Nunavut Parks & Special Places – Editorial Series January, 2008 NUnaVUT’S RIVER HEriTAGE “Somewhere there’s a land, where the sun brightly The watersheds of Nunavut’s rivers remain, for shines, and across the tundra, slow rivers wind; the most part, unaltered by man, and they drain where love lives forever, and dreams never die…” some of the most isolated wilderness on the planet. Their shores are home to huge herds of Susan Aglukark’s Song of the Land evokes the caribou and the prehistoric muskox, relicts of the spirit of the land, a spirit brought to life by Pleistocene. Peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, rough- the many and varied rivers of Nunavut. From legged hawks and golden eagles nest on cliffs unnamed small rivers tracing their braided where the rivers cut through rocky outcrops, and courses from mountain heights to the Soper, loons, geese, swans, and ducks feed in areas where running through Katannilik Territorial Park, the current slows, and nest in nearby lakes or and magnificent rivers such as the Coppermine, ponds. Predators – foxes, wolves, wolverines and Thelon, and Kazan, stretching for hundreds polar and grizzly bears – hunt the slopes along the of miles across trackless terrain, the rivers rivers, and some seek fish in the rivers themselves. are an integral part of the image of Nunavut. River adventures are a major part of the varied These rivers were occupied by Inuit who followed experiences offered in this territory. the river valleys inland to hunt the teeming herds of caribou, hunting from kayaks at the traditional crossing places for the great herds. Signs of this occupation still remain, as the people used the stones of the land to assist in their hunting or to Aussi disponible en français xgw8Ns7uJ5 wk5tg5 Pilaaktut Inuinaqtut ᑲᔾᔮᓇᖅᑐᖅ k a t j a q n a a q listen to the land aliannaktuk en osmose avec la terre Today, others come to experience the land Caribou from the Beverly herd pass through as well, people from around the world who the Thelon area, so large numbers of caribou appreciate the value of wildness, and seek can often be seen along the river or crossing the beauty of an unspoiled land. Many of it. Moose are also common on the upper them travel by canoe or raft, and experience Thelon. The terrain is varied and interesting, ᑲᔾᔮᓇᖅᑐᖅ k a t j a q n a a q “katjaqnaaq” by immersing themselves in the ranging from coniferous forest through taiga listen to the land beauty of Nunatsiaq, “the beautiful land”. into tundra, and features cliffs with nesting aliannaktuk raptors, winding sand eskers, rolling tundra, en osmose avec la Interre honour of their rich cultural and natural and even ice-cored pingos. heritage, three Nunavut rivers have been designated as “Canadian Heritage Rivers” – THE KAZAN RIVER the Thelon, the Kazan, and the Soper. The Kazan River flows north from the ᑲᔾᔮᓇᖅᑐᖅ k a t j a q n a a q listen to the landA fourth, the Coppermine River, has been Nunavut border to join the flow of the nominated as a Canadian Heritage River. Thelon through Baker Lake. These two rivers create structures that enabled aliannaktuk them to live en osmose avec laThe terre process of completing requirements have been vital to the development of the more comfortably. These included storage towards its full designation is underway, Caribou Inuit culture; through the centuries caches for dried meat or fish, rows of lonely and is expected to be completed in 2008. they have offered superb hunting and fishing stone cairns along the ridges, used to guide and have sustained the people by providing the timid caribou into places where they Nunavut’s three designated and nominated access to caribou as well as fish. During the could be killed by hunters crouched in Canadian Heritage Rivers are premier rivers, past two hundred years, they have formed crescent-shaped hunting blinds (taluit) each of which has played a major role in major travel routes for the people in their and using bow and arrows. the development of Inuit culture through annual migrations and their shores offer the centuries. Some Inuit still travel the inland rivers in ample proof of Inuit and Dene occupation. summer to hunt caribou or pick berries, THE THELON RIVER The Qamanuriaq caribou herd migrates using traditional campsites for precious Westernmost is the Thelon River, originating along the Kazan, and caribou are often seen time away from the bustling communities, in the country east of Great Slave Lake, by river travellers. In addition, this river and to experience the peace of living on the and winding across the barrenlands to lakes in its watershed support populations of land, and to listen to the land as their drain into Hudson Bay via Baker Lake very large lake trout, and offer some of the ancestors did. and Chesterfield Inlet. The Thelon and its best trophy lake trout fishing in the north. tributaries flow through or skirt the Thelon Throughout history, the rivers were also THE SOPER RIVER Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1927 to roads into the heart of Nunavut, providing The Soper River is a much shorter river protect the shrinking herds of muskox from travel routes over unmapped lands by located in the south end of Baffin Island. It overhunting. As a result of this protection, winter and easier travel by canoe and boat flows across the Meta Incognita Peninsula the wildlife along the upper Thelon is rich in summer for those who sought to explore from near Iqaluit to the community of and varied, and for the most part less shy the north. Travellers like Samuel Hearne, Kimmirut, and has also been a major and more easily observed than in areas where Franklin, and the Tyrrell brothers used the migration route for the people of Baffin regular hunting is allowed. The muskox rivers as highways, exploring for minerals, Island. Caribou are common along the populations have fully recovered, and these routes to the Arctic coast and the Northwest Soper, and cliffs along the river offer a intriguing animals are frequently seen. Passage, and the wealth of the fur industry. superb nesting habitat for raptors, including peregrine falcons and gyrfalcons. A variety of different rock outcrops make this river a paradise for geology enthusiasts. THE COPPERMINE RIVER rivers meet the selection and integrity consensus. All protective actions on The Nunavut portion of the Coppermine criteria that define Canada’s leading Canadian Heritage Rivers depend on River has been nominated as a heritage river, rivers. A river must be proven to possess existing laws and regulations, and respect the and the process is underway. This major river the requisite natural values, historical rights of aboriginal peoples, communities, flows from the taiga forest near Lac de Gras importance, and recreational potential. private landowners, and other stakeholders. through the treeline, and winds down from Strong public support for its nomination All four of Nunavut’s nominated and the highlands of the central barrenlands must also be demonstrated, and it must be designated heritage rivers offer major to flow into the Coronation Gulf at shown that sufficient measures will be put recreational opportunities in unparalleled Kugluktuk. Paddlers on this historic river in place to ensure that those values will wilderness settings. They are paddled by pass many signs of Inuit occupation of the be maintained. groups from around the world and offer not land, as well as very scenic country. Wildlife Establishing Canadian Heritage Rivers only the excitement of good whitewater, but includes caribou, muskox, arctic and red is a two-step process of nomination also solace and peace in wild and beautiful foxes, wolverines, wolves, grizzlies, and a and designation. In Nunavut, Nunavut surroundings. Each river is part of the variety of birds including nesting raptors, Parks works closely with communities migration pathway of a different caribou peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, rough-legged in nominating rivers that both meet the herd, and each offers different terrain and hawks, and golden eagles. requirements of the program, and are in different levels of whitewater. Canada’s network of rivers is vast and keeping with community goals. River See separate accounts for each of these rivers, diverse. Canadian Heritage Rivers are its nominations are presented to the Canadian and, for assistance in planning a trip on any gems, beacons of our natural and cultural Heritage Rivers Board, and this board makes of these rivers, check the Nunavut Parks heritage. The Canadian Heritage Rivers recommendations to the responsible federal website at www.nunavutparks.com, or the System (CHRS) is Canada’s national river minister, who approves the designation only Canadian Heritage Rivers site at conservation program. It promotes, protects, if it meets the CHRS criteria. www.chrs.ca. Or, call Nunavut Tourism at and enhances Canada’s river heritage, and A nominated river becomes designated once 1-866-NUNAVUT to request the Nunavut ensures that Canada’s leading rivers are a management plan or heritage strategy is Travel Planner, which lists all licensed managed in a sustainable manner. lodged with the Board by the government tourism operators, accommodations and It’s not easy to become a Canadian Heritage that made the nomination. The development services that apply to each river. River, as the process is rigorous and lengthy. of the management plan or heritage strategy Guidelines exist to ensure that candidate is based on public consultation and NUNAVUT PArks & SPECIAL PLACES Y 867.975.7700 • 867.975.7747 [email protected] www.nunavutparks.com NUNAVUT TOURISM Y 866.NUN.AVUT • 867.979.1261 (1.866.686.2888) [email protected] www.nunavuttourism.com CANADIAN HERITAGE RIVErs Y 819.994.2913 www.chrs.ca Canada USA SafE and SUSTainablE TraVEL in NUnaVUT Nunavut’s Territorial Parks offer some of the most breathtaking scenery and magnificent wildlife imaginable, but there are risks when traveling in a remote area.