I guess many people around the planet have some image of the stunning beauty of Nature in Canada. Be it the might of Niagara Falls or the wilderness of ever present forests or the intensity of light and colours in Nova Scotia or the impressive Rockies... What fewer people now is how committed Canada is to defending and managing its natural treasures.
Every single park I was lucky to visit seems to be managed rigorously to make sure uman presence does not disturb the wild life. In fact, when you visit the Forillon Park in Gaspesia, you will even get a little crash course on what to do and what not to do with the black bear. You will be told that you are in fact in the lands of the black bear, which is a refreshing change from the usual assumption that we humans have every right to be wherever we want and do as we please. Behind all this is a super efficient and professional organization called Canada Parks. I have not researched them a lot, but they definitely seem to be huge, well endowed and well managed.
I remember a study done for Greece a few years back (I believe it was by Michael Porter), which concluded that the country's main competitive advantage stemmed from its natural beauties. Well, as a Greek, I wish my country could use Canada as a model for managing the environment. Again, I believe Canada has a lot of lessons for our European countries