STUDY AREAS FOR THE CREATION OF PROTECTED AREAS

Transcription

1 STUDY AREAS FOR THE CREATION ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF ABITIBI-TÉMISCAMINGUE

2 Study s BOUNDARIES AND LOCATION Composed of 17 municipalities and two unorganized territories, has an of 7934 km, some 22% of which is private land. Mining rights also cover a significant amount of the territory, around 26% of the as of November 24, These two territorial factors partly explain why just 108 km are protected, about 1.4% of the. ORIGIN OF PROPOSALS Based on an analysis of constraints and potentials, the MDDELCC selected two study s with fewer constraints that offer excellent complementarity with ecosystems that are already protected. It was decided not to use protected s for the protection of eskers. For one thing, only part of the eskers could have been protected because of constraints imposed by private ownership. For another, the eskers tend to be heavily developed already (buildings, highways, logging, etc.). One of the study s (ZE-F051) was chosen by the MDDELCC following its analysis of eco-regional gaps, to add ecosystem types that are insufficiently protected. Study F057 was proposed by Camp-École Chicobi. OVERALL CONTRIBUTION If both study s were to become protected s, this could add about 370 km to the 108 km of existing protected s, raising the protection ratio for the from 1.4% to 6.1%. Figure 1. Study s in Jamésie Lebel-sur-Quévillon 397 ZE-F057 ZE-F Taschereau Saint-Félix-de-Dalquier Abitibi G022 Amos Landrienne Barraute Senneterre La Vallée-de-l'Or 111 Rouyn-Noranda Rivière-Héva Study Zone d'étude for consultation en Réserve ayant fait Reserve addressed by l'objet d'une audience BAPE hearings publique du BAPE Protected Aire protégée 117 Malartic Sullivan Val-dŽOr km 2

3 s Coigny et Bernetz study (ZE-F051) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY The s Coigny et Bernetz study (ZE-F051) is in the Abitibi plain natural region (F02), more precisely in the Rivière Laflamme plain physiographic complex (F0204). Located entirely in the unorganized territory of Despinassy, it has an of about 164 km. It would protect a complex of till hillocks with rocky outcrops that rises above the clay plain. There is a large complex of wetlands in the centre of the complex of hillocks. to extensive disturbance in the past, the current vegetation consists of stands of black spruce, trembling aspen, jack pine, and a few stands of balsam fir. Virtually all these stands are young. With regard to land occupation, there are three resort leases on the shores of Bernetz and Coigny lakes, and 19 leases for temporary shelters. Eight trapping grounds are partially in the study. The territory has a high fragmentation index due to the great density of forest roads. Most of the forest cover has been harvested since the 1980s, so at present the landscape is one of young, regenerating forests with visible traces of logging in the past. Based on information from the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, there are no plans for further logging in the. TERRITORIAL CONTEXT AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE NETWORK While the physical elements supporting the ecosystem of the study are common (clay plain, bogs, till hillocks), they are largely under-represented in the natural region, especially in physiographic complex F0204. The same applies to the potential vegetation, which is representative rather than exceptional, with its stands of balsam fir (with birch, black spruce or black spruce/peat moss) and its stands of black spruce (with peat moss or trembling aspen), which are all under-represented in the protected s network for the natural region. Due Figure 2. s Coigny et Bernetz study (ZE-F051) Baie-James -Despin assy Millage 35 -Despinassy Saint-Dom iniqu e-du-rosaire Coigny ZE-F051 Bernetz Belle Cour Céloron Zone d'étude Study Protected Aire protégée Municipality Municipalité Villégiature Resort Road Chemin Highway Route Region Région Arlelion Titre actifclaim minier Active mining (MAJ ) (MAJ ) Temporary shelter Abri sommaire Ensemble Physiographic physiographique complex 4 km 3

4 Chicobi study (ZE-F057) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TERRITORY development of black spruce/moss/heath stands. There are also black spruce/ trembling aspen stands. All these types of potential vegetation are underrepresented in the protected s network for the natural region. At present the forest cover is mostly stands of black spruce, and more rarely balsam fir, poplar and white birch. On the eskers, the current forest cover is stands of jack pine. Apart from stands around the wetlands, which are mature and rare, and the ecological reserves, most of the present woodlands are young. The human footprint (logging and forest roads) varies depending on the sector. However, only a few of the cutblocks (logged sections) are still apparent, and the network of forest roads is only moderately developed. Beyond its elements of physical and biological representativeness, the role of connectivity and buffer zone makes this worth protecting. Regarding land occupation, there are 33 leases for temporary shelters and 18 resort leases. There is one lease for recreational purposes for community use (a summer camp) on the shores of Berry. Chicobi is of archeological interest, with 21 sites identified as having archeological potential. Lastly, a short hiking trail has been developed near the south shore of Chicobi. Eleven trapping grounds are affected by this study. La zone d étude Chicobi (ZE-F057), d une superficie actuelle d environ 245 km, possède des limites qui évoluent régulièrement au fil de la présence des droits miniers. Elle est située à la fois sur le TNO de -Chicobi et dans la municipalité de Berry. Sur le plan écologique, elle fait partie de la région naturelle de la plaine de l Abitibi et plus précisément de l ensemble physiographique de la plaine de Villemontel (F0203). L objectif de cette zone d étude est d accroître la protection de quatre réserves écologiques en créant une réserve de biodiversité qui jouerait le rôle à la fois de zone tampon et de connectivité pour les réserves écologiques. Notons que les quatre réserves écologiques et deux refuges biologiques totalisent déjà environ 30 km de superficie protégée classée au Registre des aires protégées du Québec. TERRITORIAL CONTEXT AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE NETWORK Besides improving the connectivity and protection of four ecological reserves, Chicobi study includes significant portions of two eskers. The territory is a typical example of a clay plain scattered with bogs. The clayey sectors seem to be more favourable to balsam fir stands (with white birch, black spruce or black spruce/peat moss), while the boggy sectors, when wooded, are more favourable to black spruce/peat moss stands. Areas around the eskers are favourable to the Figure 3. Chicobi study (ZE-F057) Chicobi ZE-F057 Cornier RANG DU LAC-À-MAGNY Studyd'étude Zone Protected Aire protégée Privateprivée land Tenure ROU TE DU 6e-AU-10 e-ra NG -Chicobi Rivière-O jima Lyonnais -Chicobi Debau Makadecibag Disson Berry RANG DU LAC-B ERRY Berry Active mining claim Titre minier actif (MAJ ) ) (MAJ Temporary shelter Abri sommaire Établissement Outfitter establishment de pourvoirie Commercial Fin commerciale purposes Villégiature Resort Archeological site Site archéologique Chemin Road Highway Route Municipality Municipalité Ensemble Physiographic physiographique complex 4 km 4

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