FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. - The B.C. government has designated approximately 45,000 hectares of Crown land east of Fort St. John for protection over the next decade.
The province says it’s in an effort to safeguard culturally significant lands, boreal ecosystems and critical caribou habitat within the Treaty 8 territory.
The new K’ih tsaaʔdze Protection Area was formally established on July 10 under the Environment and Land Use Act, with additional protections supported through the Forest Act.
Provincial officials say the interim measures are intended to preserve the area’s ecological and cultural values while longer-term land-use planning discussions continue with Doig River First Nation.
The protected area is located near the B.C.-Alberta border east of Fort St. John and covers land within the Treaty 8 territory that overlaps with a Tribal Park declared by Doig River First Nation in 2011.
The region is considered culturally, spiritually and environmentally significant, supporting treaty rights such as hunting, fishing and trapping.
Under the designation, new land and resource dispositions and industrial activity will not be permitted within the protected area. Existing lawful activities may continue provided they do not result in new surface disturbances. Forestry activities in the same area will also face restrictions for four years.
The province says the area contains habitat for boreal caribou, a species listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act and red-listed in British Columbia. The protections are also intended to support ecological restoration efforts.
The announcement comes as the Province and Doig River First Nation continue work on a joint land-use plan for the broader region. If ultimately approved, the plan would cover approximately 2.6 million hectares of northeastern B.C. and focus on restoring landscapes and waterways, managing cumulative industrial impacts, preserving cultural sites and supporting economic development where appropriate.
The initiative is tied to commitments outlined in a 2022 Consensus Document signed between the Province and seven Treaty 8 First Nations following a 2021 B.C. Supreme Court ruling that found cumulative effects from industrial development had infringed on Treaty 8 rights in northeastern B.C.
Provincial officials emphasized that land-use planning measures apply only to Crown land and do not affect privately owned property. Public access and recreation within the K’ih tsaaʔdze Protection Area will also continue under existing management directions.
The government says engagement on the broader joint land-use plan remains ongoing, with public feedback gathered earlier this year helping inform future decisions about land management in the Peace Region.