The Gouvernement du Québec approved the designation of the Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protégée de la Plaine-de-la-Missisicabi 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 de la Plaine-de-la-Missisicabi rounds out the Réserve de biodiversité projetée de la plaine de la Missisicabi and ensures a connection to the Réserve de territoire aux fins d’aire protége des Caribous-de-Nottaway. The territory is part of the drainage basin of the Rivière Missisicabi Ouest, Rivière Miskwatik and Rivière Obamsca. An organic plain dotted with rocky landforms dominates the northern portion and represents the territorial zone of the Coastal Area of Rupert Bay. The southern portion is representative of the territorial zone of the Cochrane till plain. This territorial reserve for protected area purposes overlaps the proposed and subsequently authorized expansion of the Réserve de biodiversité projetée de la plaine de la Missisicabi under the procedure to assess and review environmental and social impact carried out in 2010.
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.