The Government of Alberta is expanding Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park by more than 375,000 acres, making it the largest contiguous area of protected boreal forest in the world.

Totaling more than 775,000 acres, the expanded Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park will support Indigenous People’s traditional activities, protect the Peace-Athabasca watershed south of Wood Buffalo National Park, and conserve critical habitat for woodland caribou and bison.

“Expansion of Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Park continues to become an achievement to be recognized for generations to follow,” said Chief Peter Powder, Mikisew Cree First Nation.

“The Elders provided the vision for protecting the Peace-Athabasca Delta, North America’s largest inland river delta, and important resources like woodland caribou and wood bison, and together we are delivering.”

Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park // Photo supplied by the Government of Alberta

The Indigenous communities collaborating with the Alberta Government, Federal Government, and industry took years of careful planning, said Rob Broen, president and CEO of Athabasca Oil Corporation.

“Athabasca Oil is pleased to play a role in expanding the culturally and ecologically significant Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park by contributing over 230,000 acres of mineral rights to the largest contiguous area of protected boreal forest in the world.”

Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park was established back in 2019 by the Government of Alberta, with over 400,000 acres of land south of Wood Buffalo National Park.

The newly expanded area is located between the Birch River Wildland Provincial Park and the existing Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park, south of Wood Buffalo National Park.