projects which can be approved by the District Manager. For minor research projects which include a number of parks, approval may be granted by the Director, Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch.

A research project is considered “minor” where limited to;

• brief observation visits involving no environmental disturbances, no visitor contacts nor collection of specimens

Research projects, in provincial parks will be reviewed by the Park Superintendent and District Manager prior to being undertaken. A research application must be completed for:

• any research project proposed by researchers outside MNR
• any project proposed by MNR staff which has potential for adverse effects on park resources or visitors

Approval in writing for the application must be obtained prior to the project being undertaken.

The District Manager may suspend or revoke permission at any time for failure on the part of the researcher to meet:

1. The intent or conditions of this policy
2. The requirements under the Provincial Parks Act and Regulations, including all amendments, where applicable
3. The requirements under any other Act and Regulations, Canada or Ontario including amendments such as those governing the taking, handling, storing, confining, trapping, excavating, and marketing of any specimen, artifact, information or action (for example, scientific collectors’ permit)
4. The conditions and agreements specified in granting permission

Permission granted under this policy will be valid for a period not exceeding 12 consecutive months from date of issue. The District Manager may grant permission to continue a research project for additional periods of 12 months or less upon submission of a written request and progress report, provided that the intent, goals and objectives of the project have not been changed.

A person or persons seeking permission under this policy will complete an application supplied by the District Manager and will provide such other information which may be requested.

The application will include a statement as to why the proposed research should be undertaken in the particular provincial park in preference to some other location.

The District Manager may require the posting of collateral, to assure that the terms and conditions of the agreement are met.

All specimens, artifacts, materials and information collected remain the property of Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as represented by the provincial park in which they are collected (unless assigned to an appropriate repository by the District Manager) and are subject to the requirements under Acts and Regulations for Canada and Ontario and the conditions specified in granting permission.

The researcher(s) must submit a final report to the District Manager within two years of the completion of the report.

The researcher(s) will provide the District Manager one copy of all reports, publications, theses, etc., produced as a result of the research. The District Manager will forward a copy of all reports, publications and theses to the Regional Director and if requested, to the Director of Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch.

For projects extending over a number of parks, the Director, Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch will forward a copy of reports, publications and theses to Regional Directors involved.

The District Manager will assure that the rights, privileges, privacy and enjoyment of all park users are not unduly infringed upon during the course of the research activities.

The District Manager will provide all workers on a research project with a letter or means of identification to be carried by each and every worker when engaged in work related to the project.

Special requests for the use of equipment, for accommodation, or for staff assistance will be considered by the District Manager on the basis of their merit and the feasibility of providing such assistance. Reimbursement for such assistance may be required from the researcher.

Remarque: Cette police est également disponible en français.

• Subject: Research Activities in Provincial Parks
• Policy No.: PM 2.45.01
• New:
• Compiled by-Branch: Parks and Natural Heritage Policy
• Section: Parks Management
• Date issued: April 1, 1991
• Replaces Directive Title: Research Activities in Provincial Parks and Park Reserves
• Number: PM 2.45.01
• Dated: November 20, 1980

A) New proposals:

B) Extension of previously approved proposals/minor research projects:

C) Research projects including a number of parks. Minor research projects:

D) Other research proposals:

Appendix A: Ministry of Natural Resources application to conduct research in Ontario Provincial Parks

Ontario Parks website - Application to conduct research in Ontario Provincial Parks