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Officials with Wanuskewin Heritage Park announced plans to apply for designation as a United Nations World Heritage Site on Friday.
The plan forms part of a push to renew the park that will include adding additional land and reintroducing a small herd of bison to the area.
If successful, Wanuskewin would become Saskatchewan’s first U.N. heritage site. All told, Canada is home to 17 such sites, which include Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park, the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland and old Quebec City.
“The bison are what drew indigenous peoples to Wanuskewin for thousands of years,” tribal Chief Felix Thomas from the Saskatoon Tribal Council said at a media event. “By understanding their story of near extinction, we are able to better understand the stories of Canada’s indigenous peoples. Bringing back the bison will be symbolic of the recognition of Indigenous cultures in Canada.”
The application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will be managed by Parks Canada. The average application takes between six and 10 years.
A list of the criteria for selection is available on the UNESCO website.
