Greater Muskwa - Kechika Ecosystem

Roughly the size of Ireland, the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area is the largest wilderness area in the Rocky Mountains. It holds a globally significant population of grizzly bears as well as other species such as moose, Stone’s sheep, and wolves.

The comprehensive management plan negotiated for the Muskwa-Kechika is one of the Yellowstone to Yukon region’s great success stories, and sets a world standard for the balance of environmental sustainability and economic stability. The plan accommodates both conservation and use, enabling highly regulated resource development while also protecting a large, intact, and predominantly roadless wilderness. The Muskwa-Kechika is comprised of parks and protected areas, as well as management zones where extractive development is allowed under stringent, best-practice standards. Two Y2Y board members were involved in developing and securing the management plan and served on the Muskwa-Kechika advisory board during the process.

Almost fifteen years later, the Muskwa-Kechika remains wild – a testament to the management practices that were implemented in 1998. Budget cuts, development pressures and most importantly, climate change, however, threaten its success, and demand an updated plan.

In July of 2012, Y2Y released an innovative new assessment that is meant to advise the Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board, which in turn may make recommendations to the B.C. government on proposed actions.

Click here for more information on this report, Muskwa-Kechika – Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Assessment.

For more information on collaborative projects in the Greater Muskwa-Kechika Ecosystem Priority Area click here.

Y2Y Stories on the Muskwa-Kechika:

Cutting Edge Science Faces Off with Climate Change

Keeping Muskwa-Kechika Wild!

Watch this outstanding video on the history and value of the Muskwa-Kechika, featuring former Y2Y Board Members Wayne Sawchuk, Brian Churchill, and Jerry Pavia.