Parks and protected areas

Parks and protected areas are very important components in the quest to preserve New Brunswick's natural legacy. They come in a variety of sizes and offer varying degrees of protection, and each one is important. At present, 3% of New Brunswick's landbase is protected under these designations.

There are different categories of parks and protected areas, and for each there are different rules. Here is a brief overview of these differences:

National Park - These areas are operated by Parks Canada, an agency of the federal government. They have the divided purpose of maintaining ecological integrity while providing recreational opportunities.
Provincial Park - These areas are set up under the Parks Act, and may be a recreational park, campground, beach, wildlife park, picnic ground, resource park or reserve. Most are controlled by the Department of Tourism and Parks, with the exception of Mount Carleton; Mount Carleton is run by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Class I Protected Natural Areas – those lands and water permanently set aside for the conservation of biological diversity. All activities are prohibited except by permit from DNR. They are controlled by DNR under the Protected Areas Act.
Class II Protected Natural Areas – Areas permanently set aside for the conservation of biological diversity, where certain recreational activities having minimal impact will be allowed. They are controlled by DNR under the Protected Natural Areas Act.

There are also, scattered throughout the province, various municipal parks and areas under conservation easements held by different agencies.