Facilities
There are no facilities within the park.
About
Planning is underway for Dàadzàii Vàn becoming a new Territorial Park. It was identified in the North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan in 2009. In the plan the area is referred to as Summit Lake - Bell River. The area is important to the Vuntut Gwitchin and the Tetlit Gwich'in First Nations. Stories reveal a colourful human history, memorable wilderness experiences and important habitat for wildlife, such as the Porcupine caribou herd. Dàadzàii Vàn means "Loon Lake" in Gwich'in.
Park objectives
The 1,525 km2 park will protect the area's wildlife and heritage. The North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan notes that the protected area is "an area of conservation interest for local community residents, Yukoners and other Canadians,” and that establishing the park will “create a Protected Area network connecting Whitefish wetlands with Summit Lake – Bell River and the NWT Rat River Gwich’in Conservation Zone.”
Management plan
In the North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan, the Yukon and Vuntut Gwitchin governments identified a protected area with conceptual boundaries, and agreed to work together to set final boundaries. The two governments agreed on the final boundaries in December 2014, and work is now underway to develop a park management plan.
Management planning began in 2015 and includes public and First Nation consultation. The area will also be permanently withdrawn from mineral and oil and gas activity and regulated under the Parks and Land Certainty Act.
The Dàadzàii Vàn Working Group website includes information about the planning process, draft park vision and guiding principles and opportunities to share your input.
The adjacent Whitefish Wetlands were identified as a Habitat Protection Area in the same land use plan, and will be regulated under the Wildlife Act.