Ch. 3 Land - Environment Yukon

the Canadian Wildlife Service), or
through four Yukon government agencies
(Parks and Outdoor Recreation,
Wildlife, Heritage, and Environmental
Protection branches).
The guiding principles for establishing
the protected areas network begin with
ecological integrity. Through a process
of public participation, partnerships,
accountability, quality of information
and coordination, the network will
respect all values, recognizing economic
interests and contributing to
sustainable development.
Process to Establish
Protected Areas
1. The Protected Areas Secretariat
identifies the first ecoregions
and areas of interest.
2. Local planning team is
established in the First Nation
Traditional Territory to work
with community stakeholders,
and the Yukon public.
3. Local planning team identifies
the study area.
4. Government reviews and
approves the study area.
5. Local planning team completes
the proposal for the protected
area.
6. Review by the Development
Assessment Process.
7. Final government (cabinet)
review and approval
8. Designation of the protected
area.
9. Preparation of a management
plan and submission to
government for approval.
10. Periodic review and update of
the management plan every five
years.
Protected areas in the Yukon range
from relatively small ecological areas to
extensive wilderness preserves. Some
reserves in the Yukon have strict
provisions for preservation of the
complete ecosystem; others include
only provisions to limit wildlife
harvesting.
Yukon protected areas and sanctuaries
are shown in Figure 3.5 and the
ecoregions of the Yukon are shown in
Figure 3.4.
Some ecoregions are well represented
in the protected areas network (Figure
3.6). The priority regions for the
establishment of protected areas are
the British–Richardson Mountains,
Eagle Plains, Peel River Plateau and
Fort MacPherson in the north and the
Southern Lakes and Pelly Mountains.
A network of protected areas will
maintain bio-diversity, protect wildlife
and watersheds, preserve unique,
natural, scenic, historic and cultural
areas, preserve the genetic diversity of
species, and preserve wilderness.
Cooperation between different sectors
of government and industry is
important to the establishment of
protected areas which meet the
objectives of the strategy. One issue
which has been raised relates to mining.
Though in many cases mining claims
have lapsed in proposed park areas,
some staking on or adjacent to
proposed protected areas has occurred.
Chapter 10 of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in
Final Agreement outlines the process
for establishing the Tombstone Territorial
Park, and a study area was established
in April of 1997. A steering
committee was struck in 1999 to
recommend a final park boundary.
There were 380 valid mineral claims
Figure 3.6 Representation of Ecoregions in the Protected Area Network
4 0 ❧ 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