(Quebec) The Legalt government has announced that it is delaying the submission of a strategy for the restoration of Woodland Caribou until 2023. Instead, he started an independent commission – without any biologists – to look into the future of these endangered species, a cold shower for environmentalists and the Nation.
The commission, headed by Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics at Laval University, and Nancy Gelinas, a professor-researcher in forest economics, will study the two scenarios. The first is designed with “possible solutions proposed by regional action groups”; The second is “without additional impact on timber supply”, which means it does not reduce the amount of forest available to logging companies.
Woodland Caribou has been listed in the Quebec Register of Endangered Species since 2005. However, the government is constantly postponing the adoption of specific measures to blame environmental groups and protect it.
“The time has come to realize that there is a lot of science behind the Caribou revival,” said Alain Branchaud, director of the Quebec wing of the Society for Law Nature at Less Parks (SNAP Quebec).
“By further postponing its strategy […], Minister [des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec] Has relinquished its role of protecting endangered wildlife species. You wonder if his real strategy is not just to order studies […] Waiting for the last Caribou to disappear, “said Alice-Anne Simard, director general of Nature Quebec.
Replica of Pierre Dufour
Minister Pierre Dufour responded to the criticism of these “small groups”. The Commission is able to obtain external advice from biologists and specific measures have already been initiated to protect the species, for example the construction of enclosures to protect caribou predatorss as well as enclosures in the ABTB, Charlevoix and Gaspace. Forest roads. He pointed out that protected areas have also been declared.
It’s like not wanting to see the good things we do […]. It’s worth it, but the small groups that are against the work we don’t do will never increase these actions.
Pierre Dufour, Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks
Mr Dufour said after his “Caribou Tour” and meta-analysis on the subject, there was still a lack of information, especially on the effects of climate change, to submit his plan for 2021.
According to Caribou specialist Martin-Hughes Saint-Laurent, a professor at the University of Quebec in Rimoski, it was possible to set up the commission as soon as an action plan was announced. “The structure of the enclosure attacks the feature. It’s like pulling water out of a robot without making a hole to bring water in. The problem is protecting its habitat,” he stressed.
Believing to be fragile
Environmentalists are not the only ones to criticize Mr. Dufour. In an open letter published on Monday Tap, Innu Council of Pessamit had earlier condemned the decision. Mr. Dufour did not read it, but he wanted to reassure them: Defense measures were being enforced on the lower north coast.
Real Mackenzie of Matimekush-Lock John, who was primarily responsible for the Caribou file, opposed the government’s decision. “Nation chiefs are still surprised that the Quebec government has not consulted upstream to establish such a policy on a very crucial issue for our country and its members,” he confirmed. Tap. “Our millennial relationship with our expertise, our knowledge and attachment [le caribou] The Commission was not considered in the composition as it did not have any indigenous representative. […] Confidence, which is already very fragile, is not there, ”he lamented.
In collaboration with Funny Levesk, Tap
