Toward sustainable mountain communities: Balancing tourism development andenvironmental protection in Banff and Banff National Park, Canada

Although they may have been studied less extensively than those in developi ng nations, mature mountain tourism communities such as Banff, Canada, pote ntially have useful insights to offer the international community regarding principles and practices for developing sustainable, community-based mount ain tourism. Toward that end, this paper focuses on the Banff Community Pla n in order to highlight 'made-in-Banff' solutions to issues of governance i n sustainable mountain tourism. Banff's approach to balancing tourism devel opment and environmental protection may be unique, given its complex 115-ye ar history of association with Banff National Park. Nevertheless, the town now employs innovative principles such as 'no net negative environmental im pact' and 'appropriate development and use' in its efforts to become a bala nced and sustainable national park community. Such principles may contribut e to implementation of Chapter 13 (the Mountain Agenda) of Agenda 21 and to resolution of governance issues in achieving sustainable mountain communit ies.