In a major step toward conservation, the Klinse-za/Twin Sisters Park in northeastern B.C. is expanding to nearly 200,000 hectares, offering stronger protection for sacred Indigenous sites and critical wildlife habitat. This expansion supports the recovery of the threatened southern mountain caribou and aligns with B.C.’s goal of protecting 30% of its lands by 2030.
The park expansion stems from a 2020 partnership between the governments of B.C., Canada, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations, aiming to restore caribou populations while balancing regional economic interests. Leaders from both First Nations emphasize the importance of this expansion in preserving their cultural heritage and proving that conservation and sustainable economies can go hand in hand.
The expanded park, which is also home to at-risk species, such as fishers, bull trout, grizzly bears and wolverines, creates the largest provincial park established in B.C. in a decade. The park will help restore healthy ecosystems and watersheds, including vital caribou habitats, a key measure to recover caribou in the region. The local Klinse-za caribou herd has grown from 36 in 2013 to 138 today, thanks to Indigenous-led conservation efforts like maternal penning.
“Since time immemorial our ancestors have lived in harmony with these lands, and we strive to continue to walk in these footsteps laid before us. The teachings were to leave no trace nor impact as you pass through the lands,” said Chief Roland Willson, West Moberly First Nations. “Times have changed and others have come seeking natural resources for economic development: forestry, oil and gas, large-scale hydroelectric, mining, and so on. They leave a much different footprint. Treaty No. 8 promises us the ability to carry on a way of life, free from forced interference, now and in future, as if we had never entered into Treaty. We will continue to pursue a better path towards recovering caribou and finding balance.”
“Our sacred Klinse-za/Twin Sisters area will now be protected for our people forever,” said Chief Rudy Paquette, Saulteau First Nations. “This is another step in the process by which we are proving that we can recover endangered species and protect the sacred lands of First Nations people, while also providing for healthy ecosystems and diverse economies.”
Read the full Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy news release.