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In order to establish new national parks, territorial parks and conservation
areas in Nunavut, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (1993) requires
that Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreements (IIBAs) be negotiated prior to
their creation. The Governments of Canada and Nunavut have had an agreement
for three new national parks in 1999. The Nunavut Government is also negotiating
IIBAs for its territorial parks and conservation areas that existed at
the time the 1993 Agreement was ratified.
Note that some wildlife sanctuaries fall under territorial jurisdiction.
The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary is worth mentioning since it is
the largest and most remote wildlife refuge on the North American continent,
covering over 55 000 square kilometres. Established in 1927, it straddles
the Nunavut and Northwest Territories border. This wildlife sanctuary
contains a high diversity of vegetation and wildlife including calving
grounds for the Beverly Caribou. As well, the Sanctuary is home to moose
and muskox, barren-ground grizzly, and over 80 bird species. The Sanctuary
also protects a long history of human occupation - evidenced by archaeological
sites dating back as far as 6000 BC.
The five maps included in this subtopic show the federally legislated
protected areas found in Nunavut. These maps are National Parks, National
Historic Sites, National Wildlife Areas, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, and
Heritage Rivers.
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