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This “Banff syndrome” is not unique to Banff. The conflict between economic
development and environmental sustainability is threatening national parks in the
Mediterranean and the Alps (Philips, 1997), Slovakia (Vancura, 1997), Poland (Mazurski,
1997), Russia (Cook, 1997), Thailand (Dearden and Chettamart, 1997), and Asia (Mishra,
McNeely and Thorsell, 1997). Recreational pressure on conservation areas is increasing
worldwide, which increases both the actual and potential environmental consequences and
also the management effort and the investment required to control impacts and maintain the
primary conservation function of the areas concerned. Options include either hardening the
environment against visitor impacts or influencing visitor numbers and behaviours so that
impacts are kept within limits.
On the one hand national parks are created for use and enjoyment of people, on the
other they are designed to serve as pristine wilderness reserves. The first involves making
parks accessible, the second isolating parks from adverse human impacts (Lowry, 1997). A
balance must be found between ecological protection and supporting the enjoyment of present
and future generations of park visitors. It is through public exposure to national parks that
their existence is valued by the citizenry at large. This enjoyment however, must occur on the
park’s terms, not on those of the visitors.
Convention