Tatshenshini-Alsek Wilderness Park established per Order in Council 1439, 15 October 1993, containing 958,000 ha. more or less. Conversion of OIC to Statute designation per Bill 53: Park Amendment Act 1995, 13 July 1995, effective 26 December 1996. At the request of First Nations, form of name changed to Tatshenshini-Alsek Park per Bill 29: Park Amendment Act 1997, 23 July 1997. Boundary redescribed per Bill 86, Park Amendment Act 1999, 28 June 1999, the whole containing 947,026 ha. more or less.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

The park is bounded on the north by the Yukon Territory; on the west and south by Alaska; and on the east by the westerly boundary of Haines Highway. The region contains the largest non-polar ice-cap in the world, with over 350 valley glaciers and an estimated 31 surge-type glaciers, and is part of the most seismically active region in North America. The Premier of British Columbia nominated the park as a World Heritage Site, to extend the existing Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay World Heritage Site (see Press Release 22 June 1993 for details of biodiversity values). A little over one year later the United Nations extended World Heritage Site designation to include this area, creating the largest internationally protected area in the world, at approximately 8.5 million hectares.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

See BC Parks c1992 Tatshenshini-Alsek Region Wilderness Study, describing aboriginal history pre- and post-contact, impact of the gold rush and bibliography.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office