Artwork: Yukon Graphic Recording

INTENT STATEMENT

The vision is a healthy wetland environment co-stewarded by Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, where Citizens will be able to access the area for cultural pursuits. The intent for this LMU is to limit the scale of development within the upper drainage of the Indian River, protect the function of much of the upper Indian River wetland complex, and respect and protect cultural, ecological, and traditional economic values. The Indian River Valley is experiencing a conversion of its wetland landscape and widespread loss of peatlands. The upper drainage of the Indian River continues to experience exploration and mining but remains relatively less developed.

There is an opportunity to learn from the past and create a new way of doing things – one that is more respectful of environmental and cultural values and reflects sustainable development in a meaningful way. Some mineral development may still occur, but it will be held to a high standard of excellence, guided by limits to surface and wetland disturbance, a higher standard of progressive reclamation practices, and community stewardship in partnership with industry organizations and individual operators.

Limiting cumulative effects is essential to maintaining this area in a state where Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in can continue to exercise their rights, and where all community members can continue to use the area for enjoyment and licensed harvesting. This can be achieved by slowing the pace and scale of development and focusing on a high standard of reclamation.

Wetlands are critical ecosystems that support specialized wildlife habitat, provide essential ecological services, and serve as one of the most significant terrestrial carbon sinks. Beyond their ecological roles, wetlands hold deep socio-cultural significance – they provide harvesting opportunities, sustain cultural vitality and social connections, and support stewardship. Functional restoration of peat wetlands after disturbance is currently considered effectively impossible.

At the same time, the Indian River watershed is Yukon’s most important placer gold-producing area, and its upper reaches are identified as having high potential for future activity. It is important to continue to protect these ecosystems while allowing the ongoing activities that contribute significantly to the Region’s economic strength and socio-cultural fabric.

An ISA 2 designation allows ongoing industrial activities but requires progressive reclamation by industry to safeguard wetlands. The Parties must collaborate to develop the Upper Indian River Stewardship Plan to align overlapping interests, move forward together in a good way, and develop viable solutions for wetland reclamation.

TR’ËHUDÈ AND STEWARDSHIP

The Indian River area is an incredibly important place for Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Citizens, which has been clearly demonstrated by the ongoing and growing concern expressed throughout the planning process.

“The Indian River Valley that exists today is much different from the broad, sweeping wetland habitat it used to be. With the increase in activity levels and lack of reclamation and destroyed habitat, I don’t feel as comfortable with harvesting down there anymore. I don’t even want to drive down there for leisure … I find it depressing, because I see a loss from all the change, including the loss of my ability to have a successful harvest … The land provides, and we obviously rely on it.”

– Darren Taylor, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Citizen, Public Interest Hearing on Placer Mining in Wetlands (Government of Yukon, 2021)

LMU DIRECTIONS

1. This LMU is nominated as a Wetland of Special Importance.
2. Development footprint is allowed according to ISA 2 surface disturbance and linear feature density thresholds.
3. Mineral development is allowed only within existing mineral tenure. Interim withdrawal of all lands from placer and quartz staking. Withdrawal can be jointly reassessed by the Parties either upon completion of an Upper Indian River Stewardship Plan (below), at the time of the 10-year Plan Review, or when both Parties agree to remove interim withdrawals. When a claim expires, it should be withdrawn from further staking while the interim withdrawal is in place.
4. No disturbance to field-verified, undisturbed marshes and bogs.
5. Development in undisturbed fens is limited to 50% of fen area within each claim block or permit area. Fen thresholds are based on mapped presence of fens as of 2022, not on the number or extent of fens at the time of application.
6. This LMU is a priority for the development of socio-cultural indicators as a part of the cumulative effects framework led by Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, due to the cultural importance of this area.
7. This LMU has significant overlapping interests: it is likely to be the site of significant placer mining activity in the future, it has high cultural value to Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, and its wetlands are of high ecological significance. In anticipation of future interests, and to ensure activities are done Tr’ëhudè (in a good way), an Upper Indian River Stewardship Plan must be co-developed by the Parties in the spirit of comanagement. The Parties should collaborate with industry to complete this plan, and the Commission will be a valuable resource to the Parties during its development. The goals of the plan should be to determine how multiple overlapping interests can move forward together in Tr’ëhudè and to find solutions for wetland reclamation. Innovation and creative approaches to achieving these goals are highly encouraged. The development of this plan should be guided by ancestral and community stewardship and Traditional Knowledge.
   This plan should consider:
   1. How new access will be managed and how to encourage shared access.
   2. Opportunities for partnerships and collaborations (industry partners, Traditional Knowledge holders, academic institutions, environmental non-governmental organizations, and so on), particularly for wetland restoration techniques and experience from outside jurisdictions.
   3. Stricter reclamation requirements than required by the Plan at large.
8. This area is located within important caribou herd ranges. It is crucial to maintain key caribou migration pathways and to minimize disturbance to key habitat. Stewardship Directions for the caribou overlays (Section 5.3.4) must be followed.