Round Lake Provincial Park Management Plan

Administrative update approval statement (2021)

I am pleased to approve an administrative update to the management plan for Round Lake Provincial Park. The update:

• incorporates terminology and direction from new or revised legislation and policy
• emphasizes ecological integrity as the first priority for park planning and management
• updates land use and species information

The park is managed by the superintendent of Killbear Provincial Park.

Wade Murrant
Northeast Zone Manager
Ontario Parks

Approval statement (1998)

I am pleased to approve this Interim Management Statement for Round Lake Provincial Nature Reserve. This Nature Reserve contains biological features of provincial significance. The shores of Round and Wiwassasegen lakes support one of the largest associations of relict Atlantic Coastal Plain flora found in Ontario. An uncommon plant Coreopsis lanceolata is found within the Park.

This Interim Management Statement will provide direction for the custodial management of Round Lake Provincial Nature Reserve until a comprehensive Management Plan is prepared. The Park is operated under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Grundy Lake Provincial Park.

Brian Pfrimmer
Central Zone Manager
Ontario Parks

Management guidelines

Provincial park management plans identify park values, guidelines to protect those values, and direction on use.

The policies in this management plan are consistent with provincial park planning and management policies, and they reaffirm the priority on the protection objective of Round Lake Provincial Park (nature reserve class) while having regard for other provincial park objectives.

Nature reserve class parks protect a variety of ecosystems and provincially significant elements of Ontario’s natural heritage, including special or rare natural habitats and landforms. These areas are protected for their natural value, to support scientific research and to maintain biodiversity.

Park location and boundary

Round Lake Provincial Park is located approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Parry Sound, Ontario along Highway 69 (Map 1).

The park was regulated in 1989, when its boundary was delineated initially under the Provincial Parks Act. It was subsequently transferred into regulation under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA): Ontario Regulation 316/07 Schedule 227, Appendix B (described in Regulation 821 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1980, as it read on December 31, 1990). Map 2 illustrates the approximate boundary of this 2,585-hectare nature reserve class park.

There are no patented lands within the park. The disposition of real property or rights to Crown resources is generally not permitted within the park.

Highway 69 and parallel utility corridors have been built and maintained at the south-west side of the park. These corridors encroach on the boundary of the park. These minor encroachments have occurred predominantly due to errors in Ontario’s digital mapping information. Ontario Parks will take appropriate measures to resolve any encroachments.

When the extension of the four-lane section of Highway 69 proceeds north of Nobel, Ontario Parks will identify park values along the southwest boundary for the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and will work with proponents to ensure no further encroachments occur.

There are no existing facilities in Round Lake Provincial Park and there are no approved access locations.

Ecological integrity

In the PPCRA, one of the guiding principles for park planning and management is:

• maintenance of ecological integrity shall be the first priority, and restoration of ecological integrity shall be considered

An ecosystem has ecological integrity when:

• it has all the parts (both living and non-living) that you would expect to find
• natural functions and rates of change are happening normally

Indigenous communities

Round Lake Provincial Park occurs within the following traditional and treaty areas:

• Robinson Huron Treaty (1850)
• Williams Treaty (1923)
• Métis Nation of Ontario Georgian Bay Region 7

The nearest Indigenous community to the park is Shawanaga First Nation, a signatory to the Robinson Huron Treaty (1850).

Examination and adjustment of this management plan

This provincial park management plan will be examined in accordance with the provisions of the PPCRA, or whenever deemed necessary, to determine whether management direction is still relevant, effective and current, or if adjustments are needed.

Geological and biological values

Initial work for the natural heritage values of the park was completed in the 1970's. Understanding of the complex geology of this part of the Central Gneiss Belt has advanced greatly in the last decade. Round Lake Provincial Park is located in the southern Britt Domain and is possibly underlain in part by the Bolger Pluton. The life science values of the park are more recently documented (Simpson, R. 1976 and Simpson, H. 1979 and Brunton, 1991). The emergent silty shores on Round and Wiwassasegen lakes support one of the largest associations of disjunct Atlantic coastal plain flora found in Ontario. An uncommon plant, Coreopsis lanceolata, occurs on Wiwassasegen Lake. Significant fauna includes species-at-risk, a large heronry, and two uncommon butterflies.

Management will favour natural processes continuing to shape the ecology of the forest and non-forest communities in the park. Given the large size of the park, the presence of uncommon and at-risk species, a sizable number of provincially significant flora dependent on natural fluctuations in lake levels, management will favour natural disturbance in the park. Further earth and life science inventories may be undertaken to support management.

Fire management will be in accordance with Ontario’s Wildland Fire Management Strategy (2014) and with applicable policy and guidelines. Opportunities for the use of wildland fire, including natural or prescribed burning, will be considered in consultation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Cultural heritage

No cultural resources were located during reconnaissance studies in the 1970's. The area was logged for white pine during the Georgian Bay lumbering era.

Recreation

Recreation uses (e.g. walking, hiking, canoeing, fishing, etc.) are not managed. Non-mechanized day-use back-country recreation is permitted; however, no formal trails exist.

Camping and caching boats are not permitted in Round Lake Provincial Park. Unauthorized campsites and related trails will be closed and allowed to regenerate naturally.

Hunting is not permitted in nature reserve class parks. Mechanized travel (e.g., all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles and power boats) is not permitted in the park.

Research and monitoring

Ontario Parks may carry out inventories and monitoring to inform park management decisions.

Research may 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. It will be consistent with Ontario Parks policy. Any external party who wishes to carry out research in Round Lake Provincial Park must obtain a research authorization letter from the park superintendent. Researchers may also need to obtain additional permits or approvals (e.g., Endangered Species Act permits).

As in the past, biological and geological research will be encouraged. Research will develop a data base on the geological and biological features in this large park and related areas. Comparative studies will be encouraged to understand the features and processes in the park in relation to similar areas in Ecodistrict 5E-7. Studies of the significant flora and fauna populations will also be encouraged.

Completion of an earth science theme study for the Central Gneiss Belt will provide a more complete context to assess the significance of the park’s geological features.

Heritage appreciation

Given that the most significant natural heritage values of the park are sensitive to disturbance, no access will be provided. As such, minimal visitor services will include information about the park upon request at nearby operating provincial parks. Park information will include the park boundary, natural heritage values protection, permitted uses, and the provision for research.

Commercial activities

Commercial uses are not permitted (e.g., bait fishing, mineral resources exploration/development, forestry, commercial tourism services, generation of electricity).

Traplines, PS 77, PS 78, and small portions of PS 86 and PS 171 overlap the park boundary. Only those commercial traplines operated by Indigenous community members exercising their treaty rights will remain in the park. Other trapline licenses will continue for the lifetime of the current licence holder. If a licence is revoked, surrendered or an application for transfer to a non-Indigenous trapper is received prior to that time, all portions of the registered trapline within the park will be removed from the trapline’s legal description.

References

Brunton, D.F. 1991. Life Science Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest in Site District 5-7, OMNR, Parks and Recreational Areas Section, Huntsville, 112p.

Brunton, D.F. 1991. Round Lake Provincial Nature Reserve Park, Area of Natural and Scientific Interest - Life Science Checksheet, OMNR.

Cordiner, G.S. 1976. A Rapid Earth Science Inventory of Round Lake Park Reserve, OMNR.

COSEWIC, Canadian Species at Risk, April 1997

Government of Canada. Species Search. Accessed on February 17, 2021

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Species at Risk in Ontario. Accessed on February 17, 2021

Endangered Species Act, 2007, S.O. 2007, c. 6.

Keddy, C.J. and Sharp, M.J. 1989. Atlantic Coastal Plain Vegetation Conservation in Ontario, World Wildlife Fund, Toronto.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1992. Ontario Provincial Parks: Planning and Management Policies, 1992 Update, 90 p.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1983, Parry Sound District Land Use Guidelines, 51p.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF). P00464 2014. Wildland Fire Management Strategy. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, S.O. 2006, c 12.

Simpson, H. 1979. Round Lake Park Reserve, Life Science Checklist, OMNR, 7p.

Simpson, R.C. 1976. A Rapid Life Science Inventory of Round Lake Park Reserve, OMNR.