The Lower St. Lawrence region is a land strewn with forests, where the spectacular Appalachian Mountains, with their numerous majestic rivers, blend into a coastline teeming with biodiversity.
Why protect this place?
The Lower St. Lawrence region includes several sites of interest for protected area creation, all proposed to the Quebec government in 2013 by elected officials of the Lower St. Lawrence.
Home to several rivers prized for fishing, canoeing and kayaking, the region is especially known for its majestic Chic-Choc Mountains, where the endangered Gaspé caribou survive. These mountains are also a haven for many rare or threatened species, such as the golden eagle and Bicknell's thrush.
Thanks to the work of CPAWS Quebec and its regional partners, the seven territories of interest including the Chic-Chocs, Lac de l'Est, the Duchénier reserve and the Patapédia, Causapscal, Assemetquagan and Cascapédia rivers are now protected forever. We continue to work to ensure the necessary expansions that will be completed at the end of the protected area designation process.
CPAWS Quebec’s work
In collaboration with local groups, CPAWS Quebec participated in public consultations by publishing a brief and by providing technical expertise to interested parties. CPAWS Quebec also launched a petition, supported by several thousand people, that called for the creation of protected areas in the Lower St. Lawrence.
In partnership with the Conseil régional de l'environnement du Bas-Saint-Laurent, CPAWS Quebec released a study showing that oil and gas permits granted to industry hinder the creation of protected areas. Both organizations are therefore calling for government intervention to make protected area projects a reality and to change the oil and gas licensing system.
In 2020, in collaboration with the Comité de protection des monts Chic-Chocs and the Conseil régional de l'environnement du Bas-Saint-Laurent, CPAWS Quebec ran the “Raconte-Nous Tes Chic-Chocs” campaign and unveiled during a film conference “L'écho des Chic-Chocs,” a short film showing the vast support for establishing a protected area in this region.
Two years later, in collaboration with the CRE du Bas-Saint-Laurent, CPAWS Quebec launched the campaign "The seven wonders of the Bas-Saint-Laurent" with the production of eight videos and a hundred photos of the territories to protect.
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CPAWS Quebec aims to protect 50% of the province's natural areas. Support our mission!
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