Mount Robson Provincial Park is one of British Columbia’s oldest and most iconic protected areas. In fact, it’s one of the crown jewels of the Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site – a globally important tool for conserving biodiversity. It’s also a tourism mecca. And though large in size and high in visitation numbers, Mount Robson is overseen by a small team who make up for their size with unparalleled passion and commitment. Elliott Ingles is the area supervisor for Mount Robson Provincial Park and other neighbouring protected areas, and few know this landscape better than him. Elliott has been our guide to better understanding not only the natural history, but also the human history of the Robson Valley. He’s given us a window into his life – as a manager of the park and as a citizen of the region.
In the shadow of the tallest peak in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, and with the soothing sounds of Highway 16’s relentless truck traffic in the background, we asked Elliott to explain what makes this park so special and so important – to people and nature.
What do you think?
- Has Elliott given you a better sense of Mount Robson’s successes and challenges?
- What do you think the future holds for a place that is so critical to biodiversity?
- What should we learn from Mount Robson? What should we learn from Elliott?
- How can we help him ensure a future for this landscape and others like it?
- What does good stewardship actually look like? Is it as simple as being a more thoughtful park visitor? Or is there a bigger responsibility we need to take on?
- Will you visit your classroom in person one day? We hope you do!