Nahanni National Park Reserve is located in the Northwest Territories and protects a section of the Greater Nahanni Ecosystem. It was established as a National Park Reserve in 1972 and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978

The Reserve protects the wintering range of the South Nahanni caribou herd, but does not encompass the species’ important calving and rutting areas. A total of 600 vascular plant species, 170 bird species and 40 mammal species have be recorded within Nahanni National Park Reserve

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada own the lands surrounding the Reserve. Responsible for both environmental protection and industrial development in the Canadian North, the mandates of this department can conflict

In 2002, after 15 years of inactivity, North American Tungsten re-opened Cantung Mine. The tungsten mine is located upstream of the Reserve beside Flat River

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, local environmental organisations and the Deh Cho First Nation are concerned the mining activities will contaminate the river and the World Heritage Site downstream, causing ecological damage to an area that has supposedly been protected from such industrial development

A 23,000-litre diesel spill only weeks after the mine re-opened, although quickly contained, did nothing to allay these fears
 

Management

Opponents of the mine believe the best way to protect the ecosystem as a whole is to increase the area enclosed by the National Park Reserve. Parks Canada has identified three possible areas of expansion and negotiations are underway, although monetary constraints are currently stalling the proceedings