Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy

Highlights in this conservancy

The Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy is a small conservancy that marks the head of Knight Inlet on British Columbia’s central coast. This estuary, which has formed over millennia at the mouth of the Klinaklini River is a place of rich ecological values, and is among the most significant estuaries of coastal British Columbia.

Recreational use in the conservancy is expected to remain at its present low level because of the small size and remoteness of the site, coupled with the need to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources.

The conservancy was identified for consideration as a protected area during the Central Coast Land and Resource Management Plan planning process. Following Government-to-Government discussions between the Province and First Nations, the central coast land use decisions (February 7, 2006) confirmed that the Klinaklini Estuary would become a conservancy. The Klinaklini Estuary was legally designated as the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Conservancy in Spring 2007.

Know before you go

Advisories

Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.

Visit responsibly

Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:

Maps and location

Dzawadi/Klinaklini Conservancy Map [PDF]

Getting there

The conservancy is comprised of 189 ha of land and 440 ha of foreshore (629 ha in total). It is located at the head of Knight Inlet, 106 km northeast of Alert Bay, 137 km northeast of Port Hardy and 272 km northwest of Vancouver.

About this conservancy

Cultural Heritage

The Dzawadi/Klinaklini Conservancy is within the traditional territory of the Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala First Nation.

Eulachon, small anadromous fish, are one of the foundations of First Nations culture and traditions in the region. First Nations families return each spring to the village of Dzawadi to harvest and process eulachon oil (Klina), which is highly prized as food and as a trading commodity. Dzawadi Village is part of the Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala First Nation Indian Reserve #1, located adjacent to the conservancy on its upstream boundary. Dzawadi was historically the largest village site within the Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala traditional territory, and its proximity to the conservancy points to the historical and contemporary importance of the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary to the Da’naxda’xw Awaetlala First Nation.

Wildlife

Like all estuaries, the Dzawadi/Klinaklini Estuary Conservancy supports substantial biodiversity and ecological values. The Klinaklini River builds the estuary as it cuts through fluvial terraces and forms a heavily braided channel. Riparian vegetation grows on the terraces and is in various seral states as a result of periodic flooding. Returning salmon and eulachon are at the core of the conservancy’s values. Grizzly bear frequent the estuary from spring to fall, but especially in the fall, when salmon return to spawn in the river’s waters.

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.

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