Protecting Qat’muk

In the heart of the Central Purcell Mountain Range, Jumbo Valley has been at threat for over 20 years by a private all-year tourism development. As core habitat for grizzly bear and sacred land of the Ktunaxa Nation, the biological diversity and traditional territory of the region were fought for their acknowledgement as key components for protection.

The Purcell Mountains are located within the rugged heart of southeastern British Columbia. Spanning over 200,000 hectares, the mountain range is known for its towering peaks and steep valleys. Deep in the interior, the Purcell Mountains are bounded on two sides of the Columbia River, creating microclimates that form the  Inland Temperate Rainforest . Not only does the Purcell Mountains offer unique landscapes, but it also represents a wide spectrum of productive areas for wildlife.

At the heart of the Purcell Mountains, Jumbo Valley represents one of North America’s most important international wildlife corridors. The corridor is an ecologically significant area for various transitory species such as migratory birds, mountain caribou, wolverines, and grizzly bears.

Jumbo Valley is located within the wider transboundary Cabinet-Purcell Mountain Corridor linkage zone. The Cabinet-Purcell Mountain corridor is considered  one of the only two remaining routes  that provides the capacity for grizzly bear movement from Canada to the United States.

As grizzly bears are considered an  umbrella species , not only does connectivity improve their wellbeing, but it also contributes to maintaining a healthy ecosystem around them. While National and Provincial protected lands exist in this region, beyond these designations, little is protected.

Increasing connectivity corridors through protection is on the rise; however, the existence of grizzly bear populations continues to be threatened by growing urban communities and road construction, resulting in isolated patches of habitat. Human pressures has extirpated the presence of grizzly bears in regions of southwestern and central British Columbia, and continues to threaten nearby natural environments with little indication of slowing down. For the grizzly bears that travel through Jumbo Valley, the need for conservation becomes pivotal.

The traditional territory of the  Ktunaxa people  have occupied the lands adjacent to the Purcell Mountains for over 10,000 years. The  Ktunaxa Nation  spans approximately 70,000 square kilometres and contains a rich cultural connection with the unique lands around them.

To the Ktunaxa Nation, Jumbo Valley is known as  Qat’muk , representing a place of spiritual significance. The  Grizzly Bear Spirit  is considered a principal asset to the culture and cosmology of the Ktunaxa Nation. In the  creation story of the Ktunaxa Nation , the grizzly bear retreats towards the mountains to allow for the first people to thrive. In return, the grizzly bear is symbolized as " stewards of the land ".

Qat’muk is the place where the Grizzly bear spirit is born, where it goes to heal itself, and where it eventually goes to die.

Qat’muk is more than just the land. The sacred space is ceremonial, providing opportunities to come together for the Ktunaxa people to sing and dance. Aq’am Chief Joe Pierre  indicates  that if the physical space is taken away, the spirit of the grizzly bear is compromised, and interrupts the ability to communicate in the spiritual realm.

The extensive wilderness corridor and spiritual grizzly bear passage of Qat'muk in the Central Purcells has been under threat of development and industrial activity for over 20 years. Outside investors sought to develop a European style year-round ski resort, naming it Jumbo Glacier Resort.

First proposed in 1991, the  Jumbo Glacier Resort  was envisioned as the first four-season ski resort in North America by  Oberto Oberti . The proposed development covered 104 hectares, with lift access at the base of Jumbo Valley to four glaciers - Farnham, Commander, Jumbo and Karnak. The three-phased construction included 5,500 bed-units in a 110 hectare resort base area, 750 staff beds, as well as more than 20 lifts, which include a combination of gondolas, t-bars and chairlifts to access skiing. With an estimated of 2,000 to 3,000 visitors per day, the total ski access attributed from the lift would have resulted in the resort impacting a total of 6,000 hectares of natural land.

Quickly, the Ktunaxa Nation and local citizens opposed the development of the Jumbo Glacier Resort; however, cultural and spiritual beliefs of the area were disregarded by elected government officials. In 2010, Ktunaxa Nation travelled to the British Columbia Legislature in Victoria to deliver the Qat'muk Decleration, highlighting the significance of the traditional territory and the strong connection to Qat'muk.

In collaboration with the Ktunaxa Nation Council, the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, Nature Conservancy of Canada, and private funders, the development of the Jumbo Glacier Resort was  permanently terminated in October 2019.  Funds from government and non-government organizations assisted in buying out all development rights for the resort. In 2020, Jumbo Valley and surrounding glaciers was declared Canada’s newest Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA), the Qat’muk Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.

The following timeline is adapted from  Ktunaxa Nation  and exemplifies the challenges in protecting Qat'muk from industry development.

In 2017, the Government of Canada co-led with the Government of Alberta launched  Pathways to Canada Target 1 , which aims to accelerate ecological representation, connectivity, and maintain biodiversity to achieve terrestrial and aquatic components of Canada’s Target 1 (Canadian Parks Council, n.d.). Linked with the global  Aichi Target 11 , the goal aimed to achieve 17 percent of lands and inland waters protected by 2020.

A significant component in respecting the rights and priorities of Indigenous People through the Pathways to Canada Target 1 is the adoption of the  Indigenous Circle of Experts  (ICE). The Indigenous Circle of Experts is a collective group of federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions which improves the designation of natural landscapes and conservation targets through recommendations made within the context of Indigenous Protected Conservation Areas (Canadian Parks Council, n.d.).

 Indigenous Protected Conservation Areas  (IPCA’s) are defined as:

Lands and waters where Indigenous governments have the primary role in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous laws, governance and knowledge systems. Culture and language are the heart and soul of an IPCA.

Despite many years of debating Jumbo Valley's ecological and spiritual significance, work remains to conserve Qat'muk. For now, from the highest peaks to the meandering rivers that flow through the valley, the spirit of the grizzly bear will continue to dance and sing.