Ch. 3 Land - Environment Yukon
Ch. 3 Land - Environment Yukon
Ch. 3 Land - Environment Yukon
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Roads:<br />
The arrival of roads affected the people,<br />
the pattern of settlement and the<br />
wildlife in the <strong>Yukon</strong>. The Alaska Highway<br />
brought people, quantities of inexpensive<br />
southern goods, agricultural<br />
products, vehicles and dramatically<br />
increased the speed of travel.<br />
First Nation people were seriously<br />
affected by the road development.<br />
Families were relocated to highway<br />
communities, a change that significantly<br />
altered a way of life that was closely<br />
tied to hunting, fishing and gathering.<br />
River life and river communities were<br />
gradually abandoned.<br />
Food supply needs of military and<br />
civilian personnel during the<br />
construction of the Alaska Highway<br />
and the Canol Road resulted in over<br />
harvest that led to depleted wildlife<br />
Dawson<br />
Whitehorse<br />
Figure 3.24 <strong>Yukon</strong> Roads by Ecoregion<br />
populations in several areas. The Kluane<br />
Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1943<br />
and a ‘no hunting’ corridor was<br />
established along the Dempster<br />
Highway following its construction in<br />
the 1970s. A 0.5 km no hunting<br />
corridor now exists along the Dempster<br />
and a 0.8 km corridor along the Takhini<br />
Hot Springs and Annie Lake roads.<br />
In addition to their effect on wildlife,<br />
other potential environmental<br />
impacts of roads include:<br />
■ incremental reduction of wilderness<br />
areas;<br />
■ disruption of natural surface and<br />
sub-surface drainage patterns<br />
possibly leading to sloughing;<br />
■ invasion of non-native vegetation<br />
species (e.g. foxtail barley) 4 ; and<br />
■ increased refuse in remote areas<br />
accessed by road.<br />
Ecoregions<br />
Primary Highway<br />
Secondary Highway<br />
4x2 Road<br />
4x4 Road and Trail<br />
Watson Lake<br />
These potential problems can be<br />
avoided or mitigated through the<br />
review process and in the proper<br />
design and construction of the road.<br />
Air Transportation:<br />
Impacts of air transportation relate<br />
to the potential for noise to disrupt<br />
wildlife and the intrusion into wilderness<br />
areas when remote air strips are<br />
developed.<br />
Trails/rivers:<br />
The increased use of trails and rivers by<br />
recreational users is discussed in<br />
section 3.8.<br />
Legislation<br />
■ Transportation on <strong>Yukon</strong> roads is<br />
subject to the <strong>Yukon</strong> Highways<br />
Act, Motor Transport Act, Motor<br />
Vehicles Act and the Dangerous<br />
Goods Transportation Act.<br />
■ Road construction and upgrading<br />
are subject to the Canadian <strong>Environment</strong>al<br />
Assessment Act (CEAA)<br />
(1992). In the future, the Development<br />
Assessment Process will<br />
apply.<br />
■ Any roads which cross or otherwise<br />
impact a watercourse require<br />
licensing under the <strong>Yukon</strong> Waters<br />
Act. Permits may also be required<br />
under the Fisheries Act.<br />
■ Roads on mining claims are subject<br />
to the new Quartz Mining<br />
<strong>Land</strong> Use Regulations (June<br />
1999), and the Placer Mining<br />
<strong>Land</strong> Use Regulations (effective<br />
December 1999).<br />
■ Small scale activities on <strong>Yukon</strong><br />
lands that might damage the environment<br />
require approvals and<br />
permits pursuant to the <strong>Yukon</strong><br />
<strong>Environment</strong> Act.<br />
Where land claims and protected areas<br />
are dissected by, or abut <strong>Yukon</strong> roads,<br />
how the roads and road rights of way<br />
should be managed, who the road<br />
belongs to and who is responsible for it<br />
must be taken into consideration.<br />
6 6 ❧ Y U K O N S T A T E O F T H E E N V I R O N M E N T R E P O R T 1999