The government of Quebec is launching a call for projects from the population in order to create protected areas on public lands.
With this call for projects, the government wishes to “know the local, regional and indigenous priorities in terms of conservation of natural environments”, we can read in a press release published Wednesday morning.
The Society for Nature and Parks (SNAP Quebec) received financial assistance of $916,700 to encourage public participation in this exercise.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time that a government has invited civil society and citizens to participate in the protection of our public territory,” indicated the general director of SNAP Québec Alain Branchaud.
According to him, Quebec is innovating with this approach and “when we look elsewhere in Canada, we do not see provinces or territories helping groups that specialize in the protection of public territory, or very little.”
The legal setting aside of the selected territories is planned for 2027 and all administrative regions of the province are targeted, except the Nord-du-Québec region, which is the subject of another process.
“There is a really important awareness at the moment among citizens, and then among decision-makers too, that protecting a territory is not just protecting biodiversity, it is not just protecting cultural attributes, it is “also protects the link between humans and the territory and provides access to nature, therefore positive benefits for physical and mental health”, indicated Alain Branchaud.
He added that protecting the territory and its biodiversity “is the best ally in the fight against climate change and its impacts.”
For First Nations citizens who would like to propose protection projects, it is the Sustainable Development Institute of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (FNQLIDD) which will ensure the link with the government.
As of May 22, Quebec’s network of protected areas covered 17.68% of the continental environment (terrestrial and freshwater), taking into account the various intentions, including the announcement to protect Anticosti Island, according to government data.
“The creation of protected areas is one of the best ways to ensure the maintenance and preservation of our rich biodiversity. This is why, with the Nature 2030 Plan, we are firmly committed to achieving the global conservation target of 30% of our territory by 2030, in particular by improving the network of Quebec protected areas,” wrote the Minister of Environment Benoit Charrette, in a press release.
