Of these 55 parks, only ten are Canadian, but eight of them score above average. Sixty percent make it into the top quarter of the scoring range, versus a paltry 22 percent for the U.S. What's going on?
Obviously it helps to be northern. Parks with short seasons suffer less tourist trampling. All four surveyed Alaska parks did well, too. But there's more to it. By law, Parks Canada must first protect the environment, whereas Congress demands the U.S. National Park Service protect nature while also promoting outdoor recreation, dual mandates that can conflict when too many park-lovers show up.
Last, says one U.S. panelist, "Canadians in general take their government's role in preserving parks more seriously." In short, they'll spend some money. "U.S. parks are now forced to be more self-sufficient," agrees a U.S. recreation ecologist, "whereas Canada has maintained better funding." Apparently, you get what you pay for.