Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park: Difference between revisions

| iucn_category = Ib

| locationmap_caption = {{flagicon|BritishLocation Columbia}}of ''Tatshenshini-Alsek'' in [[British Columbia]], {{CAN}}

| nearest_citylocation = [[MuleStikine Creek AirportRegion]], {{flagicon|[[British Columbia}} BC & [[Whitehorse, Yukon|Whitehorse]], {{flagicon|Yukon}} [[YukonCanada]]

| lat_sarea_km2 = 039,580

| governing_body = [[BC Parks]]

The park is situatedlocated in the very northwestern corner of British Columbia, bordering the American state of [[Alaska]] and the Canadian [[Yukon Territory]]. It nestlesNestled between the Yukon's [[Kluane National Park and Reserve]] in the Yukon and [[Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve|Glacier Bay]] &and Alaska's [[Wrangell-StWrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve|Wrangell-StWrangell–St. Elias]] [[National Park]]s and Preserves, the park includes all land in AlaskaBritish Columbia west of the [[Haines Highway]]. It is part of the [[Kluane-Wrangell-St. Elias-Glacier Bay-Tatshenshini-Alsek]] park system, and in 1994 was designated as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].

Over the centuries, numerous indigenous peoples lived in this area, including the historic [[Tlingit people|Tlingit]] and [[Southern Tutchone]], who built fishing villages along the rivers. The eastern edge of the park follows an ancient trade route used by the [[Chilkat]] tribe(a Tlingit people) to barter with the [[Tutchone]].

In the mid-19th century, the sudden breakup of a natural dam on the [[Alsek River]] caused a severe flood. The dam had been formed by the advance of a glacier across the entire Alsek River channel; the obstructed river formed a large temporary lake upstream of the blockage. A wall of water {{convert|7 metres |m|ft|abbr=on}} high and {{convert|15 metres |m|ft|abbr=on}} wide swept an entire Tutchone village into the sea at Dry Bay, killing all the inhabitants.

In combination with the adjoining national parks, this completed protection of the world's largest international park complex. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature ([[IUCN]]) proposed the area for protection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The [[Kluane-Wrangell-St. Elias-Glacier Bay-Tatshenshini-Alsek]] transfrontaliertransborder park system comprising [[Kluane National Park and Reserve|Kluane]], [[Wrangell-StWrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve|Wrangell-StWrangell–St. Elias]], [[Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve|Glacier Bay]] and [[Tatshenshini-Alsek Park|Tatshenshini-Alsek]] parks, was declared a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 1994 for the spectacular glacier and icefield landscapes, in addition to the importance of its habitat for [[Grizzly Bear|grizzly bearsbear]]s, [[Reindeer|caribou]] and [[Dall Sheep|Dall sheep]].

In 1999, a party of sheep hunters found artifacts and remains of a young male at the foot of a glacier in the park; he was later called [[Kwäday Dän Ts’ìnchi]], or "Long Ago Man Found". The well-preserved frozen body turned out to be between 300 and 550 years old. Representatives of [[DNAChampagne testingand Aishihik First Nations]] waswere doneconsulted offor 241this volunteersfind fromon thetheir areahistoric [[Champagneterritory, Firstand Nationthey andnamed Aishihikthe Firstyoung Nations]]man. In addition, they agreed to scientific and related[[DNA peoplestesting]] inof Yukon,the Britishremains. ColumbiaResearchers andrecruited Alaska,volunteers to see if people could be found who were genetically related to the "iceman". Some 241 volunteers were tested from the area Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, and related peoples in Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska. Seventeen living relatives, including two sisters, were found in the [[Champagne and Aishihik First Nations]] who are related through a [[mitochondrial DNA]] match of the direct female line.<ref name=cbc_remains>{{cite web|title=Scientists find 17 living relatives of 'iceman' discovered in B.C. glacier|url=httphttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/northbritish-columbia/story/2008/04/25/icescientists-manfind-17-living-relatives-of-iceman-discovered-in-b-c-glacier-1.html761267|work=[[CBC News]]|date=25 April 2008 |accessdateaccess-date=13 March 2012}}</ref> Fifteen of these 17 identify as Wolf [[clan]], suggesting the young man also belonged to that clan.<ref name="lavoie">[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007515/posts Judith Lavoie, Canwest News Service, "Iceman's DNA Linked To Coastal Aboriginals (Canada)"], ''Leader Post'', 26 April 2008, accessed 5 October 2014</ref> In the [[matrilineal]] kinship system, children are considered born into their mother's clan, and descent is figured through the mother's line.

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050824054522/http://www.tbpa.net/case_05.htm Global Transboundary Protected Areas]

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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928144834/http://www.tatshenshini.com/trips/tatshenshiniriver/?view=gallery&pid=1 Tatshenshini River Photos and Map]

[[Category:Provincial Parksparks of British Columbia]]