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6. Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, March 3. 1982 NO VICE Il Novice Il trophies (Prom Tarnmy Hansen and 2nd. by Orono Custom Fending Left to Rlght) 3rd. place place Stephanie Clapdorp. and presented by Mrs. Mari Heidi Robson, lst. place Trophies were sponsored Lowery. SPEED AND J UMP Trophies for Pre-Novice second Place Kim Gylytiuk. (Preliminary Figure) First They were sponsored by place was Kristen Hamel and The Great Pine Ridge NO VICE- lst. Figure Kinsmen and presented by Mr. Denis Abramoff. Trophie, for lot. Figuire MIercer 3rd. place. ing and Heatlng and were <Left to Right) Kristine The trophies were spon- presented, by Mrs. Joyce Ma- Woods 3rd. place, Christy sored by Russ Major Plumnb- jor. Flintoff lst. place and Karen JUVENILE (Badge 10-12) The Trophies, for Juvenile (Badge 10-12) petite Juiniorl from Left terRight - Tamni Os- mond 3rd. place, Marcia Blaschke lst. place, and Ashley Burnham 2nd. plade. First place trophy was sponsored by Orono Weekly Times. Second place trophy was Should Ontario Parks Be Shuffled? Presented by ýEarI Taylori. Third place trophy was presented by Linda Mc- Cullough. Woods, Water, and Wildlife By:, Ron Reid - Federation of Ontario Naturallats Ontario's systemn of 131 provincial parks covers an area larger than Scotland. Traditionally the maniage- ment of parks hias been the responsibility of the Ministry of Natural Resources, but with the creation of a new Ministry of Recreation and Tourism in the recent Ontario Cabinet shuffle, a change may be in the wind. Any departmient concerned with recreation can't ignore parks. About 6 million On- tarians visit provincial parks every year, mean-ing that over balf of us visit in any given year. But 'reecational use lhas dropped sharply since 1975, and foreign tourist usage of Ontario parks hias been cut by haîf since the 1960's. George Priddle, former chairman of the government- sponsored parks Council is one ot many conservationists who blame MNR for the decline. A shrinking funding base for parks, fewer services for visitors, and an unwill- ingness to desîgnate new parks have frustrated park supporters and staff alike over the past five years. A shift to the new Ministry could provide the necessary new resources and new ideas to turn around the fortunes of the parks systemp. There are some disadvan- tages in shifting parks right now. A long range plan for completing the parks system, to be achieved mostly by set- ting aside chuniks or Crown Land, is now before Alan Pope, the Minister of Natural Resources. If parks ad- ministrators move, some mechanisîn to designate those future parklands would also be needed. The Federation of Ontario Naturalists has renewed its call for consideration of a Parks trust; to promrote a more efficient and indepen- dent service. The Trust would be similar in some ways to Parks Caniada who manages our nationail parks. The Trust could be given the respon- sibility of comipleting a representative systemn of pro- vincial parks within 10 years and becominig financially self-sufficient in the same timie periodl. Whatever the options, the choice of a home for provin- cial 1parks is likely to be a con- tro-versial one. In the final analysis, the choice should be, made on the basis of which structure will provide the best opportunity to achieve the protection and recreational objectives of the parks system. .. . . ......... . .