The Fiordland Conservancy, also known as the Fiordland Recreation Area formerly, and since also as the Fiordland Conservation Area,
/ref> is a conservancy
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
in British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. It preserves a portion of the province's coast containing glacial fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
s; at the time of its inception it was the only protected area in the system protecting this particular environmental zone. Established in 1987, the park covers 76,825 hectares of the Kitimat Ranges
, photo = Lax Kw'alaams.jpg
, photo_size = 280px
, photo_caption = Lax Kw'alaams backdropped by Mount McNeil
, map =
, map_image = BC-relief_Kitimatranges.png
, map_caption = Kitimat Ranges ...
, part of the Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains (french: La chaîne Côtière) are a major mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia ...
, and 7,592 hectares of foreshore. It is located approximately 100 kilometers north of the town of Bella Coola. The park encompasses two major inlets — Mussel
Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...
and Kynoch
Kynoch was a manufacturer of ammunition, later incorporated into ICI but remaining as a brand name for sporting cartridges.
History
The firm of Pursall and Phillips operated a 'percussion cap manufactory' at Whittall Street, in Birmingham, i ...
. As there is no road access to the park, it is mainly enjoyed by sailors and kayakers. Although there are no modern settlements in the area, the Heiltsuk people
The Heiltsuk or Haíɫzaqv , sometimes historically referred to as ''Bella Bella'', are an Indigenous people of the Central Coast region in British Columbia, centred on the island community of Bella Bella. The government of the Heiltsuk people ...
have maintained villages along the shores in the past. The nearest settlements are Klemtu
Klemtu is an unincorporated community on Swindle Island in the coastal fjords of British Columbia, Canada. It is located on Kitasoo Indian Reserve No. 1.
Klemtu is the home of the Kitasoo tribe of Tsimshians, originally from Kitasu Bay, and th ...
and Bella Bella.
References
{{British Columbia parks
Conservancies of British Columbia
Provincial parks of British Columbia
North Coast of British Columbia
1987 establishments in British Columbia
Protected areas established in 1987