NWT PAS Purpose

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The Purpose of the NWT Protected Areas Strategy

The Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy (NWT PAS) was created to help NWT communities protect special areas of land for the long term.

The NWT PAS was established in 1999 as an overall framework and set of criteria to guide the work of identifying and establishing protected areas in the NWT. It was developed by regional Aboriginal organizations, the federal and territorial governments, environmental non-governmental organizations, and industry representatives. These groups worked in partnership to develop the PAS so that communities lead the process and are able to benefit from both development and conservation.

The NWT PAS is a partnership program. To see a list and link to PAS Steering Committee partners please click here.

Horn Plateau - Carpenter WWF March 2001

There are two goals of the NWT PAS, to protect:

Special natural and cultural areas

Core representative areas within each eco-region of the NWT

Other purposes of the NWT PAS include:

Raising awareness of the need for protected areas

Providing tools to help identify and establish protected areas

Developing partnerships to support communities in their efforts to protect land

Clarifying the roles and responsibilities for identifying and establishing protected areas

Defining clear commitments for implementation.

Some important principles of the NWT PAS:

Precedence of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and Land Claim Agreements

The NWT PAS conforms to all aboriginal and treaty rights, land claim agreements, and self-government agreements. They take priority over the PAS if there is ever a conflict.

Access, Third Party Interests and Compensation

The NWT PAS recognizes and respects all obligations related to land and water access, third party interests, and compensation needs caused by the establishment of protected areas.

Full Stakeholder Participation

The NWT PAS is an open process and includes a full range of stakeholders at all stages of planning and establishing protected areas.

Information Sharing

All relevant information will be available to stakeholders, interest groups, and the general public.

For more information contact the
Protected Areas Strategy Secretariat “The land takes care of us…nwt_pas@gov.nt.ca we take care of the land.”
(867) 920-3179 or (867) 669-2685

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Site last updated Thursday, July 17, 2008