Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve
Encyclopedia
Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve (Pronounced NAT-chee-oh) is a future national park in Canada
, located in the South Nahanni River
watershed in the Northwest Territories
. The name means "stands like a porcupine" in the Dene language
. It covers an area of approximately 7600 square kilometres (2,934 sq mi). Naats'ihch'oh will protect the Sahtú Settlement Area of the upper South Nahanni River
watershed in the Northwest Territories
and will be beside the recently expanded Nahanni National Park Reserve
. The two parks will be managed separately, similar to Banff
and Jasper National Park
s which are also side by side. The South Nahanni watershed is home to several endangered species, including grizzly bear
s and woodland caribou. The area is also known for its moose
and the northernmost population of Dall sheep
mountain goat
s in Canada. The park will be will be fully established once the government has finished negotiating an impact and benefit plan with the local Dene
and Métis
.
500,000 to assist the land corporations and help aboriginal communities develop an impact and benefit plan. The area is becoming industrialized with "roads, pipelines, exploration for minerals, oil and natural gas, and development of mines and wells." The park will prohibit the opening of new mines, but existing claims will be respected. Originally, the land was meant to be used for an extension of Nahanni National Park Reserve, but the Dene people in the Sahtú lobbied for a plan that would make their area of land different from Nahanni, which is claimed by the Dene of the Deh Cho region.
The land for the park was withdrawn in 2003, and quietly announced on February 26, 2008. The official announcement was made on April 7, 2008 by Federal Environment Minister John Baird
who said, "with this historic agreement announced today, we are once again taking action to protect Canada's North for future generations." It is the fifth conservation related announcement made by the government within the last year.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located in the South Nahanni River
South Nahanni River
The South Nahanni River is a major tributary of the Liard River, located roughly 500 kilometres west of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the centerpiece of Nahanni National Park Reserve...
watershed in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. The name means "stands like a porcupine" in the Dene language
Dene Suline language
Dene Suline or Chipewyan is the language spoken by the Chipewyan people of central Canada. It is a part of the Athabaskan family...
. It covers an area of approximately 7600 square kilometres (2,934 sq mi). Naats'ihch'oh will protect the Sahtú Settlement Area of the upper South Nahanni River
South Nahanni River
The South Nahanni River is a major tributary of the Liard River, located roughly 500 kilometres west of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the centerpiece of Nahanni National Park Reserve...
watershed in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and will be beside the recently expanded Nahanni National Park Reserve
Nahanni National Park Reserve
Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, approximately west of Yellowknife, protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region. The centrepiece of the park is the South Nahanni River. Four noteworthy canyons reaching in depth, called...
. The two parks will be managed separately, similar to Banff
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
and Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² . It is located in the province of Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and...
s which are also side by side. The South Nahanni watershed is home to several endangered species, including grizzly bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
s and woodland caribou. The area is also known for its moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
and the northernmost population of Dall sheep
Dall Sheep
The Dall sheep , Ovis dalli, is a species of sheep native to northwestern North America, ranging from white to slate brown in color and having curved yellowish brown horns...
mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
s in Canada. The park will be will be fully established once the government has finished negotiating an impact and benefit plan with the local Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
and Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
.
Creation
The Canadian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the "Sahtú organizations (land corporations) established under the land claim agreement representing the Dene and Métis of the Tulita District." The Government contributed $Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
500,000 to assist the land corporations and help aboriginal communities develop an impact and benefit plan. The area is becoming industrialized with "roads, pipelines, exploration for minerals, oil and natural gas, and development of mines and wells." The park will prohibit the opening of new mines, but existing claims will be respected. Originally, the land was meant to be used for an extension of Nahanni National Park Reserve, but the Dene people in the Sahtú lobbied for a plan that would make their area of land different from Nahanni, which is claimed by the Dene of the Deh Cho region.
The land for the park was withdrawn in 2003, and quietly announced on February 26, 2008. The official announcement was made on April 7, 2008 by Federal Environment Minister John Baird
John Baird (Canadian politician)
John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
who said, "with this historic agreement announced today, we are once again taking action to protect Canada's North for future generations." It is the fifth conservation related announcement made by the government within the last year.