A view into the incredible Taku Watershed, traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation and threatened by the proposed Tulsequah Chief mine. Photo by Paul Morrison.
Taku, Skeena, Stikine, Nass: For millennia, the great salmon rivers of Canada have: supported complex ecosystems and cultures. But rampant development proposed in BC's northern watersheds is threatening the future of this dwindling wild legacy.
Taku River Watershed
From tundra to rainforest: A land of life and stories
Picture in your mind the iconic, almost mythic geography of Canada's north: vast land-scapes, pounding herds of caribou, gangly moose feeding beside freshwater sloughs, a pack of wolves silhouetted against a moonlit winter, tall, jagged mountains, and rushing rivers silvered with wild salmon. All that, and much more, is the Taku watershed.
This is a land rich with stories. On the shores of the Taku River, at the base of Mount Sinwa, there is an ancient pictograph of handprints, and one of a sun, shining down on a canoe and paddlers drifting in the current. There are tales of great battles, and lavish feasts; accounts of Russian fur traders being out-manoeuvered by quick-thinking Tlingits; and silent stories, on the river's edge, like the one told by a grizzly print beside a salmon head, a drop of blood and an eagle feather.
At 18,000 square kilometers (4.5 million acres), the Taku River watershed is more than three times the size of Prince Edward Island. It extends across the border between Northwest BC and Southeast Alaska, and is the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation.
Tlingit woman at smoke house in Taku by Paul Morrison; Moose antler by Steve Ablett.
The Taku is a rarity among coastal watersheds, with rainforest existing in close proximity to the boreal forest. In fact, the watershed encompasses seven biogeoclimatic zones (geographic regions that are unique because of their climate and the plants that grow there) spanning from Alpine Tundra to Coastal Western Hemlock and enriching the region with stunning biological diversity. It is home to globally significant populations of large mammals, including grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, lynx, moose, mountain goat, and woodland caribou. Bald eagles and many species of migrating birds, including the trumpeter swan, also populate the watershed. Without roads to fragment and disrupt their habitat, these species play out their timeless predator-prey relationships and move unimpeded across the landscape.
With climate change warming water temperatures globally, cooler northern waterways like the Taku may become increasingly important for the survival of salmon and other species. The Taku is home to runs of all five species of wild Pacific salmon, as well as over 30 other species of fish. It is estimated to be the largest salmon producer of all the northern transboundary rivers.
Unfortunately, the watershed is gravely threatened by the spectre of shortsighted and rapid industrial development. The ecological and cultural riches of the Taku are being gambled for its mineral wealth. In the 1940's and 1950's, there were three small mine sites on the Tulsequah tributary of the Taku River: Polaris Taku (now called New Polaris), Tulsequah Chief, and Big Bull. These sites were all accessed by barge up the Taku River. All three sites are being promoted for reopening, with the Tulsequah Chief being most advanced in this process. In addition, other mining companies are waiting in the wings to access their staked claims in this area. The BC government is currently in talks with the Taku River Tlingit regarding land-use planning in the region. It is a unique opportunity for British Columbia to secure the future of this vast, intact watershed, though to date BC has shown little desire to do so.
Where the glacier meets the river, Taku River Watershed. Photo by Paul Morrison
The resource values of the Taku pale against its ecological and cultural significance. There are few intact wilderness ecosystems of such size and integrity left in the world. It is critical to ensure that shortsighted industrial developments do not destroy the abundance, tradition, diversity, and integrity of this incredible region.
