Land Designation System

Land Designation or Zoning System

Like other plans, this Plan divides the Region into smaller areas of similar values or potential issues. The Dawson Planning Region has been divided into 23 discrete areas of land called Landscape Management Units (LMUs). Each LMU has a distinct management intent which translates to differences in how they are designated for land use.

The Land Use Designation System describes the management intent of each identified Landscape Management Unit (LMU). The designation system recommended for the Dawson planning region consists of three major categories to guide the management of land use activities: Special Management Areas, Integrated Stewardship Areas, and Corridor Areas.

ISA: Integrated Stewardship Areas
Category	Sub-category	Management Intent	Description
Integrated Stewardship Area Areas where development can occur, subject to special and general management direction and monitoring of cumulative effects indicators.	I	Lowest Development	Very high ecological or heritage/cultural value within a sensitive biophysical setting The priority in this area is to maintain ecological integrity and cultural resources Lowest threshold for development
	II	Low Development	High ecological and cultural values within a moderately sensitive biophysical setting The priority in this area is to maintain ecological integrity and cultural resources and minimize land use impacts Low threshold for development
	III	Moderate Development	Moderate ecological and cultural values within a moderately sensitive biophysical setting Conservative threshold for development
	IV	Highest Development	Lower ecological or heritage/cultural value within a moderately sensitive biophysical setting Higher threshold for development
	FPA	Future Planning Area	Higher development pressure in the periphery of Dawson City Highest levels of land use – no cumulative effects thresholds
Special Management Areas Areas managed for conservation of ecological and cultural resources, and long-term maintenance of wilderness characteristics.	SMA I:	Maximum conservation Maintain ecological integrity and cultural values with no industrial land use allowed	Recommended for permanent withdrawal from any new industrial land use and surface access Requires a legal designation Requires the development of a management plan
	SMA II:	High conservation Maintain ecological integrity and cultural values while allowing for low levels of carefully managed land use activities.	Existing surface and sub-surface rights (e.g. mineral, oil/gas, forestry) rights recognized Recommended for permanent or interim withdrawal from staking in all other areas (specific to LMU) Recommended that lapsed tenure should not be renewed, and no new mineral staking or dispositions allowed Surface access restrictions (e.g. thresholds) Very low development threshold allowed under strict special management conditions

Special Management Area II

We would like to hear your thoughts on this land designation “Special Management Area II”. How should we approach these areas in the Recommended Plan?

Interactive Map

"Lowest" and "Highest" Development: what do we mean?

The rules that separate Integrated Stewardship Areas is based on the plan's Cumulative Effects Framework.

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