Conservancy overview
Tsa-Latĺ/Smokehouse Conservancy protects an exceptional grouping of natural features within the temperate rainforest on British Columbia’s Central Coast. The conservancy protects a pristine watershed, a large lake, and intact ecosystems from tidal waters to alpine tundra. The watershed stretches from Wyclees Lagoon off Smith Inlet, up fjord-like Long Lake to the headwaters of Smokehouse and Canoe creeks.
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 Smokehouse watershed would become a conservancy. The complete watershed was legally designated as Tsa-Latĺ/Smokehouse Conservancy in Spring 2006.
Advisories
The Tsa-Latĺ/Smokehouse Conservancy contains of 37,891 ha of land and water on British Columbia’s Central Coast. It is located 80 km north of Alert Bay, 70 km northeast of Port Hardy and 350 km northwest of Vancouver.
Conservancy and activity maps
Learn more about this conservancy
Conservancy details
- Date established: July 13, 2006
- Size: 37,886 hectares
Nature and culture
The Tsa-Latĺ/Smokehouse Conservancy is within the traditional territory of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nation. The presence of cultural sites and nearby Indian Reserve #5, Halowis, points to the importance of the Long Lake/Smokehouse watershed to the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nation.
The conservancy is ecologically rich. It supports spawning salmon and large predators such as grizzly bear. Salmon are the cornerstone of a healthy grizzly bear population, which is further supported by a rich and very productive habitat, making the Smokehouse watershed an important contributor to maintaining coastal grizzly bear populations. Also protected in the conservancy are old growth forests, Sitka spruce forests, wetlands, floodplains and estuaries.
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.