The Ross River Dena Council, alongside Yukon and federal officials, is exploring the creation of a massive Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area to safeguard critical caribou habitat and cultural sites.
Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood reports for The Narwhal.
In short:
- The proposed 40,902-square-kilometer protected area would preserve vital habitat for the at-risk Finlayson caribou herd.
- The Ross River Dena Council and government officials signed a memorandum to study the feasibility of the project.
- The region holds significant cultural sites and would help Yukon meet Canada’s goal of protecting 30% of land by 2030.
Key quote:
“There’s sacred mountains. There’s people buried all over the territory, the majority of them are buried by rivers, because rivers were the transportation system for our people for thousands of years.”
— Roberta Dick, Ross River Dena Council councillor
Why this matters:
Protecting this area addresses both wildlife conservation and Indigenous rights. It helps safeguard an endangered caribou herd and restores stewardship roles disrupted by colonization. The project also supports national conservation targets amid ongoing mining interests.
