Three Rivers: The Yukon's Great Boreal Wilderness

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Most Canadians will never see the Yukon’s Peel River watershed. A
pity, as it is crucial to our national identity, our health, and the
very survival of humans on earth. This boreal wilderness provides the
world with massive amounts of oxygen, holds and filters 80 percent of
the world’s fresh water, and helps control global warming by limiting
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is the nesting site for hundreds of
bird species and the last place on earth where many mammal species live
in their natural environment.

This coffee-table book is part of a multi-pronged initiative to
advocate for the preservation of this unique and important area. To
increase awareness, in 2003 a project was launched with a canoe journey
down the three main rivers in the watershed (Wind, Snake, Bonnet Plume).
The 37 paddlers included artists, writers, photographers, scientists,
conservationists, and representatives from First Nations communities.
The journey concluded with a traditional gathering and feast, and
produced material for a touring art exhibit plus this magnificent book.
Together the four initiatives—journey, gathering, touring exhibit,
book—are designed to “celebrate and protect” the Peel River
watershed and form a plea for thoughtful land-use planning before oil
and gas exploration moves in.

The book is a showcase for the work of 5 principal photographers, 8
artists, and 10 authors who took part in the project. Margaret Atwood
has contributed her support in the form a speech-like introduction,
based on her previous travel in the Yukon. According to Atwood, the
Yukon is not “cuddly,” not “cute,” but a land that inspires
respect. Juri Peepre, one of the main writers for the work, calls it
“a place worthy of leaving alone.” The photographers have produced
magnificent shots, including many close-ups of animals and birds. They
give us scenery that stretches the imagination that makes the spirit
soar.

The text introduces the area’s geography, geology, wildlife, botany,
history, and a very real fear for the future if conservation of this
remote land is not given priority. Three Rivers should be mandatory
reading for every Canadian interested in breathing.