66-606: Grasslands National Park is a Canadian national park located near the village of Val Marie , Saskatchewan , and one of 44 national parks and park reserves in Canada's national park system (though one of only two in Saskatchewan itself). This national park is north of the U.S. state of Montana and lies adjacent to the international boundary . It consists of two separate parcels, the East Block and West Block. The park
132-471: A branch line through southern Saskatchewan. The community grew rapidly and on 22 December 1912, it was incorporated as a village. In 1913, the population rose from 400 to 1,400, and the community was incorporated as a town. The town's name comes from the former district of Assiniboia , in which the town is located. During the Great Depression , town officials employed out-of-work men to construct
198-724: A cook shelter. Backcountry camping is also available. The West Block is located in Census Division No. 4 . The East Block of the park is located about an hour's drive south of Assiniboia on the south side of the Wood Mountain Hills in Census Division No. 3 . The interpretive centre is in the McGowan House at the new Rock Creek Campground and the information centre is at the museum in Wood Mountain Regional Park . The East Block
264-684: A country dependent on natural resources, Canada's national parks represent a compromise between the demand for profit from the land's resources and tourism and the need for preservation and sustainable development . While conservationist ideas and a Canadian desire towards getting back to nature were evident in the early development of national parks in Canada, a greater role was played by chambers of commerce, local governments, promoters of tourism, and recreational groups who advocated for profit-driven commercial development, while incorporating wildlife preservation when possible. Canada's national parks allowed
330-624: A faster rate. As a tactic to increase the number of people travelling to and through national parks, members of each constituency surrounding national parks began to advocate for the construction of well-built roads, including the development of the Trans-Canada Highway . As the main highway travelling through the Canadian Rockies, the Trans-Canada Highway has provided accessible visitation and commerce to
396-404: A healthy ecosystem exists. Ecosystems in national parks have often been damaged due to the exploitation of resources, the expansion of tourism, and external land use practices outside national parks. Through Parks Canada realizing the necessity of managing national parks by human hands to maintain biotic and abiotic components, Parks Canada placed an emphasis on ecological integrity within
462-591: A minor shift towards preservationist attitudes over Canada's parks as recreational use and development was still permitted. The initial ideal of national parks was to create uninhabited wilderness. Creating this required the displacement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents who lived within the intended park boundaries, and restrictions on how these residents had previously used the land and resources within parks for subsistence. Jasper National Park , established in 1907, restricted income-generating activities such as hunting, along with culturally valuable practices of
528-535: A prairie restoration. The bison grazing patterns help to maintain a variety of prairie biodiversity. In Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site , removing Norway rats which were accidentally introduced to the area, is conducted because they eat eggs, as well as juvenile and adult seabirds, and reduce the seabird population. Staff monitor for the return of rats by trapping and poison baits for recovering native seabird populations. Through parks policies and operation practices, Parks Canada has recognized
594-696: A variety of landscapes that mark Canada's natural heritage. On July 20, 1871, the Crown Colony of British Columbia committed to Confederation with Canada. Under the union's terms, Canada was to begin construction of a transcontinental railway to connect the Pacific Coast to the eastern provinces. As the Canadian Pacific Railway surveyors began to study the land in 1875, the location of the country's natural resources sprouted further interest. Evidence of minerals quickly introduced
660-615: A wide range of protected areas, encompassing National Historic Sites , National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCA), and National Park Reserves. Canada established its first national park in Banff in 1885, and has since expanded its national park system to include 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves. Canada's first national park , located in Banff , was established in 1885. Tourism and commercialization dominated early park development, followed closely by resource extraction. Commodifying
726-560: A worldview of ecology and abundance to one where the environment acted as a limited resource. Created in 1909, the Commission of Conservation became the Canadian forum for conservation issues, acting as an advisory and consultative body used to answer questions related to conservation and better utilization of Canada's natural and human resources. The Commission focused on a concept that maximized future profits through good management in
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#1732787498798792-436: Is Willows Dam, also known as Willows Reservoir. The reservoir has a boat launch for fishing and commonly caught fish include walleye and perch . No motorised boats are allowed on the lake. The Assiniboia Regional Park Golf Course is a 9-hole golf course located 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) south of the campground that features grass greens, par 36 with blue tees totalling 2,768 yards and red tees totalling 2,548 yards. There
858-507: Is a regional park that was founded in 1977 and is operated from three locations around the town. There's a 9-hole golf course south of town, Willows Dam east of town, and Centennial Park in town. The Centennial Park location has a campground with 17 campsites and modern showers and washrooms. Some of the other amenities at the park include an outdoor pool, picnic area, playground, potable water, tennis courts, sani-dump, and ball diamonds. About 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east along Highway 13
924-430: Is also a licensed club house with food and a pro shop. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Assiniboia had a population of 2,333 living in 1,070 of its 1,236 total private dwellings, a change of -3.8% from its 2016 population of 2,424 . With a land area of 3.68 km (1.42 sq mi), it had a population density of 634.0/km (1,642.0/sq mi) in 2021. Assiniboia has
990-582: Is currently one NMCA Reserve: Two areas are under consideration as a National Marine Conservation Area or NMCA Reserve: In addition to national parks, a National Landmarks program was foreseen in the 1970s and 1980s, but has not been established beyond a single property. Landmarks were intended to protect specific natural features considered "outstanding, exceptional, unique, or rare to this country. These natural features would typically be isolated entities and of scientific interest." To date, only one Landmark has been established— Pingo National Landmark —in
1056-482: Is expected that park reserves will become national parks under the National Parks Act when the land claims are resolved. These include: The following areas have been proposed as Parks or Reserves, studied, and discussed among stakeholders: In addition, Parks Canada is considering other areas for future national parks: National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs) are a relatively new creation within
1122-677: Is more of a wilderness area but has views of the badlands of Rock Creek, the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary , and prairie skies. A one-lane, 11-kilometre (6.8 mi) parkway traverses the Rock Creek Badlands. The East Block contains the Grasslands National Park (east) (SK 023) Important Bird Area. In 2006, plains bison from Elk Island National Park in Alberta were reintroduced to Grasslands. By 2015
1188-449: The National Parks Act was established. Under this act, mineral exploration and development were banned and only limited use of timber was permitted within the parks. For Canada to continue its economic success through resource development, the boundaries of Canada's national parks were altered prior to the 1930 Act in order to exclude resource rich land from park areas. The exclusion of resource development in Canada's national parks marked
1254-602: The Northwest Territories . Another was proposed at the same time (1984)— Nelson Head National Landmark —on the southern tip of Banks Island , also in the Northwest Territories. It was to include some 180 km (70 sq mi), 40 km (25 mi) of coastline, and protect the sea cliffs at Nelson Head and Cape Lambton. Durham Heights were to be included, which reach an elevation of 747 m (2,450 ft). The legislation providing for
1320-561: The Aboriginal groups who had used the region. Jasper is a large park in the southern, frequently visited portion of Canada, and one of many parks geared towards tourism more than preservation. Most parks are designed to have the appeal of uninhabited wilderness while also having amenities and roads to facilitate visitors. Human activity within the park was allowed, but primarily only those activities that generated revenue, such as snowboarding and lodging for tourists. Some have claimed that
1386-521: The Acadians who comprised approximately 85 percent of the over 1,500 people who were displaced to create the park. Many inhabits dispossessed of their land by Parks Canada resisted, and the Acadian residents' resistance of eviction was extensive enough to delay the official opening of the park until 1979. Through protest and civil disobedience, they won greater compensation from the government to address
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#17327874987981452-700: The Assiniboia sewer system. Unfortunately, the town could not afford to operate it until 1948. The RCAF Station Assiniboia World War II airfield, (now operated as the Assiniboia Airport ) is located 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) north of Assiniboia. It was used for elementary flight school training during the World War II years of 1942-1944. Assiniboia Regional Park ( 49°37′35″N 105°59′26″W / 49.6263°N 105.9905°W / 49.6263; -105.9905 )
1518-636: The Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks have been officially designated land as wilderness in national parks. The boundaries of all communities in national parks are changed and the developments of commerce in their communities are restricted. Profit no longer became priority and initiative for preservation through ecological integrity increased. To maintain or restore ecological integrity, ecosystem restorations are implemented in many parks, attempting to bring back damaged ecosystems to their original healthy state and making them sustainable. For example, Grasslands National Park brought back Bison bison for
1584-540: The Labrador Inuit Park Impacts and Benefits Agreement with Inuit Association. As with the Ivvavik agreement, it ensures that Inuit can continue to use land and resources as their traditional activities and keep their exclusive relationship with the land and ecosystems. In addition, they agreed to manage the park cooperatively. A seven-member co-operative management board will be established to advise
1650-699: The Landmark required a formal request be made by the Minister of the Environment within 10 years (until 1994). None was ever made. [REDACTED] Canada portal [REDACTED] Geography portal Assiniboia, Saskatchewan Assiniboia is a town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan . It is about 110 kilometres (68 mi) south-southwest of Moose Jaw beside Highway 2 and Highway 13 . The Dominion Land Survey 's description of
1716-691: The Northwest Territories. Qausuittuq, Quttinirpaaq, Sirmilik and Ukkusiksalik, in Nunvut. Akami-Uapishkᵁ-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains and Torngat Mountains in Newfoundland and Labrador. Sable Island, Nova Scotia. The Bruce Peninsula and Rouge in Ontario. Wapusk, Manitoba, and Gwaii Haanas and Gulf Islands in British Columbia. A national park reserve is an area administered and protected like a national park but subject to Indigenous land claims . It
1782-522: The Rocky Mountains Park Bill was proposed, it elicited various criticisms at the time, one being the implicit contradiction between the exploitation of resources within this national reservation. However, the overarching nineteenth century ideology that lumbering and mining would contribute to the usefulness of the reserve as opposed to depreciating the park overshadowed the concerns of resource exploitation. The natural resources within
1848-413: The area around Assiniboia is Sec.18, Twp.8, R.29, W2. It was first settled by people of English, French, Romanian, Scottish, and Scandinavian descent. From 30 March 1908 to 23 November 1912, the post office at this location was named Leeville, Saskatchewan . The settlement of Assiniboia originated on 12 October 1912, when the Canadian Pacific Railway put 980 lots up for sale at the townsite as it built
1914-610: The area. The highway is designed to provide a heavy flow of traffic, while also including many accessible pull-offs and picnic areas. With a high frequency of travelers and many destinations to stop, tourism boomed after the Trans-Canada Highway was established. As the highway travels through Banff and the Bow Valley area, it includes scenic views of most of the mountains, and an environment rich with wildlife. With an increase in tourism to Rocky Mountain Park, growth and prosperity came to
1980-484: The bird sanctuary in Point Pelee, began developing. In order to push their views further, this movement, headed by James B. Harkin and Arthur Oliver Wheeler , was forced to argue that divine scenery was itself a source of profit – tourism – in order to push aside what they saw as a far greater avenue of exploitation: resource extraction. By 1930, even the conservation movements within Canada came to understand that
2046-585: The construction of mines and resource exploitation in Canada's previously untouched wilderness. Exploration led to the discovery of hot springs near Banff, Alberta , and in November 1885, the Canadian Government made the springs public property, protecting them from possible private ownership and exploitation. This event brought about the beginning of Canada's movement towards preserving land and setting it aside for public usage as national parks. By
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2112-550: The country that are protected by Parks Canada , a government agency. Parks Canada manages the National Parks and Reserves in order to protect and preserve the Canadian wildlife and habitat that fall within the ecosystems of the park, keep them safe, educate visitors, and ensure public enjoyment in ways that do not compromise the area for future generations. The areas that fall within Parks Canada's governance include
2178-456: The country's national parks had an entrenched system of profit-based motives. The Parks Canada Agency Act came into action in 1998 to ensure the protection of parks for further generations' use and national interest as places of cultural and historical importance. According to Parks Canada, ecological integrity is a state with three elements: non-living elements, living elements, and a series of ecological functions. By having all three elements,
2244-533: The creation of the first administrative body, the Dominion Parks Branch, now known as Parks Canada , to administer national parks in Canada. With the Branch in place, the parks system expanded from Banff eastward, combining both use and protection as the foundation to national park management. The major motives behind the creation of national parks in Canada were profit and preservation. Inspired by
2310-684: The dark-sky agreement ensure that the park remains dark at night, preserving a natural environment for all nocturnal wildlife. [REDACTED] Media related to Grasslands National Park at Wikimedia Commons National Parks of Canada National parks of Canada Parcs Nationaux du Canada ( French ) [REDACTED] Herbert Lake in Banff National Park , Alberta [REDACTED] Distribution and location of national parks in Canada National parks of Canada are vast natural spaces located throughout
2376-585: The defeat of General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn . Grasslands National Park is on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot (Niitsítapi) people of the Canadian and American plains and is Treaty 4 land. A 2022 agreement between the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan and Parks Canada provides for the transfer of 24 bison. The West Block of the park is located one hour south of Swift Current , and
2442-462: The development of a campground, trailer park, and other attractions. Cave and Basin Springs were forced to rebuild their bathing pools in 1904 and then again in 1912, because of growing public interest in the hot springs. By 1927, campground accommodations at Tunnel Mountain were adapting to include room for trailers as well as tents. Due to increased demand, the campground was extended, and by 1969 it
2508-564: The establishment and success of Yellowstone National Park in the United States, Canada blended the conflicting ideas of preservation and commercialism in order to satisfy its natural resource needs, conservationist views of modern management, a growing public interest in the outdoors and the new popularity of getting back to nature. This growing interest to escape the hustle and bustle of the city brought about ideas of conserving Canada's unspoiled wildernesses by creating public parks. As
2574-436: The federal minister of Environment for the matters of parks eco-management. Parks Canada recognized Indigenous knowledge and their unique historical and cultural relationship with the lands, and thus, Parks Canada started to cooperate with Indigenous people for park management. Following 1985, began the creation of new national parks or national park reserves, including Aulavik, Nááts’ihch’oh, Tuktut Nogait and Thaidene Nëné, in
2640-515: The governmental, academic, and public level. Canada's national parks were no longer places of unlimited natural resources, but were now considered a place where resources needed to be conserved through regulation to ensure future and continued use. J.B. Harkin , the Parks Commissioner in 1911, advocated the complete eradication of coal and mineral extraction in the parks. However, Harkin's vision did not come to fruition until 1930 when
2706-405: The herd had grown from the original 71 animals to over 300. The herd is maintained on a 181 km (70 sq mi) section in the park's West Block. On 2 October 2009, in a ceremony at Belza House, the park was declared a dark-sky preserve , and a small population of black-footed ferrets was reintroduced into the prairie dog towns after a 70-year absence. Improved night-lighting practices under
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2772-781: The importance of community involvement in order to sustain a healthy ecosystem. The transition towards developing parks as a place of preservation began with the National Parks Act of 1930. This event marked a shift in park management practices. Revised in 1979 under the National Parks Policy, the Act placed greater emphasis on preserving the natural areas in an unimpaired state through ecological integrity and restoration, moving away from development based heavily on profit. Acting as national symbols, Canada's national parks exist in every province and territory representing
2838-527: The importance of working together with Indigenous peoples and other communities to manage parks' healthy ecosystem within and around national parks. In 1984, Ivvavik National Park was established as a result of an Aboriginal land claim agreement. Now, Ivvavik is managed co-operatively by Parks Canada and the Inuvialuit. Their mutual goals are to protect wild life , keep the ecosystem healthy and protect their cultural resources. In addition, they ensure
2904-594: The late 1880s, Thomas White , Canada's Minister of the Interior, responsible for federal land management, Indian affairs, and natural resources extraction, began establishing a legislative motion towards establishing Canada's first national park in Banff. May 1911 marked one of the most significant events in the administration and development of national parks in Canada as the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act received royal assent. This law saw
2970-610: The loss of fishing within the park that had previously been their main source of income. The resistance of the Acadians impacted future park creation, as in 1979 Parks Canada announced that it would no longer use forced relocation in new parks. An advisory committee was created by Parks Canada in 2008 to reflect on the Kouchibouguac process and address outstanding grievances. In the late 19th century, Canadians changed their view of nature and resources as opinions started to focus on conservationist ideas. They were transitioning from
3036-674: The main visitor reception centre is located in the town of Val Marie . Highlights of the West Block include the Frenchman River Valley, a herd of over 300 plains bison as well as prairie dog colonies. A 16-kilometre (10 mi) wide stretch of land on either side of the Frenchman River is an Important Bird Area of Canada called Grasslands National Park (west) (SK 024) . Frenchman Valley Campground offers visitors serviced camping sites, teepee camping, and
3102-410: The national parks that marked a shift from profit to preservation. The change in values is derived from the establishment of 1930 National Parks Act that limited use of resource for park management, and in 1979, under revised National Parks Policy, the maintenance of ecological integrity was prioritized for the preservation of national parks of Canada. In 1988, the National Parks Act was amended and
3168-722: The northern Great Plains states in the US. The unique landscape and harsh, semi-arid climate provide niches for several adapted plants and animals. The park and surrounding area house the country's only black-tailed prairie dog colonies. Fauna found in the park include bison , pronghorns , greater sage-grouses , ring-necked pheasants , burrowing owls , coyotes , ferruginous hawks , swift foxes , prairie rattlesnakes , black-footed ferrets , eastern yellow-bellied racers , and greater short-horned lizards . Flora includes blue grama grass, needlegrass , plains cottonwood and silver sagebrush . Erosion by glacial meltwater formed many of
3234-626: The park system. There are currently three NMCAs: Fathom Five National Marine Park and Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park were created prior to the NMCA concept, and subsequently classified as an NMCA without changing their legal names. NMCAs have a different mandate than their terrestrial counterparts. They are designed for sustainable use, although they usually also contain areas designed to protect ecological integrity . Similar to national park reserves, National Marine Conservation Area Reserves are intended to become full NMCAs once claims are resolved. There
3300-646: The park's characteristic features. Highlights of the park's geological landscape include the Frenchman River Valley, the Seventy Mile Butte, and the badlands of Rock Creek. In 1874, Sir George Mercer Dawson discovered Western Canada 's first dinosaur remains in the Killdeer Badlands during the International Boundary Survey . Later, in 1877, Sitting Bull took refuge in the area with around 5,000 Sioux after
3366-589: The park, as did Ivvavik National Park in the Northern Yukon. Through grassroots organizations and political lobbying, Indigenous residents of these areas were able to have greater influence over the process of park creation. For both Kluane and Ivvavik parks, Indigenous organizations protested and testified to Parliamentary Committees, describing how these restrictions infringed on their ability to provide for themselves through traditional fishing, hunting, and trapping. Ivvavik National Park, established in 1984,
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#17327874987983432-476: The parks to profit Canada's national economy as well as conserving the natural areas for public and future use became an integrated method of park creation. The process of establishing national parks has often forced the displacement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of areas within the proposed park boundaries. Conflicts between the creation of parks and the residents of the area have been negotiated through co-management practices, as Parks Canada acknowledged
3498-623: The parks were seen as being unlimited and therefore should be used as it was economically beneficial for the nation. By 1911, as Canadians became aware of the depletion occurring within America's natural resources, a debate focused on the extent of resource exploitation in Canada's national parks erupted. This debate began as early as 1906 at the Forestry Convention in Ottawa as it stimulated a new interest in conservation which spoke to
3564-473: The present. Rather than preserving through non-use, the commission was concerned with managing resources for long-term gain. Other conservation-minded organizations, like the Alpine Club , had different ideas that focused on the preservation of natural wilderness and opposed any type of development or construction. This movement was successful as the creation of parks solely for preservation purposes, like
3630-558: The preservation of the Inuvialuit traditional way of living, including trapping, hunting and fishing. Another example is Torngat Mountains National Park . In 2005, it was established as a result of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement. It preserves the aboriginal rights of the Labrador Inuit in Canada, which are land, resources and self-government rights. The federal government also signed
3696-405: The public an avenue into nature, while also integrating ideas of preserving Canada's scenic landscape and wildlife populations in an era of development and major resource extraction. The integration of public visitation for national parks in Canada heavily contributed to the beginnings of public constituencies for certain parks. The parks who mobilized with a public constituency tended to prosper at
3762-500: The regulation of ecological integrity was embodied. However, due to the conflicting interests of profit and preservation, the maintenance of ecological integrity has progressed slowly. The big movement on maintenance of ecological integrity has happened since 2001. Canada National Parks Act of 2001 reinforced the necessity of maintenance and restorations of ecological integrity by saving natural resources and ecosystem. It sets new principles for park management plans. Wilderness areas in
3828-453: The selection of which activities to allow had non-native bias, as it precluded traditional sources of subsistence such as hunting and trapping. Parks in less frequently visited, northern parts of Canada were created with more consideration of Aboriginal usage. Kluane National Park and Reserve in the Yukon initially had restrictions on hunting in order to preserve the presence of wildlife in
3894-425: The town of Banff. The Banff hot springs were made more accessible after a tunnel was blasted in 1886. Horse-drawn carriages were replaced by buses and taxis, and by the 1960s small cabins had been largely replaced by hotels and motels as the community became geared towards building the national park as a tourist destination. In 1964, the first visitor service centre was established at Lake Louise Station, which included
3960-579: Was an example of and the beginning of co-management, which ensured that Indigenous voices would be heard and given equal representatives on parks boards. Non-Indigenous groups were also dispossessed from their land during the creation of national parks, such as the Acadians of Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick . This park was created in 1969 and included recognition of the Aboriginal groups who had once resided there but no recognition of
4026-734: Was clear from policy making that tourism became secondary to resource exploitation. The resources that were exploited from the national parks were essential to the CPR's income as it freighted these resources across the country. In 1887, the Rocky Mountains Park Act was established under the Macdonald government and it reflected the importance of resource exploitation for Canada's economy. Under this regulation, national parks were not fully preserved in their natural states as mining, logging and grazing continued to be permitted. When
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#17327874987984092-429: Was demonstrated by the creation of Bankhead, a coal town on the road to Lake Minnewanka. This coal town was not viewed as a detriment to the overall scenery of Banff National Park, but was instead an added attraction for visitors. In this case, resource exploitation and tourism worked in conjunction with each other to create a more profitable national park. Although tourism and resource development could work together, it
4158-650: Was established in 1981. Prior to this the province's only national park was Prince Albert National Park . Grasslands annually receives about 12,000 visitors. Grasslands National Park represents the Prairie Grasslands natural region, protecting one of the nation's few remaining areas of undisturbed dry mixed-grass/shortgrass prairie grassland . The park is located in the World Wildlife Fund -defined Northern short grasslands ecoregion, which spans much of southern Saskatchewan, southern Alberta , and
4224-456: Was the biggest campground in the national park system. Banff became a year-round recreational centre as the growth of winter sport activities provided added incentive for tourism. The implementation of T-bars and chairlifts on Banff's ski hills helped develop Banff into a ski and winter sports destination. Since the inception of Canada's national parks, business and profit has been a major element to their creation and development. Although tourism
4290-499: Was the first in Canada to be created through a comprehensive land claim settlement, and set a precedent for collaboration and co-management in future parks. In June 1984, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement was signed, which deviated from past parks by committing to a more extensive inclusion of Aboriginal interests and gave the Inuvialuit exclusive rights to hunting and harvesting game within the park. This agreement
4356-520: Was the first source of profit in the national parks, the exploitation of natural resources such as coal, lumber, and other minerals became another major area of revenue. These resources were found in abundance in the Rocky Mountains and were interpreted as being inexhaustible. Coal was the most plentiful and profitable of all the minerals and therefore its mining in parks was accepted by politicians and Canadian Pacific Railway officials. This
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