The Gouvernement du Québec approved the designation of the Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée Neoskweskau-Amont-Eastmain following the submission in the fall of 2020 of a joint brief from the Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks. The legally protected status contemplated for this territory is that of a “biodiversity reserve,” which is governed by the Natural Heritage Conservation Act.
Geographical location, boundaries and dimensions
Brief description
The Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée Neoskweskau-Amont-Eastmain includes several noteworthy cultural elements such as travel routes, navigable waterways, and burial sites. Camps and the culturally significant Neoskweskau site are also situated near the territorial reserve, which includes areas favourable to moose. This territorial reserve for protected area purposes could serve as a stepping stone in the context of subsequent work focusing on the connectivity of the network in Eeyou Istchee James Bay. It is situated in the Assinica and Témiscamie woodland caribou population distribution area.
Protection measures applied in the territory
No natural resource exploration or exploitation activity (mining, energy and forests) is allowed in the territory of the territorial reserve for protected area purposes. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks will ensure the maintenance of the administrative and legal provisions that their prohibition requires.