Located in the East Coast Boreal Natural Region of Parks Canada’s world-class, national parks system, Akami–uapishku - KakKasuak - Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve of Canada will protect approximately 10,700 square kilometres of a stunning array of pristine landscapes, vegetation and wildlife. Canada’s newest and 46th national park will protect cultural landscapes of importance to Innu, Inuit, southern Inuit and other people in the region.
The focal point of the park reserve is the Mealy Mountains themselves - the rugged mountains that give the area its name. Their glacially-rounded and bare rock summits, which overlook Lake Melville, reach to 1,100 metres.
Easterly from the mountain tundra of the Mealy Mountains is a dramatic transition to a lush forested landscape, which gently descends toward the coast until it meets the frigid waters of the Labrador Sea. This is a landscape of undisturbed watersheds and pristine wild rivers with breathtaking rapids and waterfalls.
The beautiful White Bear, North and English rivers include both Atlantic salmon and trout, and their valleys will offer exceptional hiking opportunities to visitors. Where the park reserve fronts the Labrador Sea, an extensive, 50-kilometre stretch of unbroken sandy beaches known as the Wunderstrand can be found. This spectacular beach is recorded in Viking sagas relating their voyages of exploration along the Atlantic Coast.
The park reserve will play an important role in wildlife conservation. It protects a significant portion of the range of the threatened Mealy Mountains caribou herd, including key habitat along the coast and on offshore islands. Extensive landscapes of boreal forest, which are home to caribou, wolves, black bear, marten and fox can be found both just north of Sandwich Bay as well as along the south shore of Lake Melville. Toward the south, extensive wetlands provide important habitat for migratory birds such as ducks and geese.
With the signing of the park establishment agreements, planning work will begin to guide conservation and visitor experience programs. As well, collaborative efforts with Aboriginal groups and the tourism sector will further enhance the natural and cultural tourism opportunities that will eventually be available to visitors. The national park reserve will provide outstanding opportunities for all Canadians to appreciate and enjoy this landscape, including Aboriginal cultural experiences and outdoor recreational opportunities such as canoeing, back country camping, and hiking.
Establishing a national park reserve in the Mealy Mountains protects a representative example of Canada’s East Coast Boreal Region, achieving important progress towards the goal of creating a system of national parks that represents the rich diversity of Canada’s landscapes. It will also contribute to Newfoundland and Labrador’s objective of protecting examples of each of the province’s ecoregions.
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