Nine governments have signed on to the Southern Lakes Caribou Relationship Plan, which aims to maintain and rebuild caribou herds across the Carcross, Laberge, Ibex and Atlin regions of the Yukon and northwestern British Columbia.
The plan was signed June 4 at Haa Shagóon Hídi in Carcross, outlining a collaborative approach to support the region’s estimated 4,856 wild caribou. It notes the population has more than doubled since the early 1990s, a change attributed to grassroots conservation efforts.
Developed by the Southern Lakes Caribou Steering Committee, the plan incorporates input from First Nations, as well as territorial, provincial and federal government representatives. It establishes a framework for cooperation among governments in managing and protecting caribou herds across the Southern Lakes region.
The plan was signed by Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the B.C. government, the Yukon government, Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Parks Canada, Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, Taku River Tlingit First Nation and Teslin Tlingit Council.
Although the plan states it does not create legally binding commitments or obligations among signatories—as noted in the disclaimer on its first page—it may still be used to inform Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) reviews of land-use proposals in the Southern Lakes region.
“There’s a piece in the plan that speaks to the need to develop range assessments collectively using scientific knowledge and knowledge from knowledge keepers. That’s the piece that will be useful for YESAB,” said Matt Clarke, of the Yukon government’s Environment department, Fish and Wildlife branch.
"The steering committee is now going to have to go back to the table and kind of try to prioritize the implementation components and decide what works for the different governments. It's going to be a big effort to compile all of that information."
The plan recommends implementing habitat mapping, population monitoring and traditional cultural education programs to support the recovery of local herds. It also calls for reviving traditional hunting practices, hosting annual gatherings and publishing newsletters to help governments and communities coordinate conservation efforts.
Additional goals include restoring Indigenous Game Guardian programs, reducing vehicle collisions with caribou and supporting climate and predator research. The plan also proposes education campaigns, youth engagement and land-use planning strategies to balance development with conservation, aiming to ensure caribou remain part of the region’s biodiversity.
“The plan speaks to developing tools that would help land and development assessors do their job while considering what’s best for caribou,” said Lars Jessup, project manager for the Southern Lakes Caribou Relationship Plan.
“There are some recommendations in there about tools the steering committee would like to develop that would be available for people like YESAB, bureaucrats at Energy, Mines and Resources, and others, including the land use planning council, to use when discussing ways to develop."
By the early 1990s, Southern Lakes caribou herds had declined to about 1,000 animals, with only 350 remaining in the core recovery area, according to the plan. Overharvesting, habitat loss and development pressures prompted a recovery effort led by First Nations and supported by territorial and federal governments.
Since the launch of the Southern Lakes Caribou Recovery Program in 1993, herd numbers have more than doubled. By 2019, the Carcross, Ibex, Laberge and Atlin herds reached a combined estimate of 4,856 animals, the plan says, citing conservation measures, scientific monitoring and a long-standing voluntary hunting moratorium by First Nations.
The plan emphasizes that First Nations have depended on caribou for thousands of years, using them for food, clothing and tools. This long-standing connection continues to shape how communities care for the land and pass on cultural knowledge through the seasons.
It also states that the voluntary hunting prohibition adopted by First Nations in 1993 was a profound act of respect and responsibility. While it contributed to the recovery of caribou herds, it also disrupted cultural practices, prompting renewed efforts in ceremony, education and youth engagement to restore intergenerational knowledge and sustain the relationship Indigenous people share with caribou herds across the Southern Lakes region.
“When you look back at the Klondike Gold Rush, that gold rush almost decimated our caribou and so, you know I'm just glad that they're here and I hope that someday our future generation will know what caribou tastes like,” said Elizabeth Bosely, Kaa Shaáde Háni (leader of the people) for the Teslin Tlingit Council.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
