YLUPC
← Return to Plan
Loading LMU…
Region:
LMU #:

Designation:
Area:

Artwork: Yukon Graphic Recording

INTENT STATEMENT

The vision for this LMU is to protect key wildlife habitat and aesthetic attributes along the Dempster Highway while allowing for limited mineral development within existing tenure and carefully managed surface access. The future character of this area should remain much as it is today, recognizing that some mineral development and forestry may still occur. Any development should be accompanied by management that protects key caribou habitat and reclamation to functional caribou habitat.

This area has a high conservation focus due to the critical calving, post-calving, summer, and rut habitat for the Clear Creek and Hart River caribou herds, and high-elevation habitat for migratory birds. The Clear Creek and Hart River herds are part of the Northern Mountain population of woodland caribou listed as a species of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act. This area is located adjacent to two protected areas (Tombstone Territorial Park and the West Hart River Wilderness Area), offering important opportunities for landscape connectivity. The area contains an active outfitting concession, traplines, and associated infrastructure. There are no major roads or trails into the LMU, though some winter access exists. The Dempster Highway sub-regional plan will be directly adjacent to this LMU.

This LMU is designated as a Special Management Area to protect a portion of the McQuesten Highlands ecoregion, which is currently absent from Yukon’s protected area system, and to maintain landscape connectivity between the West Hart River Wilderness Area and Tombstone Territorial Park. Preserving ecological health, connectivity, and viewscapes will also support and enhance traditional economic values and activities. The boundaries of this area have been carefully defined to support the long-term viability of caribou populations and their habitat; maintaining these boundaries is essential to achieving the Plan’s environment goals.

TR’ËHUDÈ AND STEWARDSHIP

This area is important for connecting to the land and taking part in traditional economic activities, including trapping, fishing, gathering, and hunting. There is a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in camp near here where there is concern about the quality of drinking water due to past mining activities. This concern has affected people who use the camp, as many will not drink from the creek.

LMU DIRECTIONS

  1. Development footprint is allowed according to ISA 1 surface disturbance and linear feature density thresholds.
  2. Mineral development is allowed only within existing mineral tenure. Withdraw all other lands from quartz and placer mineral staking.
  3. Due to the associated risks, heap-leach mining is not supported in this LMU under the current regulatory regime and with commonly used technologies.
  4. If new access is required, coordinated access routes for industrial activities are encouraged to reduce the linear footprint.
  5. The viewscape from the Dempster Highway should be maintained; no new access from the Dempster Highway is allowed.
  6. The SMA Management Plan should consider the priority values.
  7. In the absence of an SMA Management Plan, surface access on non-Settlement Land should be co-managed by the Parties on a project-by-project basis. If the Parties cannot reach an agreement regarding surface access, the Dispute Resolution process (THFA 26.3.1.3) should be followed.
  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.
PRIORITY VALUES
  • Water
  • Plant and Animal Relations
  • Salmon
  • Caribou
  • Landscapes
VALUES
Land–People Relationship
  • There are limited off-road recreation opportunities for hiking and sightseeing from the Dempster Highway and canoeing on North Klondike River. The area contains valued viewscapes and licensed hunting opportunities.
  • Economic activities, including trapping and outfitting, offer opportunities for stewardship.
Community Culture
  • There are opportunities for learning about Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in heritage and culture.
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Culture, Heritage, and Hän language
  • There are several archeological sites and sites of heritage and cultural significance.
Community Resilience
  • The North Klondike River feeds into the drinking water source for Dawson City and the surrounding community.
Water
  • The North Klondike River and its tributaries have high ecological value.
Plant and Animal Relations
  • The area provides important habitat for freshwater fish.
  • There is extensive Dall’s sheep habitat.
  • Species-at-risk known to occur include Yukon podistera, collared pika, wolverine, bank swallow, lesser yellowlegs, olive-sided flycatcher, rusty blackbird, short-eared owl, horned grebe, common nighthawk, Northern Mountain caribou herds, and grizzly bears.
  • Species-at-risk expected in low numbers include gypsy cuckoo bumble bee, Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee, western bumble bee mckayi subspecies, barn swallow, and transverse lady beetle.
  • Some unglaciated alpine habitats contain endemic species.
Salmon
  • The area provides important migration and spawning habitat for salmon.
Caribou
  • The LMU contains key calving, post-calving and summer and winter habitat for Clear Creek, Hart River, and Fortymile caribou herds.
Moose
  • There is extensive good moose habitat, including later winter (February to April) habitat along Hamilton and Brewery creeks.
Landscapes
  • The LMU is located within the McQuesten Highlands ecoregion, which is not represented in the Yukon’s protected areas system.
  • It presents opportunities for landscape connectivity and is adjacent to intact areas including the West Hart River Wilderness Area in Peel River Watershed and Tombstone Territorial Park.
  • Unglaciated alpine areas with late snowmelt provide habitat for endemic plants such as Ogilvie Mountains Spring Beauty, and unglaciated alpine with dry heath ridges are home to the Ogilvie Mountains collared lemming.
Wetlands
  • There are limited wetland habitats within the lowlands, including bogs, fens, and marshes, which provide important wildlife habitat and ecosystem services.
Sustainable Local Economy
  • The LMU is located within North and South Klondike River Landscape Units of the Dawson Forest Resource Management Plan, identified as high conservation and forest resource development focuses, respectively.
  • It contains active quartz claims, an active Class 1 operation near Antimony Creek, and a placer prospecting lease on a tributary to Brewery Creek. The area is highly prospective and has a strong future placer potential. Per the Yukon Geological Survey, the area contains critical mineral occurrences.
  • There is overlap with several trapping concessions and one active outfitting concession.
  • The Dempster Highway is an attraction for motorized tourists and offers opportunities for scenic views and wildlife viewing.

Indicator gauges

Surface disturbance (km²)
Linear disturbance (km)

Cumulative effects