Horn Plateau protected for five years

An area the size of Vancouver Island northeast of Fort Simpson will be protected from development for the next five years.

On Thursday, the federal government agreed to protect the Horn Plateau, also known as Edehzhie, because of its cultural and ecological significance.

Dogrib Treaty 11 Council supports the move, as does Mike Nadli, grand chief of the Deh Cho First Nations.

"We're quite excited about it, of course a lot of effort went into that with the Dogrib and the governments with the NGOs, and our own people, the elders who have been involved with this process," he says. "It's a very exhalting day for us and we're very grateful it has happened."

The protection means no new mining claims or oil and gas rights will be issued for Edehzhie for five years.

During that time, government will study the area in greater detail to decide whether the land should be protected permanently.