Despite the request for a moratorium supported by citizens and municipalities in the region, the Legault government is moving forward with the logging project in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, in Mauricie. The Rémabec company will be able to carry out its industrial operations in a sector that has been targeted for a protected area project and recognized as an important habitat for the wood turtle, an endangered species.
Logging will begin on January 24, confirmed Thursday the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP), as part of a press briefing. The “harvest” will take place near a recreational forest park frequented by outdoor enthusiasts, but also near a “biological refuge” south of La Mauricie National Park.
This area is also home to a “significant population” of wood turtles, a “threatened” species legally protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. In addition to habitats conducive to wood turtles and other endangered species, there are wooded portions with century-old trees.
The Rémabec company will carry out the cuts in an area identified for the filing of a protected area project with the Government of Quebec, a project led by the Coalition for the preservation of the recreational forest park of Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. If it materializes, it would notably make it possible to enlarge the recreational forest park frequented by hikers, cyclists and rock climbers.
MFFP measures
According to what the representatives of the MFFP argued on Thursday, this work “does not prevent future recreational developments” and “the filing of a possible protected area project” in the sector. Various measures are planned to reduce the impacts of cutting on the territory. “Partial” cuts are notably planned on 35 of the 63 hectares of the zone of this “forest management”, which represents 0.025% of the volume of wood harvested in Quebec during the year 2020-2021.
The MFFP also ensures that the cuts will have no impact on the wood turtle. The region is home to a “large population” of this endangered species, around 450 individuals. As part of its presentation on Thursday morning, the ministry also indicated that known threats to this species include “development”, roads and “forestry machinery”.
In addition, the MFFP specified that other areas in the immediate region should be subject to logging in the coming years, possibly as early as 2025. Sectors have already been identified, including one that is located in the targeted area. for the protected area project. Consultations are forthcoming for these future logging sectors, some of which are part of the supply guarantees to forestry companies.
According to the Coalition for the Preservation of the Recreational Forest Park of Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, barely 7% of the Mauricie territory benefits from protective measures, while the average for all of Quebec has been 17% since the end of 2020.
In the context of achieving the objective of protecting 17% of Quebec’s territory before the end of 2020, the Legault government has however decided to protect mainly northern territories located outside the territory that represents potential for forestry companies. It thus set aside dozens of protected area projects in the southern portion of the province. Some of these projects would have been abandoned to protect the interests of the forest industry.