Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park
Location in British Columbia
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| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Nearest city | Terrace |
| Area | 178.93 km2 (69.09 sq mi) |
| Established | April 29, 1992 |
| Governing body | BC Parks |
The Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park is a special place in British Columbia, Canada. It's in the Nass River valley, about 80 kilometres north of Terrace. This park is close to the Nisga'a villages of Gitlaxt'aamiks and Gitwinksihlkw.
This park is unique because it was the first one in British Columbia to be managed together. The government and the Nisga'a First Nation work side-by-side to take care of it. The park was created on April 29, 1992, and later became part of the Nisga'a Treaty in 2000.
When you visit, you can learn about the Nisga'a people's stories and the park's geology. There's an interpretive centre built like a traditional Nisga'a longhouse. It tells visitors about the Nisga'a legend of the lava and how scientists explain it.
The park is full of amazing natural features. You can see waterfalls, pools, and interesting shapes made by ancient lava flows. These include cinder cones, tree moulds, lava tubes, and spatter cones. There's even a lake that was formed when lava blocked a river. The park also protects many animals like moose, goats, marmots, and bears. It covers a large area of 178.93 square kilometres.
The Big Volcano Eruption
This park is home to the site of Canada's most recent volcanic eruption. This huge event happened around the year 1700. It was a natural disaster that caused many people to lose their lives.
The lava came from a volcano called the Tseax Cone. Hot, flowing lava poured out and blocked the Nass River. This powerful lava flow destroyed two villages belonging to the Nisga'a people. Today, you can still see the lava beds rising as high as 12 metres above the modern roads.
The Nisga'a people have passed down stories about this eruption for generations. Their oral histories remember the names of the two villages that were destroyed: Wii Lax K'abit and Lax Ksiluux.
See also
- Volcanology of Canada
- Nisga'a Lisims
