Today Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced the final boundaries for a massive expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve -- a renowned World Heritage Site in the Northwest Territories.

 

The newly expanded Nahanni is nearly seven times the size of the original park reserve. It will permanently protect over 30,000 sq. km of big wild Boreal wilderness, an area roughly the size of Vancouver Island!

 

The announcement of final boundaries comes almost two years after Prime Minister Harper and former Environment Minister Baird promised to expand the park, and crowns years of work by CPAWS, the Dehcho First Nations, Parks Canada and others to permanently protect the iconic wilderness of the South Nahanni watershed.

 

You've probably seen the campaign featured here on The Big Wild, where we've collected petitions and raised funds to protect the area. And you may have seen posters inviting your support for CPAWS’ Nahanni Forever campaign in Mountain Equipment Co-op stores last year. Thousands of people signed postcards and sent letters to tell the government that they wanted the area fully protected. Together, our efforts paid off!

 

The Nahanni is of spiritual importance to local First Nations. Its river, forests, deep canyons, and unique limestone caves and formations are also important habitat for woodland caribou, grizzly bears, mountain goats and Dall’s sheep. The South Nahanni River, with a waterfall twice the height of Niagara, is a whitewater paddler’s dream destination. Learn more about The Nahanni on CPAWS' excellent website: http://www.cpaws.org/programs/nahanni

 

Join CPAWS and The Big Wild in celebrating this historic victory. Send the Prime Minister a letter, thanking him for protecting this national treasure.

 

And above all, thank you for your support in helping protect Canada’s Big Wild places!