The Muskwa-Kechika is B.C.’s largest “managed” landscape – it’s a huge area of the northern Rockies stretching 6.4 million hectares. As a managed wilderness, all industry in the M-K must meet a higher standard of environmental sensitivity than in the rest of British Columbia. The M-K contains a constellation of parks and protected areas but the goal is to protect the environmental health of entire region.
The vision to focus on this area began as a result of a 1992 meeting between environmentalist George Smith (CPAWS) and Wayne Sawchuk (Chetwynd Environmental Society), both of whom had begun working independently to protect B.C.'s Northern Rockies. That meeting led to the formation of an alliance that brought together groups from all over the northern region, and resulted in successful conclusions at the Land Use Planning tables for Fort Nelson, and Fort St. John in 1997 and at the Mackenzie table in 2000. The M-KMA was born through legislation in 1998. It is one of the only places in the province where First Nations, industry, and environmentalists work collaboratively together to manage a landscape for its long-term health.
With climate changing significantly, British Columbia needs parks and wilderness areas that are large enough to protect biodiversity. Why? Nature needs the functioning natural systems in large parks to shelter adaptable species and cautiously welcome newcomer species. Left alone, nature can maintain “variety” or biodiversity. The M-K is one of the few protected and managed stretches of B.C. wilderness large enough to remain resilient to climate change.
CPAWS works with Y2Y Inc and northern First Nations to ensure that this incredible M-K wilderness stays intact. Our scientists and technicians pour over every inch of the M-K, looking at the features that will endure climate change – soils, elevations, waterfalls – along with areas that will provide connectivity and special features, such as escape terrain for mountain goats and grasslands for bird migration.
In many ways, the M-K remains a test case for wilderness protection. It’s an experiment in “managed” wilderness. Does it work? Can B.C. support prosperous business opportunities in the backcountry, such as mining and forestry, while demanding business excellence in environmental management?
We’ll keep you posted.
In the meantime, CPAWS continues to track potential wind power projects in the M-K. These permanent installations, which are illegal under the M-KMA Act, have the potential to damage the world class wilderness and wildlife in the M-K’s Special Management Areas and in nearby parks.
British Columbia needs the M-K to remain as wild and ecologically healthy as possible. CPAWS will always guard this extraordinary place.
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