Delighted to be able to close this century-old file, the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP), Pierre Dufour, made the announcement Thursday in Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine.
Employees have been monitoring the site for many years and until recently padlocks blocked access to forest roads and trails.
Less than a year after the symbolic purchase of the territory by the Society of Outdoor Establishments of Quebec (SÉPAQ), this is a huge relief and a great victory for the Municipality.
In my heart, we are turning a page of history. It’s been 343 years that different owners have taken care of the site without the public being able to set foot there
evokes Joël Côté, mayor of Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine since 2009.
It will now be possible, both for local citizens and tourists, to discover this high-potential site for the outdoors and fishing for free.
” We plan to offer a ton of activities such as sea kayaking and beautiful hiking. It’s paradise here! »
For now, the SEPAQ is working to transform the 1.5 km coastline by adding attractive picnic facilities. We have a superb grassed area with a magnificent barachois, wonderful for having a bite to eat, watching the sea and coming to fish.
lists the vice-president of operations, wildlife sector for the SEPAQDave Boulet.
Hunting and fishing will not be permitted at the Seigneurie de la Rivière-de-la-Madeleine in 2022, so that the management of the administrative aspect of the park’s new status is prioritized. Mr. Boulet, however, wants these activities to be authorized in 2023.
An important economic driver
Located in the far east of Haute-Gaspésie and near Murdochville, Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine remains little known to tourists, said Mayor Côté. Highlighting the beauty of the territory will certainly attract a considerable number of newcomers, he believes.
Along with the work to preserve the SEPAQ with the Seigneurie, the Municipality also aspires to revitalize the Cap-de-la-Madeleine lighthouse in order to expand its tourist offer.
Pierre Dufour accused of being responsible for the decline of the caribou
The passage of the Minister of MFFP in the Gaspé has not gone unnoticed. Indeed, a group of about ten demonstrators showed up at the press briefing.
One of them even declared that Pierre Dufour remains solely responsible for the gradual extinction of the caribou when there are only 32 to 36 individuals left in the entire Chic-Chocs massif.
” We find that the minister is not doing his job well job. Its mandate is to protect the forests while it prefers to commercialize it with deforestation. »
The group took the opportunity to challenge Minister Dufour to put an end to all logging in the caribou’s natural habitat or at the very least put a moratorium on logging.
The minister replied that the time was not right for such an intervention. I am always available to meet anyone who wishes to communicate with me
he replied.
Pierre Dufour also defended himself by recalling that the capture and enclosure of the herd of 16 Charlevoix caribou allowed the birth of six babies.
With information from Marguerite Morin
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca