5.3 Environment

Healthy air, water, vegetation, and wildlife are critical to life. For the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, all living beings are kin. Sustainable development requires keeping ecosystems healthy so they can continue to provide ecosystem services, and maintain fish and wildlife populations and their habitats, which is an important planning issue in the Region. In addition to the directions provided in this section, cumulative effects management will be crucial for ensuring the Region’s environmental values are preserved for future generations.

The Plan takes a holistic view of the environment, recognizing that all elements are deeply interconnected and that the health of one component directly influences the health of others. For example, clean water depends on intact vegetation and soil systems, which in turn support wildlife and human communities. Healthy landscapes provide clean air and water, regulate climate, support mental and physical well-being, and offer cultural and recreational value. When ecosystems are degraded, these benefits diminish, leading to increased risks to public health and community resilience. These connections mean that the well-being of all species, including people, is inseparable from the health of our ecosystems.

As environmental change accelerates, whether through climate shifts, land use pressures, or pollution, the risks to ecological integrity and species survival grow. These changes can disrupt migration patterns, alter water availability, and increase the frequency of extreme events. Proactive planning and adaptive management are needed to mitigate these risks and safeguard ecological values for future generations.

The order in which values are presented does not imply a hierarchy. All elements are vital and interdependent. Three animals are highlighted within this section to draw attention to their ecological importance, cultural significance, and role as indicators of environmental health. Their inclusion underscores the broader message: protecting individual species helps protect entire ecosystems.

Environment Goals

1. Integrity and connectivity of the landscape’s diverse ecosystems are maintained, restored, and enhanced.
2. Healthy ecosystems support thriving biodiversity, including abundant fish and wildlife populations that, in turn, support sustainable harvest.
3. The integrity of values on the land is protected through ongoing reclamation.
4. Ecosystems are managed holistically, with consideration of cumulative effects.
5. Ecosystems are stewarded to ensure their resilience to ongoing climate change.
6. Healthy ecosystems and healthy land–people relationships are interdependent.
7. Ecological integrity is valued as a part of a thriving sustainable local economy.

Community, Culture, and Heritage Values