Nahanni: conservation history
Throughout the 20th century adventurers traveled to the Nahanni, and the resulting books and films brought the Nahanni wilderness to the rest of the world. By the 1960s, canoeists were making their way to this icon of Canadian wilderness tradition, and the area was being considered as a potential national park.
National Park Reserve:
In the late 1960s, hydroelectric development was proposed for Virginia Falls on the South Nahanni River. Wilderness lovers, led by CPAWS (then known as the National and Provincial Parks Association of Canada), cried foul and mounted a campaign to protect the Nahanni as a free-flowing wild northern river. Prime Minister Trudeau's 1970 visit to the river cemented the deal to create Nahanni National Park Reserve. In 1972, land was set aside for a national park, and in 1976, a 4766 sq km corridor along the South Nahanni and Flat Rivers were legally protected as a national park reserve.
World Heritage Site:
In 1978, Nahanni National Park Reserve became the first site in the world to be officially granted World Heritage status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), placing the spotlight on its natural international significance.
Canadian Heritage River:
In 1987, the section of the South Nahanni River that flows through the national park was designated as a Canadian Heritage River in recognition of its outstanding wilderness character and recreational value.
