CPAWS WELCOMES NÁÁTS’ĮHCH’OH NATIONAL PARK RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND LOOKS FORWARD TO ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

YELLOWKNIFE – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) NWT chapter welcomes the release of the Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve Management Plan, the first for Nááts’įhch’oh, and is pleased that the plan considers both cultural and economic benefits for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of the Tulita District. CPAWS NWT hopes that Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve will contribute to building land and resource management capacity in the region through an investment in training local people and knowledge holders to become managers, park rangers, monitors, and scientists who will lead their community. CPAWS NWT had the opportunity to comment on the draft Management Plan and applauds Parks Canada for considering and incorporating many of our comments into the plan. Missing from this Management Plan, however, is the required Ecological Integrity Management Plan (EIMP), a primary component of Parks Canada’s responsibilities as the manager of our national parks. CPAWS NWT understands that an EIMP will be consulted on in spring 2018 as a priority next step for Minister Catherine McKenna, Parks Canada, and the Nááts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve Management Committee. CPAWS NWT looks forward to working with the government and Management Committee on this plan. Nááts’įhch’oh is critical ecologically as the headwaters of the South Nahanni Watershed and important habitat for northern mountain caribou. CPAWS NWT has been working to protect the South Nahanni Watershed for over two decades.