A section of Jasper National Park is closed to the general public for a week to allow members of a B.C. First Nation to hunt on their traditionally used lands, which fall within the park boundary.
Parks Canada said it negotiated an agreement with Simpcw First Nation, which it says has been asking for several years to hold a harvest on their traditionally used lands. The move is part of reconciliation efforts between the government and Canada’s First Nations.
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Starting Friday and going for a week until Oct. 13, a temporary area closure will be put in place east of Snaring River, north of Highway 16 and the Athabasca River.
Parks Canada said the First Nation will be allowed to hunt up to a maximum of 10 animals: one mule deer, three whitetail deer, three bighorn sheep and three elk. Nine members of the community, located north of Kamloops, will take part in the harvest.
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“Conservation and public safety are shared priorities for Parks Canada and the Simpcw First Nation,” said Steve Young, a Parks Canada communications representative.
“Parks Canada and the Simpcw First Nation are committed to ensuring the harvest supports the ecological integrity of the national park and the safety of members of the Simpcw First Nation, Parks Canada staff, and the public.”
The closed area will be marked and monitored, so hikers and other people enjoying the park this Thanksgiving long weekend are not put at risk.
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When Canada’s mountain parks were created between 1885 and 1914, they were operated based on European and North American ideas that did not consider the perspectives and traditions of aboriginal peoples.
Parks Canada said early managers considered many First Nation traditional activities inconsistent with national park goals. Hunting and gathering were no longer permitted in the parks and, as a result, aboriginal groups were forced to leave.
In recent years, many First Nations have become more involved in the management and operation of the mountain parks as part of reconciliation efforts.
The Jasper Indigenous Forum was created in 2006 as a link between the park and First Nations who have ties to the park. More than 20 different First Nations, Non-Treaty First Nations, and Métis communities from both Alberta and British Columbia, participate in the forum.
Parks Canada said other Indigenous partners support the Simpcw request for a traditional harvest.
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