One of the largest private land conservation projects in Canadian history is now complete, permanently protecting 45,000 hectares of ecologically rich forest and grassland in southeastern British Columbia.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), alongside the Ktunaxa First Nations, the federal and B.C. governments, Elk Valley Resources and numerous public and private partners, announced Tuesday that the Kootenay Forest Lands have been secured under long-term conservation stewardship.

Located within the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation, the lands form a critical part of a Rocky Mountain ecological corridor that stretches across southeastern B.C. and into Montana. The project has been formally endorsed by the Ktunaxa Nation and is being hailed as a national model for large-scale, partnership-driven conservation.

“This project is really exciting in its scale and scope, and in the partnership that it’s brought together,” said Nancy Newhouse, regional vice-president for British Columbia with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “It’s 45,000 hectares of mostly valley-bottom lands, and they’re incredibly important for connectivity for species like grizzly bears and wolverine that move through this landscape.”

A purchase decades in the making

While often described as a donation, Newhouse emphasized that the project involved the purchase of private timberlands—an opportunity NCC had been working toward for years.

“This is not a donation; this is a purchase of land,” she said. “It’s one that we’d been interested in for a long time, and the stars aligned so we were able to enter into an agreement with the landowner and then raise the funds needed to buy these really important conservation lands.”

NCC says its track record delivering complex, large-scale conservation projects helped make the agreement possible.

“It’s a good demonstration of NCC’s reputation,” Newhouse added. “The owner was willing to enter into an agreement with us because we’ve shown we can bring together governments, industry and communities to make conservation happen at scale.”

Wildlife, water and climate benefits

The Kootenay Forest Lands influence 42 watersheds and protect nearly 1,000 kilometres of streams feeding into the Elk River, a globally renowned fly-fishing destination. The landscape includes rare high-elevation grasslands, ancient forests and vital habitat for at-risk species such as grizzly bear, bull trout, badger, whitebark pine and bighorn sheep.

Grizzly bears, in particular, are seen as a keystone species for the project.

“They’re one of the classic connector species that need to move north and south through the valley,” Newhouse said. “This land really allows that connection to happen.”

The protected area also plays a significant role in climate action. Old-growth and mature forests store large amounts of carbon, while restored and regenerating lands are expected to sequester additional greenhouse gases over time.

Federal Environment, Climate Change and Nature Minister Julie Dabrusin said the project reflects Canada’s commitment to tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss through collaboration and Indigenous leadership.

From forestry to stewardship

Under NCC ownership, the lands will transition from industrial-scale forestry to conservation-focused management. Public recreation access will continue, while stewardship plans will emphasize ecosystem restoration, wildfire and flood mitigation, and long-term ecological resilience.

NCC says protection goes beyond legal ownership.

“We’re really proud of our ability to care for lands,” Newhouse said. “We have staff on the ground, we build relationships, and we hire local contractors, which helps support the local economy. We make sure we’re embedded in the communities where we’re stewarding land.”

She pointed to other NCC-managed sites in the region, including Darkwoods in the West Kootenays, as examples of long-term, hands-on stewardship.

Indigenous partnership at the core

Partnership with the Ktunaxa First Nations is central to the project’s future, NCC says.

“It’s incredibly important,” Newhouse said. “They have a deep connection to the land through language and culture, and we have a lot to learn. We’ve worked together for decades on conservation in the Kootenays.”

In a joint letter, the Ktunaxa Nation Council said conserving land within ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa is essential to maintaining connected ecosystems and the well-being of water, land and all living things.

A model for future conservation

Major funding for the project came from the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and Elk Valley Resources, which contributed $20 million, along with support from organizations such as the BC Parks Foundation and Columbia Basin Trust.

Conservation leaders say the Kootenay Forest Lands project demonstrates how public investment, private-sector participation and Indigenous leadership can align to deliver conservation at a scale rarely seen in Canada.

“This shows what we can do when all of society comes together,” Newhouse said. “And it’s not the last project of this kind—we’ve got many more opportunities underway across the country.”