Our views on the proposed boundary options

Wildlife Wins or Loses? Lightening Fast Feedback Needed to Protect Final Part of Nahanni (Nááts´ihch´oh)

At the recent Nááts´ihch´oh consultation session in Yellowknife (March 22nd), CPAWS-NWT was disappointed with the premise of the proposed options---namely to protect existing and possible future mineral interests. A large portion of the Nahanni Headwaters (Náátsih’ch’oh) in the southwest corner has not been identified for protection because of high mineral interest.

In order to protect the watershed as well as critical habitat for the threatened woodland caribou and grizzly bear, CPAWS is supporting a modified Boundary Option #1 that protects the entire Nahanni Headwaters (Naats’ihch’oh).

CPAWS assessment of Parks Canada’s Boundary Options

CPAWS has overlayed the wildlife conservation values onto the Parks Canada boundary options (see maps in the right hand side bar).

Boundary Option 1

Areas of high mineral potential have been excluded from Boundary Option 1 to protect mineral claims and leases and include a development buffer. Boundary Option 1 is not ideal because it excludes critical wildlife habitat surrounding existing mineral interest. It does not go far enough to protect this area high in grizzly bear density and critical to the Upper Nahanni Caribou Herd as summering and rutting habitat. 

Boundary Options 2 and 3

The proposed boundary has been reduced in options 2 and 3 to protect areas of high mineral potential. These areas further remove critical habitat for the Upper Nahanni and Redstone woodland caribou Herds and high density areas for Grizzly Bear and Dalls Sheep. Removing these areas from the Park boundary would jeopardize these populations and threaten the South Nahanni watershed downstream of these potential areas of development. It is critical that entire headwaters and areas of critical wildlife habitat are protected.

Protecting critical habitat for two woodland caribou herds, habitat supporting high population densities of Grizzly Bear, Dall’s Sheep and Mountain Goats should come first. Anything less than a modified version of boundary option one  that protects the entire Nahanni Headwaters (Náátsih’ch’oh) is unacceptable and clearly lacks important habitat and puts long-term ecological values at risk.

The final chapter in protecting the Nahanni Watershed is closing soon. Get your voice heard by April 30, 2010 .