Ecological connectivity, an essential part of biodiversity protection for Parks Canada
News release
La Mauricie National Park consults local stakeholders to guide future activities
February 12, 2020 Shawinigan, Quebec Parks Canada Agency
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the environment in order to conserve national parks and national marine conservation areas and contribute to the recovery of species at risk.
Parks Canada gathered representatives from academic, government and conservation organizations at Auberge des Gouverneurs in Shawinigan yesterday to collectively identify issues related to the conservation of forest and aquatic ecosystems and wetlands beyond the park’s borders. The meeting was an opportunity for contributors to discuss the future of resource protection in La Mauricie National Park, with a focus on biodiversity connectivity.
When it comes to long-term conservation, it’s essential to consider the use of the ecosystems adjacent to a park. Parks Canada wants to use landscape ecology concepts to guide its conservation objectives and has consulted with major players in the field to achieve this objective. Parks Canada aims to effectively integrate its conservation efforts with those carried out at the regional level and to adapt its approach within a context of climate change.
Knowledge mobilization and cooperation are essential for developing effective conservation measures that are adapted to current biodiversity protection challenges. Now more than ever, La Mauricie National Park is encouraging an approach that protects species at risk and maintains connectivity between habitats and ecological processes in the region’s ecosystems, with the support of regional and First Nations partners. Canada’s network of protected areas plays an important role in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk.
This meeting also helped inform discussions on La Mauricie National Park’s 2020–2030 Management Plan.
Regional conservation efforts and implementation of the approaches outlined in the Management Plan will provide a solid foundation on which we can come together to build a bright future and address emerging environmental challenges such as climate change and protecting species at risk.
The Government of Canada is committed to conserving at least 25% of Canada’s ocean waters and lands by 2025 in collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and other key partners.
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Quotes
“For the past 50 years, La Mauricie National Park has worked hard to protect and restore ecosystems within its territory for the benefit of current and future generations. I’m proud to see that at the outset of this anniversary year, we are reflecting on how to conserve habitats beyond the park’s borders, with the support of our regional partners.”
Nadine Blackburn
Superintendant, La Mauricie and Western Quebec Field Unit, Parks Canada
“The Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières is pleased to take an active role in the important discussion that Parks Canada has initiated. Cooperation between partners and researchers is essential if we want to protect and conserve the Mauricie’s ecosystems and species for the benefit of future generations.”
Raphaël Proulx
Canada Research Chair holder in Ecological Integrity, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Quick facts
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Established in 1970, La Mauricie National Park is a national treasure of 536 km2 (about the size of the Island of Montréal). The park includes 150 lakes, and 93% of its territory is covered by forest. It is open year-round and welcomes an average of 160,000 visitors.
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Parks Canada is among the few national parks systems in the world that have a system-wide ecological integrity monitoring and reporting program, consisting of more than 700 independent scientific measures. This monitoring helps to determine if the components of the park’s ecosystems allow it to function normally. The park’s Environmental Integrity Monitoring Program shows that the habitats of some key species are under pressure from human activities on the outskirts of the park.
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La Mauricie National Park has been monitoring the wood turtle closely since the 1990s. The information collected made it possible to implement conservation measures not only within the national park, but also elsewhere in Quebec. Moreover, the survival of this species at risk depends on conservation efforts beyond the park’s borders.
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Parks Canada’s Conservation and Restoration Program, which carries out projects to restore aquatic and forest ecosystems, is part of Parks Canada’s mandate to protect and enhance La Mauricie National Park’s natural heritage by returning the land to its natural state after more than 150 years of forestry operations and wildlife harvesting.
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A total of 68,200 fry raised in fish farms and 4,160 adult brook trout have been relocated to date. Ten brook trout populations have been restored to maintain the original genetic diversity and ensure recolonization of these lakes once exotic species have been removed.
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In La Mauricie National Park, prescribed fires have been used to help restore white pine and red oak populations. Parks Canada is a leader in this area with over 30 years of experience using fire to naturally restore and maintain the ecological integrity of national parks and historic sites.
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La Mauricie National Park’s new Management Plan is currently being developed. Parks Canada is working with partners, First Nations, stakeholders and the public to renew this document. A consultation is set for spring 2020 to gather public and partner feedback on the preliminary draft of the Management Plan.
Associated links
Contacts
Élisabeth Caron,
Communication and Public Relations Officer
La Mauricie and Western Quebec Field Unit
819-247-0075
elisabeth.caron@canada.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.medias-media.pc@canada.ca