It provides food security and supports the traditional economy of the Nations living off the land; it embodies their identities; it houses their knowledge. Protected areas play an important role in the conservation of Nunavik’s natural and cultural heritage. In 2020, new territories were added to the Register of protected areas in Quebec [available only in French as Registre des aires protégées au Québec]. An extensive public information and consultation process is now underway. Inuit, Naskapis, and Whapmagoostui Crees are invited to participate in the process leading to the creation of the new protected areas and on the relevance and representativeness of the network as proposed and presented on this website.
Together,
let’s protect Nunavik’s natural and cultural heritage.
Rivière-Innuksuac – Territorial Reserve for Protected Area Purposes © Mélanie Veilleux-Nolin, MELCCFP
The land is
the bearer of life.
”Nature is the key to the North
Rivière-Arnaud – Territorial Reserve for Protected Area Purposes © Marianne Ricard, KRG
The Nunavik protected areas network
Nunavik has committed to reaching the target of protecting 20% of the territory. Currently, 29 protected areas, all statuses combined, make up the Nunavik protected areas network. This represents a little over 100,000 km² of protected land and freshwater environments, free of any natural resource exploitation activities (mining, forestry, hydroelectric). The rights (particularly hunting, fishing, and trapping) of the beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) and the Northeastern Quebec Agreement (NEQA) are maintained and protected.
Rivière-Marralik – Territorial Reserve for Protected Area Purposes © Benoit Tremblay, MELCCFP
What is a
protected area?
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a protected area is “a clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values”. In Nunavik, the cultural dimension is essential to create protected areas along with the conservation and development dimensions.
The
consultation
In December 2020, new territories in Nunavik were added to the Register of Protected Areas in Quebec, in order to achieve the goal of protecting 20% of Nunavik. Prior to granting these areas permanent protected status, an extensive information sharing and consultation process was initiated in 2022. This process builds on the community consultations held in 2011-2012 on the same subject. Led by the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) in close collaboration with the Advisory Committee to the Nunavik Protected Areas Working Group (PAWG), this consultation process aims to promote access by people of Nunavik to relevant information on protected areas. It also assesses the relevance of Nunavik’s current protected areas network to community needs, priorities, concerns and aspirations for the territory, and updates the vision that emerges from this process.
Akulivik © David Beland, MU Conseils
