New Protected Areas

Yukon Wild, your one-stop source of information on Yukon's natural regions, maps of natural features and conservation lands

Between 1999 and 2001, the percentage of designated protected areas in the Yukon increased from 8.7% to about 11.8%. The CPAWS-Yukon chapter helped protect 1.2 million hectares, including 3 new territorial parks. Candidate areas pending through First Nation land claims agreements and protected area planning will increase the amount of protected lands during the next five years.

We urge the Yukon and First Nation governments to establish a network of protected areas through all of the available conservation tools, including Special Management Areas, Territorial Parks and Ecological Reserves, Habitat Protection Areas, National Parks and Wilderness Areas. However, since the announcement of the Asi Keyi SMA and park, negotiated through land claims, the Yukon government has failed to make any progress on new protected areas. The Yukon Protected Areas Strategy has been suspended. CPAWS-Yukon continues to work on protected areas through local conservation assessment and land use planning. We support First Nation's efforts to establish protected areas through Special Management Areas included in land claim Final Agreements.

CPAWS-Yukon participates in the establishment of Habitat Protection Areas, new National Parks, and National Wildlife Refuges. We also stand with the great majority of Yukon people who support the full protection of our 47 key wetlands. The territorial government has stalled implementation of the wetland initiative. Finally, we endorse the establishment of Wilderness Management Areas that may be set up under the Yukon Environment Act, but the Yukon Government has yet to use this promising legal tool.

Learn more about CPAWS-Yukon’s commitment to new protected areas.

Peel River Watershed

The Peel watershed forms the heart of a great mountain ecosystem with a long cultural history, clear flowing waters, free ranging wildlife and rugged northern beauty. CPAWS-Yukon supports the completion of a comprehensive land use and conservation plan for the entire Peel River watershed, which takes in about 14% of the Yukon. We worked in cooperation with First Nations and Renewable Resource Councils to advocate the establishment of a Land Use Planning Commission in the region. CPAWS-Yukon urges the Yukon government to stop further dispositions of oil and gas leases and other public non-renewable resources in the watershed until land use planning is completed and a network of protected areas is designated. Since 1993, CPAWS-Yukon has carried out numerous research and mapping projects in the watershed, and we continue our community river trip program that allows local people to see remote parts of the Peel watershed firsthand.

Learn more about the Peel River Watershed.

Photo by Juri Peepre

The Wind, Snake and Bonnet Plume Rivers

These three wild rivers in the northeast Yukon, along with the Hart River to the west, are among Canada’s most magnificent waterways, within one of the largest and most scenic wilderness areas in the territory. The Bonnet Plume caribou herd, Dall’s sheep, Peregrine falcon, grizzly bear, important waterfowl wetlands, pristine mountain valleys and meadows highlight these rivers.

CPAWS-Yukon advocates a mosaic of conservation lands to protect these watersheds, focusing on full wilderness protection for the Snake River watershed. We also call on governments to make better use of the existing Canadian Heritage River status for the Bonnet Plume, and put in place a conservation strategy for the Wind and Hart Rivers. CPAWS-Yukon prepared a conservation atlas for the Wind, Snake and Bonnet Plume watersheds, and our biological and cultural research programs continue. We propose a conservation plan for these watersheds based on the principles of conservation biology and traditional ecological knowledge.

Learn more about the ongoing Three Rivers project.

Learn more about the Mackenzie Mountains.

Wolf Lake & Nisutlin River Ecosystem

Moose near Wolf Lake Photo by Marten Berkman

The Wolf Lake region is a cradle of boreal life in the southern Yukon and its conservation value has long been recognized by First Nations, scientists and more recently, Parks Canada. Wolf Lake, in the Teslin Tlingit traditional territory, and the headwaters of the Liard Basin to the east in Kaska territory, are an area of interest for national park status within Natural Region #7. This region extends from the central Yukon to the Spatzizi Plateau in British Columbia. This watershed’s rich biological diversity features an undisturbed low elevation boreal forest ecosystem that supports the Wolf Lake woodland caribou herd, highly productive wetland moose habitat, and aquatic habitat with salmon, lake trout, grayling and abundant waterfowl. The Wolf Lake ecosystem is at the headwaters of the longest salmon migration path in the world.

CPAWS-Yukon calls for protection of the Wolf Lake and Liard headwaters area through land use planning in cooperation with the Teslin Tlingit and Kaska Nation. In support of this work, we completed three biological research and mapping projects in the ecosystem, highlighting the many natural and cultural features that merit protection. We urge the establishment of a protected area that will maintain the watershed's ecological integrity, and help ensure a long-term sustainable economy for the community of Teslin. CPAWS supports a comprehensive study to determine the suitability of a National Park in the Wolf Lake region.

Learn more about the Southern Lakes ecoregion and the Wolf Lake ecosystem.

Eagle Plains

CPAWS-Yukon supports the nomination of the Eagle Plains area at the Arctic Circle as a candidate protected area. This scenic place in the Eagle River watershed at the edge of the Richardson Mountains is known for its conservation values and representation of the Eagle Plains ecoregion. The forested and tundra plateau along the Dempster Highway is also noted for its importance as winter range for the Porcupine Caribou Herd. The Yukon government completed years of background biological, cultural and resource assessments in the area – it is now time for the Land Use Planning Commission to evaluate conservation these values and recommend designation of the site as a protected area.

Learn more about Eagle Plains.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

CPAWS-Yukon supports the international effort to protect for all time the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge of Alaska. We urge the Yukon and Canadian governments to step up their efforts in Washington to endorse the Gwitchin call for Wilderness designation of the Refuge. CPAWS-Yukon has assisted the Gwitchin effort by supporting media and communications projects such as the 2001 Millenium Trek, posters, brochures and video productions. We also support community members’ travel for training and presentations.

Learn more about the British/Richardson Mountains.

Itsi Range Photo by Theresa Gulliver

Keele Peak & Itsi Range

CPAWS-Yukon urges protection of the Keele Peak and Itsi Range ecosystems in the Selwyn Mountains. These two spectacular landforms dominate the skyline along the Yukon & NWT border, and are flanked by some of the most productive upland wildlife habitat in the region.

We support the Ross River Dena Council's efforts to protect important lands and waters in their traditional territory through Special Management Areas.

Learn more about the Selwyn Mountains.

Southeast Yukon & Liard Basin

The pristine boreal forests in the Yukon's southeast are among the most biologically productive and varied in Canada's north. Beautiful, clean waters bordered by fertile wildlife habitat and rare plant communities and songbird species highlight this ancient and priceless forest ecosystem that is part of the traditional territory of the Kaska Nation. CPAWS works cooperatively with the Kaska Nation on conservation initiatives in the region.

We support a sustainable and diverse economy that makes room for a network of protected areas, wildlife corridors, critical wetlands, a wilderness tourism industry, trapping, hunting, fishing, gathering, cultural activities and community-based sustainable timber harvesting. Responsible forestry, oil and gas development, and mining may play a role in the region's economy and way of life, but need not be at the expense of ecosystem health and strong cultural ties to the land. We urge the timely completion of a regional land use and conservation plan prior to the allocation of long-term timber supplies or other natural resources. CPAWS supports prudent forest management in the Southeast Yukon and we participate actively in public planning processes to help determine the best approach to forestry.

CPAWS-Yukon calls for the establishment of protected areas and other conservation lands at Frances Lake, Coal River watershed, the highly productive Mt. Martin/La Biche area, and the Beaver River corridor. We also endorse habitat protection within the Rancheria Caribou Herd winter range to help ensure the survival of this important woodland herd. CPAWS-Yukon has completed numerous assessments of these areas of interest for conservation, and we continue our programs of research, mapping and community trips into important watersheds.

Learn more about the Liard Basin, Hyland Highland and Muskwa plateau ecoregions.