An Ontario Parks glossary

Are you new to parks, or possibly a park veteran trying to brush up in your information?

We’ve assembled a useful information to all of the phrases you’ll have to know and perceive earlier than you go to the park!

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Tenting

Automotive tenting: Also referred to as frontcountry or campground tenting. This model of tenting includes driving straight to your campsite, and parking your automobile to arrange your tent or trailer. Automotive tenting is all the time in a campground, and shall be inside a brief distance of facilities like water faucets or washrooms.

Electrical web site: Additionally typically known as a hydro web site. A campsite with entry to a 15/30 amp electrical pedestal. Usually pedestals are shared between two campsites. You must plan on bringing a protracted extension wire with you to achieve the pedestal.

Backcountry tenting: Backcountry tenting, additionally known as inside tenting, is a method of tenting that leaves the automotive behind on the trailhead or entry level. You are taking every thing you want in your journey with you in your pack. This implies you don’t drive to the campsite. As an alternative, you canoe, boat, portage, or hike to your web site. In a number of instances these are remoted areas in wilderness kind environments the place park customers are on their very own with out assistance from park workers.

Seasonal tenting: Seasonal tenting refers to campsites that are booked for longer stays, normally for a whole season. These are particularly standard in our northern parks. To be taught extra about seasonal tenting, please go to our web site.

Group tenting: Group campsites are giant, designed to accommodate teams of 20 to 50 individuals. Selecting a bunch web site is a good way to camp with a big group (for example, a youth group or household reunion) and never be separated on completely different websites.

Roofed lodging: We use this time period to seek advice from all of our structural lodging out there for reservation, similar to yurts, cabins, and cottages. For a full listing of roofed lodging, go to our web site.

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Day visitation

Day use: Visiting a park for a day journey, sometimes between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (nonetheless, hours do differ by park so verify the person park web page earlier than you head out). Many day use guests spend time on the seashore, climbing trails, or paddling. Every day automobile permits can be found for buy upon arrival.

Most provincial parks provide advance bookings for day use. We strongly advocate securing your each day automobile allow prematurely to ensure your entry and keep away from disappointment. Right here’s easy methods to e book.

Seasonal or annual move: Frequent guests might desire to purchase a seasonal or annual move, fairly than purchase a each day automobile allow on every go to.

Reminder: if visiting one of many parks that gives advance each day automobile permits, we strongly advocate utilizing your seasonal allow to safe your spot prematurely.

Park amenities

Consolation station: An indoor washroom discovered in lots of campgrounds at Ontario Parks. Consolation stations have operating water, flush bathrooms, with the bulk having showers.

Vault privy: A non-flush bathroom discovered in lots of areas at Ontario Parks. Also referred to as a vault bathroom or an outhouse.

Sanitation station: Also referred to as a trailer dumping station or trailer dump-and-fill station. That is the place RVs can get rid of their black and gray water following a keep on the campground. RVs also can fill their water tanks up on the sanitation station. Please comply with the directions on the indicators on the station. In case you have questions, please ask a workers member.

Thunder field: A bathroom discovered within the backcountry. A thunder field is an open air wood field positioned over a gap within the floor. The identify “thunder field” comes from the loud sound the lid makes because it closes, which normally echoes throughout a quiet backcountry campsite.

Potable water: Water that’s appropriate for consuming, and is examined frequently and overseen by the native well being unit. Except an indication is posted saying in any other case, all campground water faucets present potable water.

Non-operating parks vs. working parks: Non-operating provincial parks provide restricted leisure experiences, fewer amenities, and customarily no devoted workers or charge assortment. These are typically positioned in undeveloped wilderness areas.

Working parks provide quite a lot of companies and amenities, similar to campground tenting, roofed lodging, washrooms, and Discovery packages, and cost charges.

Customer Centre: An indoor area or park constructing devoted to offering guests with details about the park. These may additionally be known as museums or interpretive centres.

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Park guidelines

Full hearth ban: When a scarcity of rainfall and sizzling climate situations mix, our province is at heightened threat of wildfires. In consequence, parks might implement hearth bans to guard the pure surroundings and make sure the security of our park guests. Throughout a full hearth ban, no open fires are permitted throughout the park at any time.

Partial hearth ban: Fires could also be permitted within the park at sure occasions of the day/night time with quite a lot of restrictions. Particulars shall be listed on our Alerts web page.

Seashore posting: Seashores are posted as unsafe for swimming as a result of elevated bacterial counts. Seashore postings shall be eliminated when take a look at outcomes present bacterial ranges are acceptable. Energetic seashore postings are listed right here.

Bear protected/Bear Smart: A “bear protected” campsite means there are not any animal attractants omitted. This consists of all meals gadgets, in addition to scented merchandise like sunscreen or insect repellent. Be sure they’re all the time locked in your automotive when you find yourself both sleeping or not in your web site!

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Science and training

Discovery program: Nature education schemes to uncover and join with the very best of Ontario’s pure and cultural historical past. Packages are led by skilled and educated Discovery rangers, and provide thrilling experiences in additional than 70 parks throughout Ontario. Contact your native park for more information!

In the event you’re trying to be taught the fundamentals of tenting, take a look at the Discovery Ambassador Program!

Ecological integrity: The guiding laws for Ontario Parks, the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPRCA), defines ecological integrity as “a situation wherein biotic and abiotic parts of ecosystems and the composition and abundance of native species and organic communities are attribute of their pure areas and charges of change and ecosystem processes are unimpeded. 2006, c. 12, s. 5 (2).” The guts of ecological integrity is the “naturalness” of an space.

Wholesome ecosystems maintain wholesome individuals and a wholesome financial system. Our work to keep up and enhance the ecological integrity of our parks helps Ontario’s biodiversity, clear air, productive soils, nutritious meals, and recent water.

Group science: Group science is a time period meant to acknowledge the vital work that volunteers contribute to scientific analysis and understanding. Ontario Parks makes use of information from packages similar to iNaturalist, Christmas Chicken Counts, EDD Maps, and plenty of different packages. Group scientists are serving to us to guard our splendidly giant and sophisticated parks system.