Muskwa-Kechika Backcountry Management Plan
On this page:
Overview
Who: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
What: A draft management plan for the protected areas in the Muskwa-Kechika backcountry
Where: Northeastern B.C.
Why: To inform the development of the draft plan
How: Online
Background
The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (M-KMA) was established in 1999, with the intent to achieve a balance between economic development and conservation. The goal is to allow resource development to occur in appropriately zoned areas, while maintaining the:
- Wilderness quality
- Diversity and abundance of wildlife
- Ecosystems on which wildlife depend
To support land management, the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area Act specified the creation of an overarching management plan and five types of local strategic plans, including park management plans. The overarching management plan is completed. Within the boundaries of the M-KMA, there are 22 provincial parks and protected areas managed by BC Parks. Two parks – Northern Rockies and Redfern-Keily Provincial Parks – already have approved management plans. The remaining parks have been grouped together into either front-country or backcountry park plans and are undergoing the management planning process.
Engagement summary
At this point the Backcountry Protected Areas of the Muskwa-Kechika: Strategic Management Plan has been drafted and is ready for public review. There are 18 individual parks and protected areas included within this plan. BC Parks has combined the protected areas together into one plan as they all contain similar conservation values, cater to similar recreational activities, are remote, and have limited access/use. The parks within this management plan include:
- Dall River Old Growth Park
- Denetiah Park
- Denetiah Corridor Protected Area
- Dune Za Keyih [a.k.a. Frog-Gataga Park]
- Dune Za Keyih [a.k.a. Frog-Gataga Protected Area]
- Finlay Russel Park
- Finlay Russel Protected Area
- Graham-Laurier Park
- Horneline Creek Park
- Kwadacha Wilderness Park
- Liard River Corridor Park
- Liard River Corridor Protected Area
- Laird River West Corridor Park
- Ospika Cones Ecological Reserve
- Prophet River Hot Springs Park
- Scatter River Old Growth Park* (technically located outside the M-K Management Area, but close by and similar values)
- Sikanni Chief River Ecological Reserve
- Toad River Hot Springs Park
Note: While parks, protected areas, conservancies, and ecological reserves are all different types of designations, collectively they are referred to as protected area. To learn more about the different types of parks and protected area, visit the BC Parks website.
Location
The M-KMA is located in northeastern B.C., protecting a diverse landscape of boreal plains, muskeg, geothermal features and the rugged mountains of the Northern Rockies. Within the boundaries of the Muskwa-Kechika there are numerous protected areas. These protected areas are highlighted in green on the map; the darker green areas are included within the draft management plan. Learn more about the M-KMA by exploring the website.
Draft management plan
Read the draft Backcountry Protected Areas of the Muskwa-Kechika Strategic Management Plan (PDF, 3MB) by clicking the link or referring to the document section in the upper right-hand corner. Reviewing the plan will help you answer the survey questions below.
Visit the BC Parks page for more info
More info on the Muskwa-Kechika Management Plan
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