Darkwoods is situated between the towns of Nelson, Salmo and Creston in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. It spans an area equivalent to the size of the island of Montreal – 550 square kilometres of majestic icy mountain peaks, alpine tundra, rare old-growth forests, biologically rich valley bottoms and lovely lakefront lands. Here wildlife, including one of the last herds of Mountain Caribou in the world, finds refuge.
Darkwood by the Numbers
136,000 acres (55,000 hectares)
70% of total area covered in forests
50+ lakes and numerous streams
9 nationally threatened species
29 provincially threatened species
46 mountain caribou
10+ different tree species
This area now belongs to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, a non- profit organization. Because of road restriction, Baldy, Wurttemberg and Reno Mtns. are permanently closed, and Topaz Towers, Hulme Peak, Kootenay Mtn, Mt. McGregor & Steeple Mtn. have a motorized vehicle ban. Only three roads are open (by permit), on Porcupine, Jersey and Blazed Creeks, the latter two in the far south. Hidden, Nugget, upper Sheep, upper Wildhorse (Ymir) and Seeman Creeks are closed to all access. (effective 2011).
Many roads will be allowed to deteriorate to protect wildlife and entry will not be practical for weekend trips. Contact the Kootenay Mountaineering Club, or telephone 250-342-5521 (Invermere; permit) or 250-479-3191 (Conservancy headquarters, Victoria).
History
Darkwoods and the surrounding mountains have a long history of human use by First Nations groups, primarily the Ktunaxa, dating back thousands of years. The twentieth century was a time of intensifying resource use as towns were established and the population grew.
The expanse of land that is now Darkwoods first became a property in 1897 when it was named a Crown grant to the Nelson & Sheppard Railway. The property passed through the hands of six different resource companies until 1967, when it was bought by a German Duke. Many years ago, as the cold war stalked Europe, a German duke looked westward for a haven for his family. He found it in British Columbia — in an immense tract of land he called Darkwoods. The Duke fell in love with Darkwoods and its towering mountains, cool water, trees of all shapes and sizes and animals that roamed freely through the abundant land…
For the next 40 years, the Duke’s forestry company, Pluto Darkwoods, maintained a European-style sustainable forestry operation on the property. The company’s efforts to minimize the impact of the timber harvest on the overall health of the forest allowed the property to retain much of its ecological value.
The years passed, and as the Duke grew older, the time came to entrust the land to new owners. He searched for someone who would keep Darkwoods in one piece, and protect its ecological treasures. They must cherish the land as he had. The Duke chose the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as the next in line to steward Darkwoods into the future.
In April 2008, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) purchased the Darkwoods lands from Pluto Darkwoods Forestry Corporation in the largest single private land purchase for conservation in Canadian history.
On July 1, 2009, Darkwoods became the BC Region’s 8th annual Gift to Canadians. Rarely does private property of this size and ecological richness become available for conservation.
For many years, the Duke had run a small-scale sustainable timber harvest under his company, the Pluto Darkwoods Corporation. It was modelled after progressive forestry practices in Europe. Despite the timber harvest, this ecosystem still maintains a lot of
important natural values – and there aren’t a lot of places like that in these parts. It encompasses everything that comes to mind when you think about the Rocky Mountains and Canada – fresh air, snow caps, sparkling water, grizzly bears, old-growth trees… the works.”
NCC’s founders had big dreams for protecting nature, but one wonders if they ever imagined anything like Darkwoods. The securement of Darkwoods wouldn’t have been possible five years ago. NCC just didn’t have the capacity and the relationships in place to do it. But now, we’ve reached the point where we can work simultaneously at all levels –nationally, provincially and locally– and that enables us to be proactive with spectacular opportunities like these. Who knows what we could do in another 10, 15 or 20 years?”
Conservative estimates suggest that over two million tonnes of carbon are stored in Darkwoods. If released, this would be equal to the CO2 emissions of almost 500,000 Canadians. Already, the conservation of Darkwoods has many researchers excited about the opportunities it offers. NCC has been approached by teams of scientists who are interested in projects such as conducting silviculture trials at low and high elevations, understanding the impact of protecting under-represented ecosystems or examining old-growth habitat and the role it plays in carbon sequestration.
As with all NCC properties, securing the land is only the first part of the challenge. The next step is to develop a comprehensive management plan to care for the land on an ongoing basis, with the help of local par tners. These stewardship plans are varied and dynamic, evolving with the changing needs of the property. Pat Field will be working with NCC staff and the local community to develop a management plan for Darkwoods. “We have the opportunity to prove we can be leaders in developing a conservation economy that will protect the area’s biodiversity, including its unique Mountain Caribou.
Darkwoods Public Access
Darkwoods has a long history of use by local communities. Since the 1960s, the public has been allowed limited access to the property with a permit, and NCC is happy to continue that tradition and even expand those opportunities. At the same time, the land cannot support all uses, at all times, in all places and retain its special character. Some reasonable limits are required.
When you can visit. Darkwoods is an unmaintained wilderness area open to the public from July through September. Permits are required for entry and no camping is allowed.
All roads require 4WD vehicles, and due to industrial truck activity on the roads during the work week, recreational truck access is allowed only on weekends on the main roads.
Recreation options. Outdoor activities allowed on the property include hiking, fishing and skiing. All visitors must have a permit to access Darkwoods. To obtain a permit, please contact the Canadian Rockies Program office at 250-342-5521 or canadian.rockies@natureconservancy.ca. Permits are free.
The use of off-road vehicles, the building of fires, trapping and cutting of firewood on the property are prohibited. Dogs are permitted but be must kept under control at all times. It is recommended that dogs be kept on leash to protect them and you from bear attacks.
Trails: There are very few trails on Darkwoods so hiking often requires route finding in challenging terrain.
Hike difficulty: moderate to difficult
Amenities on-site: none
