British Columbia sets aside 450 square kilometres as protected area

The protected zone covers an area larger than the city of Surrey and lies within Treaty 8 territory. Following the ruling, the province and seven Treaty 8 First Nations agreed to collaborate on land-use management.

Protection measures The K'ih tsaaʔdze Protection Area will be used to protect caribou habitat and boreal ecosystems, according to the province. Existing industrial activity will continue, but no new disturbances will be permitted. Forestry activity will not be allowed in the area for the next four years.

The province and Doig River First Nation are continuing to develop a joint land-use plan for a wider region that could cover up to 26,000 square kilometres.