Environment Minister Terry Lake and Lake Babine Nation Deputy Chief Frank Alec signed an agreement today, outlining how parks and conservancies are managed on the Nation's traditional territories.

The Protected Area Collaborative Management Agreement strikes a balance between the interests of the Province and the Lake Babine Nation over protected lands.

The collaborative agreement protects the Nation's cultural and heritage values and conserves the natural resources and recreational opportunities for future generations. This agreement has a strong focus on management planning, involvement in permit review and park operation.

The Province previously entered into a forestry agreement with the Lake Babine Nation, which provides the First Nation with a percentage of forestry revenue for social and community development programs within their communities.

The Lake Babine Nation is situated 229 kilometres west of Prince George, just north of Burns Lake, with a total registered membership of approximately 2,338. The Nation has 27 reserve lands and three communities, which are inhabited year round, and two that are inhabited seasonally.

Quotes:

Terry Lake, Minister of Environment -

"This agreement with the Lake Babine Nation is a very positive step in our emerging relationship. By collaborating, we are protecting cultural and heritage values and the natural resources for now and into the future."

Chief Wilfred Adam and Deputy Chief Frank Alec, Lake Babine Nation -

"We are pleased to take part in this agreement. Lake Babine Nation feels that our knowledge of the land base can assist in the developments, and we also would like to convey that good business relationships start with respectable inclusion."

Quick Facts:

• The Province protected five sites of the Lake Babine Marine Provincial Park under the Protected Areas of BC Act in May 1993.

• Babine Lake is the longest natural lake in British Columbia.

• British Columbia has the highest percentage of its land base dedicated to protected areas of all provincial Canadian jurisdictions and the third largest protected areas system in North America.

• British Columbia has 1,030 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering nearly 14 million hectares or approximately 14.3 per cent of the provincial land base.

• Parking fees were eliminated at provincial parks in 2011, making them more accessible to B.C. families.

Learn More:

To find out more about past agreements, please visit: http://www.newrelationship.gov.bc.ca/agreements_and_leg/

For more information on the Lake Babine Nation, please visit: http://www.lakebabine.com/

Media contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834