Harper Government Introduces Legislation to Protect Significant Area in Northwest Territories

Bill introduced to formally protect Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve - Canada's 44^th National Park

OTTAWA, May 14, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced that a bill to formally protect Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve under the Canada National Parks Act has been introduced in the Senate of Canada. With this action, the Government of Canada is continuing on its path of international conservation leadership.

Combined with the government's significant expansion in 2009 of Nahanni National Park Reserve, the proposed creation of Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve will protect the South Nahanni River watershed and habitat for the mountain woodland caribou, grizzly bears, Dall's sheep, mountain goats and Trumpeter swans. Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve will serve as a launching point for visitors to this northern wilderness. Visitors will have the opportunity to hike, canoe, raft and climb and experience this incredibly beautiful and ecologically important area in the Northwest Territories.

An Impact and Benefit Plan was signed in March 2012 by the Government of Canada and the Sahtu Dene and Metis of the Tulita District for the establishment of Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve to ensure the provision of lasting economic, cultural and social benefits to the people of the Northwest Territories. The Nááts'ihch'oh region has long been the home to the Dene and Metis and is an area of spiritual and cultural importance to them.

Quick Facts

• Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve is Canada's 44^th national park.
  
  
• This newest national park reserve is 4,895 square kilometers in size making it the 14^th largest national park in Canada.
  
  
• When combined with the adjacent Nahanni National Park Reserve, the size of the two parks totals almost 35,000 square kilometers, making it the third largest protected area in Parks Canada's system.
  
  
• Nááts'ihch'oh and Nahanni national park reserves together protect 86 per cent of the South Nahanni watershed.
  
  
• Travellers on the South Nahanni River, a Canadian Heritage River, can start their journey in the Moose Ponds of Nááts'ihch'oh (Mount Wilson), the mountain after which the national park reserve is named.
  
  
• With the addition of Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve, the Government of Canada now manages 44 national parks, with a total area almost half the size of Alberta, as well as 167 national historic sites and four national marine conservation areas.
  
  
• Since, 2006, the total area of lands the Government of Canada has protected through Parks Canada is an area twice the size of Vancouver Island.

Quote

"Our Government is focused on conserving and restoring Canada's natural environment. The formal creation of Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve will not only ensure the protection of this ecologically and cultural important area of Canada's North, but will also serve to create tourism opportunities in the Northwest Territories. This action further builds on our Government's record of expanding Canada's national parks system."

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Associated Link

PM announces establishment of Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve - Aug. 22, 2012

Image with caption: "Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve is Canada's 44th national park. Photo credit: C. Bucher/ Parks Canada (CNW Group/Parks Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140514_C8442_PHOTO_EN_40326.jpg

SOURCE: Parks Canada

Contacts

Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Parks Canada
819-953-8371
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