Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve

Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location of Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve in Canada
Location	Northwest Territories  Canada
Nearest city	Tulita
Area	7,600 km2 (2,934 sq mi)
Established	2008
Governing body	Parks Canada

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.^[1] It covers an area of approximately 7,600 square kilometres (2,934 sq mi).^[2] 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 Parks which are also side by side.^[3] The South Nahanni watershed is home to several endangered species, including grizzly bears and woodland caribou.^[4] The area is also known for its moose and the northernmost population of Dall sheep mountain goats in Canada.^[1] 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.^[5]

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 $500,000 to assist the land corporations and help aboriginal communities develop an impact and benefit plan.^[6] 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.^[6][7] 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.^[3]

The land for the park was withdrawn in 2003, and quietly announced on February 26, 2008.^[5] The official announcement was made on April 7, 2008 by Federal Environment Minister John Baird who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."^[1] It is the fifth conservation related announcement made by the government within the last year.^[1][8]

References

Geography of Canada portal

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Baird confirms new national park reserve in N.W.T.". CBC News. 2008-04-07. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/04/07/baird-park.html. Retrieved 2008-04-07. 
2. ^ "Canada getting new national park in Northwest Territories". Canadian Press. 2008-04-07. http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwjWL4jIjBRCXWy4v6yfhBE5VDpw. Retrieved 2008-04-07. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Ed Struzik (2008-04-08). "New national park for North a step closer". Edmonton Journal. http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=33e5c156-5ce5-4c52-a237-022fff85c44a&k=59889. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
4. ^ Mike De Souza (2008-04-08). "'Remarkable' Territories to be home to new park". Ottawa Citizen. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=debbfc5d-000b-4d6e-bca2-595e9d65ff2e. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Ottawa announces new N.W.T. park reserve". CBC News. 2008-03-03. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/03/03/nwt-reserve.html. Retrieved 2008-04-07. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Backgrounder - Working toward the creation of Nááts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve". Parks Canada. 2008-04-07. http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/cp-nr/release_e.asp?bgid=972&andor1=bg. Retrieved 2008-04-07. 
7. ^ Martin Middlestaedt (2008-04-08). "Deal set to create NWT version of Banff, Jasper". Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080408.wpark08/BNStory/National/home. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
8. ^ "Government of Canada announces the protection of more precious land in Canada's North". Parks Canada. 2008-04-07. http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/cp-nr/release_e.asp?id=1182&andor1=nr. Retrieved 2008-04-07.