Approval statement

I am pleased to approve this Interim Management Statement for J. Albert Bauer Provincial Park. The land comprising this Natural Environment class Provincial Park was donated by Bertha Bauer, and named after her brother, the original owner of the property. In keeping with the wishes of the family, the park is intended for low intensity day-use in order to maintain as pristine condition as possible. The plant communities are typical of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence forest region. Mature stands of sugar maple, yellow birch, and hemlock trees are found throughout the park and represent the most significant plant communities.

This Interim Management Statement will provide direction for the custodial management of J. Albert Bauer Provincial Park until a comprehensive Management Plan is prepared. The park is under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Arrowhead Provincial Park.

Brian Pfrimmer
Central Zone Manager
Ontario Parks

Management guidelines

Interim Management Statements identify: park values; guidelines to protect those values; and restrictions on use.

The policies in this Interim Management Statement are consistent with provincial policies for park planning and ma nagement, and reaffirm the objectives of J. Albert Bauer Provincial Park: protection, heritage appreciation, recreation and tourism.

Land uses

The park boundary is delineated by the following plan: Ontario Regulation 493/85 Schedule 203. Figure 4 illustrates the approximate boundary of this 163 hectare park.

J. Albert Bauer is a non-operational Natural Environment class provincial park. There are no existing facilities to support Several non-maintained trails offer low intensity day-use recreation opportunities. Minimal facilities to support recreation and self-guided interpretation may be considered for the park following management planning and approved site plans.

J. Albert Bauer Provincial Park is bisected by South Limberlost Road, which also provides access to private property south of the park. Bauer Park is bordered by four lakes; some extending within park boundaries. The existing trails were established prior to the park’s Most of the trails serve as an access to the lakes bordering the park. The land base can easily support additional trails if required.

A power line passes through the park, providing service to adjacent property.

Any development to be considered for the park must be approved through an approved management plan.

The park property was bequeathed to The Ontario Heritage Foundation by Bertha Bauer. The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Parks, is responsible for the management of the park. By request of the original landowner, the park is to be subject to low intensity day use only, for nature appreciation. It is not to be highly developed in the future. Proper signs identifying the donors of the property are to be maintained.

Adjoining land uses

The park is encompassed almost entirely by patented land. Adjacent land uses include private residences and cottages. The adjacent Crown lakes are used for recreational purposes, such as boating, canoeing, fishing and swimming. These lakes also border private land, and therefore, Ontario Parks would be unable to effectively enforce restrictions on any uses of the lakes. Some hunting and small scale timber extraction occurs on adjacent lands. Neither of these uses are compatible with park objectives of maintaining pristine condition of park features.

Private land use changes and management of adjacent lands will be reviewed through the management planning process with the intent of maintaining park resource activity.

Recreation activities

J. Albert Bauer Park is intended for day-use recreational activity only. The several non- maintained trails are suitable for hiking, canoe portaging and access to the adjacent lakes for swimming and viewing opportunities.

Motorized travel within park boundaries is prohibited.

Hunting is not permitted in the park according to provincial park policy.

Commercial activities

Commercial uses, such as trapping, mineral resources exploration and development, and forestry, are not permitted within park boundaries.

Aboriginal interests

The park is not subject to any native land claims.

Geological and biological features

A Life Science Inventory was completed in 1984 with the intent of identifying significant park features and vegetation. J. Albert Bauer Park is situated within ecological Site District 5E-8 in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Forest Region, between Georgian Bay and the Algonquin Highlands. The area is forested almost entirely with upland communities including hard maple, yellow birch and hemlock as the dominant tree species. Mature stands of these trees are found and are significant since species of this size are relatively uncommon to the area. The property, like the adjacent lands, has been subjected to cutting in the past. A large area had also been cleared during the 1880's for farming purposes. A few small shoreline wetlands exist along the small lakes bordering the park. Significance of these wetlands will be assessed during the management planning process.

The park requires an in-depth and detailed earth science study. Geological resources found here are representative of those found throughout the southeastern Canadian Shield region. It is characterized by moderately broken undulating terrain consisting of silty sandy till mantled bedrock controlled knolls and valleys and minor exposures of bare bedrock knobs with small amounts of organic materials occupying small narrow, north- south depressional basins and drainageways. A small portion of a deltaic sand plain is found at the north side of Solitaire Lake. A high steep escarpment is situated on the west side of Solitaire lake. This cliff face was once the nesting site of Peregrine Falcons, and would be a provincially significant feature if the falcons were encouraged to once again nest here.

Cultural resources

There has been little in assessment of cultural resources. An historical study on the property should be conducted prior to initiation of the management planning process. Few archeological resources are present. Cultural landscape features consist of open field areas, remnants of agricultural settlement activities initiated circa 1880, stone fences and foundations, and recreational trails developed by managers of the adjacent Limberlost Lodge during the 1920's and 1930's.

Natural Heritage Education

There are presently no Natural Heritage Education (N.H.E.) facilities existing within the park. N.H.E. in the location will deal with information and self-use interpretation. Information on the area should identify: park boundary, natural heritage target achievement, past historical use, maintained access points and research objectives.

Research

Research will deal with all aspects of scientific study, inventory or surveys such as studies of vegetation and ecological processes, cultural resource inventories or special studies, and user surveys. All research is to be consistent with provisions of Ontario Parks Research Policy. An approved research application is required to conduct research in provincial parks.

Biological and geological research will be encouraged. Research will be used to develop a data base on the geological and biological features within the park. Comparative studies will be encouraged in order to understand the features and processes within the park in the context of other similar areas in Site District 5E-8.

Marketing

A marketing strategy is not a priority for the park. A marketing strategy may be considered when the management planning process is initiated, and further information on park values is obtained.

References

Beecroft, James, J. Albert Bauer Memorial Scenic Area Draft Preliminary Management Plan, The Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1985.

Noble, T.W., J. Albert Bauer Reconnaissance Life Science Inventory, The Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1984.

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

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1992. Ontario Provincial Parks: Planing and Management Policies, 1992 Update

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Parry Sound District Land Tenure Map, 1:125,000.