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__**Domination**__ is a type of world view based on the philosophy that humans should be seen as apart from and superior to nature. It is a distinctly Ricardian perspective and can also be associated with technocentrism and anthropocentrism. This perspective almost exclusively sees economic activity as a priority, and relies on science and technology to resolve environmental problems. The belief that humans have the “right” to manage the natural world leads to the practice of “conservation”, in which resources are extracted to maximize environmental services with the least damage possible.

Nearly the entire industrialized world today, exhibits a domination perspective. Economic growth is the main indicator of progress, and because of this, the environment is often compromised. The issue of economic activity versus ecological integrity has been debated for decades, and nowhere is this issue more prominent than in Canada’s National Parks.

Banff National Park is a major tourist destination, and generates huge amounts of revenue for the country. Over five million visitors flock to the park annually, to experience the pristine Canadian wilderness. The problem however, is that the success of the park has contributed to large amounts of development, that threaten to disrupt the ecological integrity of the park itself. The dilemma that Parks Canada faces is a complex issue. Do they limit access to the park, which will result in revenue losses but protect the wildlife of the park, or do they continue to allow development in the park and continue to threaten the very ecosystem that sustains the park’s tourism industry?

Parks Canada exhibits a decidedly [|conservationist] approach, evidenced by their policy statement that “national parks are dedicated to the people of Canada for their benefit, education and enjoyment”. However, to the relief of many environmentalists, much development has been curbed in the park over the years, including the rejection of the 1972 Olympic Games proposal, and a moratorium on development following the [|Banff-Bow Valley Development Study].