Wilps ’Wii K’aax lax’yip (territory) encompasses 214,193 hectares (529,282 acres) across the Skeena, Babine, and Sustut watersheds, territories of extraordinary biodiversity and cultural significance. The lax’yip lies within the Yellowstone to Yukon corridor, a globally recognized landscape for species connectivity. Today, these places face pressures from mining exploration, industrial logging, guide outfitting, and lodge developments. Climate change adds further strain on salmon, wildlife, and water systems. Without action, the erosion of ecosystems is inseparable from the erosion of culture, language, and well-being.
Over the next two years, Wilps ‘Wii K’aax will continue to steward this land and pursue possible pathways to a protected area that ensures free, prior, and informed consent is upheld. They will collect data and create a foundation of knowledge so that decisions remain rooted in law carried by the land itself. Guardians, researchers, and community members will also be engaged in habitat restoration, ecological monitoring, comprehensive environmental and cultural impact assessments, and remediation planning.
