An environmental charity has reached an agreement with federal and British Columbia governments, Indigenous leaders, and private partners to conserve 45,000 hectares of timberland in southeastern BC. The Nature Conservancy of Canada says the Kootenay Forest Lands project is one of the largest private land conservation efforts in the country and will link protected areas in the Rockies extending into Montana. The land lies within the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation and has received its endorsement. Private partners include Elk Valley Resources, a subsidiary of Glencore that operates coal mines in the region. The protected area includes rare high-elevation grasslands, old-growth forests, extensive waterways, and critical wildlife habitat.
