Protect Quebec's Dumoine River watershed
The place
The Dumoine River drains a remarkably wild watershed in western Quebec. From its headwaters in the Boreal Forest of La Vèrendrye wildlife reserve, the Dumoine River flows southward through lakes, rapids, and waterfalls, making its way through a remote but threatened transitional forest landscape.
It is the only river in western Quebec still entirely free of dams, and largest remnant of intact southern boreal forest in Quebec.
The watershed connects the Boreal forest in the north to Algonquin Park in Ontario. Large, connected landscapes give animals like wolves and lynx room to roam.
The threats
- the watershed has been allocated to logging licenses. Only a small portion of the watershed is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (the highest standards for sustainable forestry practices).
- Mineral exploration, which has so far spared this watershed, continues to expand in the region.
- Hydro-Quebec has identified the Dumoine River as a potential site for a hydroelectric dam.
The opportunity
This remarkable watershed is the last opportunity in western Quebec to protect a large forest ecosystem in its natural state.
Through the Quebec Protected Areas Strategy signed in 2000, the Quebec government committed to protect 8% of the province by 2005. There's been some progress, but less than 5% is protected so far.
Take action!
Please let the Quebec government know how you feel by
- writing a letter
- calling your deputy, Minister of the Environment Line Beauchamps, or even Premier Charest.