Khutzeymateen Inlet West Conservancy
Conservancy overview
The inlet is adjacent to Khutzeymateen/K’tzim-a-deen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary (44,300 hectares) and protects important grizzly bear habitat. Khutzeymateen Inlet contains a number of locally important salmon bearing streams, key intertidal areas and areas of First Nations traditional use. The Khutzeymateen is historically associated with the Gitsi’is Tribe and associated with Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations (collectively Coast Tsimshian).
A 362-hectare portion within the Khutzeymateen Inlet is a Schedule F conservancy (Khutzeymateen Inlet West) which allows for necessary resource access to adjacent timber harvesting lands while providing additional protection to the Khutzeymateen Inlet Conservancy and to the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary.
Other nearby protected areas include Ksi X’anmas Conservancy immediately north of Khutzeymateen Inlet, Ksi Xts’at’kw/Stagoo Conservancy along Observatory Inlet to the north.
Khutzeymateen Inlet and Khutzeymateen Inlet West Conservancies were identified for conservancy status during negotiations between the provincial government and First Nations governments following the North Coast Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). These conservancies were designated in Spring 2008.
The park offers grizzly bear viewing tour.
Special Notes
- Learn more about the K’tzim-a-deen Protected Areas in our orientation video.
- All guided tours must be with a permitted guide.
- Businesses that are permitted to guide within Khutzeymateen Protected Areas [PDF]
- For additional information, check these non-government web links:
- When you arrive in the Khutzeymateen Inlet, please check in at the K’tzim-a-deen Ranger Station in the inlet. Once in the Khutzeymateen Inlet, there are very specific rules and regulations for the Inlet Conservancy and Grizzly Bear Sanctuary. There is no land access permitted in the Grizzly Bear Sanctuary and the Khutzeymateen River estuary is closed for public access. More information is available at the interpretive centre.
Advisories
Maps and location
The Khutzeymateen Inlet Conservancy is comprised of 10,554 hectares of upland and 2,755 hectares of foreshore for a total of 13,309 hectares. The Khutzeymateen group of protected areas is located approximately 45 kilometres northwest of Prince Rupert and 10 kilometres north of Lax Kw’alaams in the Coast Ranges. Access to the Khutzeymateen Protected Areas is primarily by boat. Floatplane access and helicopter access to Khutzeymateen Park is tightly controlled.
Conservancy and activity maps
Learn more about this conservancy
Conservancy details
- Date established: June 27, 2008
- Size: 362 hectares
Nature and culture
The Khutzeymateen area has a long history of use by First Nations groups. The Khutzeymateen is within the asserted traditional territories of the Coast Tsimshian First Nations and is historically associated with the Gitsi’is Tribe. Coast Tsimshian have documented fishing for uuk and yee; hunting for t’u’utskgm’ol, mati, and waaky; trapping for lusyen, watsa, yeni and sts’ool; gardening for potatoes; wild food gathering for musoo, sti’moon, laawwmmuliit, weeluum bowel, skamoolks, cranberries, and maayhagwiluu; and gathering other wild plants including hat’al, haalmmoot, ksiw, and galaaq hat’al. Other plants were used for medicinal purposes; these include sahwdak, medijica aams, and txa’oogasteti.
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.