Daawuuxusda Conservancy

The people of the Haida Nation have occupied and collected food and materials from the Daawuuxusda Conservancy area since time immemorial. There are seven known Haida villages and seasonal camps within the conservancy at Gasi’ndas, Kaidju, Skaito, Kaisun, Nest, Chaatl, and Sl’asit.The remote location of Daawuuxusda Conservancy provides an excellent opportunity to maintain biological diversity and natural environment values. Of concern, though is the presence of introduced mammals (e.g., raccoons, Norway rats and black-tailed deer) which pose a threat to local ecosystems. Sowthistle, an invasive non-native plant, also occurs here.Daawuuxusda Conservancy has an important role in providing recreational opportunities such as fishing, wildlife viewing, kayaking and other boat travel, anchorage locations and places suitable for wilderness camping and hiking in a remote wilderness setting.The terrestrial component of the heritage site/conservancy covers 70,490 hectares and extends from the southern edge of Rennell Sound and Graham Island, along the western shores of Moresby Island to Tasu Sound. The elevation range is from sea level to 1,120 metres.The marine component/foreshore area covers an area of 45,785 hectares. The marine environment is at the edge of the continental shelf and has high intertidal values with surfgrass habitat and eelgrass beds, kelp forest areas and nine estuaries that spill into some of the most productive marine habitat on Haida Gwaii.