The Legault government is maintaining its decision to authorize Groupe Rémabec to logging in a natural resort environment that citizens would like to preserve with a view to filing a protected area project at the limits of La Mauricie National Park. However, discussions are underway to limit the impacts of deforestation, learned The duty.
The logging, which should begin in the next few days, will be carried out in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, very close to a recreational forest park, a “biological refuge” and in a recognized habitat for the wood turtle. , an endangered species.
For the Coalition for the preservation of the Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc recreational forest park, the project approved by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) is unacceptable. Its spokesperson, Éric Proulx, points out that the logging area is located directly on a territory targeted for the creation of a protected area of 127 km2, a project that the group intends to submit to the government.
If it materializes, it would make it possible, in particular, to enlarge the recreational forest park frequented by hikers, cyclists and rock climbers. This territory, where other cuts are planned for the next few years, is also located at the limits of La Mauricie National Park. In addition to habitats conducive to the wood turtle and other endangered species, there are wooded portions with century-old trees.
Negotiations
Opponents of the Rémabec logging project demanded in December from the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Pierre Dufour, a moratorium on the logging, which should begin on January 17. But Quebec did not agree to this request, which is supported by the municipality of Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, the City of Shawinigan, stakeholders in the tourism sector, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Quebec solidaire.
The duty learned, however, that negotiations are underway to find a solution to combine logging and the protection of certain specific elements of this natural environment, including certain tree species. The start of the cuts would also be postponed for at least a week. The ongoing discussions involve members of the coalition, the Rémabec company and representatives of Pierre Dufour’s cabinet.
According to Éric Proulx, the citizens mobilized for the protection of this territory are ready to accept a “modulation” of the cuts to protect important elements of the sector. But they also want the government to set aside the public land needed for their protected area project. This would serve as the basis for a territorial “development” plan including “conservation, rehabilitation, recreation, education and silviculture activities adapted to climate change,” points out Mr. Proulx.
This setting aside is necessary, according to him, to allow the filing of the request for the creation of a protected area with the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change. In the context of achieving the objective of protecting 17% of Quebec’s territory before the end of 2020, the Legault government has set aside dozens of protected area projects located in the southern portion of the province. Some of these projects would have been abandoned to protect the interests of the forest industry.
The office of Minister Benoit Charette was arrested Thursday, in a letter signed by the spokesperson for the Coalition for the preservation of the Parc récréoforestier de Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. “We have received the letter from the citizens and an official response will be sent to them in the coming days. We are always happy to receive new protected area projects and we invite citizens to trigger the process as soon as possible”, replied the Duty the minister’s office on Friday. Minister Pierre Dufour’s office did not wish to comment on the situation before the end of the ongoing discussions.
As for Rémabec, it did not respond to our interview requests. According to the current project, the company is expected to cut 6,660 cubic meters of wood in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. This volume is equivalent to 0.025% of the volume of wood harvested in Quebec during 2020-2021.
The MFFP also clarified by email that measures are planned to limit the impacts of logging and the use of machinery on wood turtles in the area. Cuttings, which are not prohibited in the habitats of this endangered species, must in particular be carried out when the turtles are hibernating.