Overview

Healthy Land, Healthy People is the Northwest Territories’ plan to put in place, implement, and strengthen protected areas and conservation areas across the NWT.

The latest plan outlines outcomes and actions to be completed between 2023-2028.

The workplan recognizes the importance of planning holistically – working with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, the federal government, and stakeholders to: 

• Build on the momentum of successful protected areas and conservation areas implementation

• Advance candidate protected areas

• Support Indigenous-led conservation

• Expand investment both public and private to make the most of protected areas and conservation areas

Read the plan online: Healthy Land, Healthy People

Priorities

The workplan has the following key priorities:

• Advance planning and decision-making on the establishment of protected areas.

• Support the effective and equitable management of national, territorial, and Indigenous protected areas and conservation areas.

• Inform and educate the public about the conservation network.

• Pursue sustainable, long-term funding for the establishment, planning, management, and operations of protected areas.

• Support Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship initiatives.

Objectives

Some of the strategy’s key objectives are:

• Develop a plan for long-term, sustainable financing for the conservation network
• Conclude Dinàgà Wek’èhodì negotiations towards decision-making on the establishment of the candidate protected area under the Protected Areas Act
• Conclude decision-making on candidate protected areas under the former Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy in the Dehcho region.
• Develop regulations for Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) and Territorial Protected Area and implement regulations for Ts’udé Nilįné Tuyeta IPCA and Territorial Protected Area.
• Assist with the responsibilities of protected area and conservation area management boards
• Conclude partnership agreement for the future Sahtú K’aowe (Great Bear Lake watershed) IPCA with the Délınę Got’įnę Government ̨ and consider options for counting Great Bear Lake (Tsá Tué) as an OECM.
• Work with the Tulıt’a IPCA Steering ́ Committee to understand their interests regarding Nıo Nę P’ęnę ́ ́ and Willow, Kelly, Lennie and Mahoney Lakes area IPCAs in the Tulıt’a District.
• Respond to other conservation and stewardship interests identified by Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations.

Read the plan online: Healthy Land, Healthy People

For more information

• Contact: conservationplanning@gov.nt.ca 
• Visit: Established Indigenous and territorial protected areas
• Visit: Candidate protected areas