Muskwa-Kechika Management Area
Encyclopedia
The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (M-K or M-KMA) is provincially-run tract of land in the far north of British Columbia
. It has an advisory board that advises the government on land-use decisions. Established by provincial government legislation in 1998, the area is meant to be preserved as a wild
area, but development
is not forbidden. The land is divided into different zones, with varying levels of protection, although the whole area is supposed to used according to an overall plan. The original plan called for 25% of the land to be turned into provincial parks, 60% to become "special management zones" where mining and oil and gas drilling were to be allowed, and 15% to become "special wildland zones" where logging is prohibited. The original size of the M-KMA was 4450000 hectares (10,996,179.8 acre) however in 2000 with the approval of the Mackenzie Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) over 1900000 hectares (4,694,998.1 acre) were added to the M-KMA creating a total area of 6400000 hectares (15,814,730.4 acre), which is approximately the size of the US state of Maine
, or the island of Ireland, or seven times the size of Yellowstone National Park
in the United States.
and Muskwa Ranges
(from the , "bear
") and the Kechika River
and Kechika Ranges
(Kechika means "long inclining river"). The area include the Northern Rocky Mountains
to the north of Lake Williston and the Rocky Mountain Foothills
north of the Peace River
and much of the southeastern Cassiar Mountains
and a small portion of the northeastern Omineca Mountains
. With the southern Selwyn
and Mackenzie Mountains
north of the Liard River
, the area defines the Boreal Cordillera Ecozone.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It has an advisory board that advises the government on land-use decisions. Established by provincial government legislation in 1998, the area is meant to be preserved as a wild
Wild
The term wild generally refers to:* Wildlife, all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms* Wilderness or Wilderness area, a natural environment on Earth* Wildness, the quality of being wild or untamedWild may also refer to:...
area, but development
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
is not forbidden. The land is divided into different zones, with varying levels of protection, although the whole area is supposed to used according to an overall plan. The original plan called for 25% of the land to be turned into provincial parks, 60% to become "special management zones" where mining and oil and gas drilling were to be allowed, and 15% to become "special wildland zones" where logging is prohibited. The original size of the M-KMA was 4450000 hectares (10,996,179.8 acre) however in 2000 with the approval of the Mackenzie Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) over 1900000 hectares (4,694,998.1 acre) were added to the M-KMA creating a total area of 6400000 hectares (15,814,730.4 acre), which is approximately the size of the US state of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, or the island of Ireland, or seven times the size of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
in the United States.
Name and geography
The area is named after the Muskwa RiverMuskwa River
The Muskwa River flows 257 km through northern British Columbia, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Fort Nelson River - part of the Mackenzie River system. The river rises at Fern Lake in the Bedaux Pass in the Northern Rocky Mountains. From there, it flows generally east, then north,...
and Muskwa Ranges
Muskwa Ranges
The Muskwa Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in northern British Columbia, Canada. They are part of the Northern Rockies section of the Rocky Mountains and are bounded on their west by the Rocky Mountain Trench and on their east by the Rocky Mountain Foothills...
(from the , "bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
") and the Kechika River
Kechika River
The Kechika River also historically known as Black's River, is a tributary of the Liard River, located in northern British Columbia, Canada. The river rises at the Sifton Pass and flows northwest and then east 230 kilometres to join with the Liard River near Fireside, British Columbia...
and Kechika Ranges
Kechika Ranges
The Kechika Ranges are a subrange of the Cassiar Mountains subdivision of the Interior Mountains in far northern British Columbia, Canada, lying west of the Rocky Mountain Trench between the Rainbow and Deadwood Rivers .-References:*...
(Kechika means "long inclining river"). The area include the Northern Rocky Mountains
Northern Rocky Mountains
The Northern Rocky Mountains, usually referred to as the Northern Rockies, are a subdivision of the Canadian Rockies comprising the northern half of the Canadian segment of the Rocky Mountains...
to the north of Lake Williston and the Rocky Mountain Foothills
Rocky Mountain Foothills
The Rocky Mountain Foothills are an upland area flanking the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, extending south from the Liard River into Alberta. Bordering the Interior Plains system, they are part of the Rocky Mountain System or Eastern System of the Western Cordillera of North America....
north of the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
and much of the southeastern Cassiar Mountains
Cassiar Mountains
The Cassiar Mountains are the most northerly group of the Northern Interior Mountains in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. They lie north and west of the Omineca Mountains, west of the northernmost Rockies and the Rocky Mountain Trench, north of the Hazelton...
and a small portion of the northeastern Omineca Mountains
Omineca Mountains
The Omineca Mountains, also known as "the Ominecas", are a group of remote mountain ranges in north-central British Columbia, Canada. They are bounded by the Finlay River on the north, the Rocky Mountain Trench on the east, the Nation River on the south, and the upper reaches of the Omineca River...
. With the southern Selwyn
Selwyn Mountains
The Selwyn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Canada, forming part of the border between the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories, and which are part of the Eastern System of the Canadian Cordillera . They are neighboured on the east by the Mackenzie Mountains and on their...
and Mackenzie Mountains
Mackenzie Mountains
The Mackenzie Mountains are a mountain range forming part of the Yukon-Northwest Territories boundary between the Liard and Peel rivers. The range is named in honour of Canada's second Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie. Nahanni National Park Reserve is in the Mackenzie Mountains.The Mackenzie...
north of the Liard River
Liard River
The Liard River flows through Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows southeast through British Columbia, marking the northern end of the Rocky Mountains and then curving northeast back...
, the area defines the Boreal Cordillera Ecozone.
Parks and protected areas
(with area)- Dall River Old Growth Provincial ParkDall River Old Growth Provincial ParkDall River Old Growth Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area and is located immediately northwest of Denetiah Provincial Park, northwest of the junction of the Gataga and Kechika Rivers. Established in 1999, the...
644 hectares (1,591.4 acre) - Denetiah Provincial Park & Protected Area 97908 hectares (241,935.7 acre)
- Dune Za Keyih Provincial Park & Protected Area 347789 hectares (859,404.6 acre)
- Finlay-Russel Provincial Park & Protected Area 122795 hectares (303,432.8 acre)
- Graham-Laurier Provincial Park 99982 hectares (247,060.7 acre)
- Horneline Creek Provincial ParkHorneline Creek Provincial ParkHorneline Creek Provincial Park is a provincial park in far northern British Columbia, Canada. It is located west of the Kechika River about 130 km south of Lower Post and 30 km north of Denetiah Provincial Park and southwest of the community of Liard River.The park protects mountain...
298 hectares (736.4 acre) - Kwadacha Wilderness Provincial ParkKwadacha Wilderness Provincial ParkKwadacha Wilderness Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, which include to the north of the Kwadacha the Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park and Stone Mountain Provincial Park....
114444 hectares (282,797 acre) - Liard River Corridor/West Provincial Parks & Protected Area 88898 hectares (219,671.5 acre)
- Liard River Hot Springs Provincial ParkLiard River Hot Springs Provincial ParkLiard River Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the second largest hot spring in Canada. The park is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. The community of Liard River, British Columbia is located nearby.-History and...
1082 hectares (2,673.7 acre) - Muncho Lake Provincial ParkMuncho Lake Provincial ParkMuncho Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the Alaska Highway as it transits the northernmost Canadian Rockies west of Fort Nelson. The park is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area....
86079 hectares (212,705.7 acre) - Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park & Protected Area 665709 hectares (1,645,001.3 acre)
- Ospika-Cones Ecological Reserve 1282 hectares (3,167.9 acre)
- Prophet River Hot Springs Provincial Park 185 hectares (457.1 acre)
- Redfern-Keily Provincial ParkRedfern-Keily Provincial ParkRedfern-Keily Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It is established in the Muskwa Ranges of the northern Rockies, along the Besa River and its tributaries. It was named after William Keily...
80771 hectares (199,589.3 acre) - Sikanni Chief River Ecological Reserve 2091 hectares (5,167 acre)
- Stone Mountain Provincial ParkStone Mountain Provincial ParkThe Stone Mountain Provincial Park is an area of 256.91 square kilometres of mountain wilderness in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The park is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area which includes the Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park, immediately south, and Kwadacha...
25179 hectares (62,218.6 acre) - Toad River Hotsprings Provincial Park 414 hectares (1,023 acre)