Boreal Cordillera Ecozone

"Klondike Country"

Consisting of extensive mountains and valleys separated by wide lowlands, this ecozone spans 444 000 square kilometres, occupying the southern Yukon and northern half of British Columbia. It is bordered by the Coast Mountains to the west and extends north from the Montane Cordillera to the Mackenzie and Selwynn Mountains beyond Dawson City and Keno in the Yukon. To the east, it reaches as far as the Peace River country.

The Boreal Cordillera Ecozone contains most of the Yukon's population. Whitehorse is the largest centre with a population of 23 000, while the entire ecozone is home to just 31 000 people (1991). The portion of the ecozone in B.C. is sparsely populated. The relatively small population does not preclude land-use conflicts. Much of the valuable land for residential, agricultural and wildlife habitat is located in confined valleys.

First Nations have a significant voice in managing the environment of the Yukon portion of this ecozone through the Yukon Umbrella Final Agreement signed into law in February 1995. As the individual land claims are settled, the agreements will provide the framework in which future uses of these lands will be adjudicated and reconciled.