1. The network of protected areas successes and challenges
in Québec: evolution,
successes and challenges
Presented to nrg4SD, April 25, 2018
Michel Bergeron
Protected Areas Division
Proposed Lac Saint-Cyr Biodiversity Reserve (MDDELCC)

2. Québec: 1,667,712 km2 (16% of Canada) Terrestrial area: 1,512,418 km2
Marine area:
155,294 km2
Canada is the 2nd largest country after Russia.
Variété d'écosystème, grand espace
Loup et ours, caribou

3. Ecological reference framework
1%= < km2…pas hectare!
Russian doll

4. Private land and/or agriculture
Forestry exploitation
Mining exploration
Game reserve
Cottage rentals
Native agreement
Naturality is high in the boreal forest and extremely high in the tundra.
Protected areas in 2002 = 2.88%

5. 2000
The Québec government commits to protecting at least 8% of the territory.
2009
Target is met with 8.14%.
2010
Publication of an overview of the quality of Québec’s network of protected areas for the period.

6. Québec commits to Aichi biodiversity target 11:
2016
Québec commits to Aichi biodiversity target 11:
“By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas… are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas...”
The Plan Nord: By 2020, establish protected areas in 20% of the area covered by the Plan Nord, of which at least 12% will comprise boreal forest north of the 49th parallel.
The Maritime Strategy: By 2020, establish, in collaboration with the federal government, a representative network of protected areas covering at least 10% of its sea area.

7. A protected area:
Geographically defined expanse of land or water;
Established under a legal and administrative framework;
Designed specifically to ensure the protection and maintenance of:
biological diversity;
related natural and cultural resources.
Protected areas are:
Created through a diversity of legislation at the provincial or federal level;
Recorded in the Québec register of protected areas database, with an IUCN category;
Devoid of any subsurface industrial activities.

8. 2.88% in 2002
9.39% in December 2017

9. December 31, 2017 Québec: 156,534 km2 or 9.39%
Plus particulièrement, le réseau d’aires marines protégées s’étend sur 1,3 %.
Québec: ,534 km2 or 9.39%
Terrestrial: ,874 km2 or 9.98%
Marine: ,660 km2 or 3.65%
December 31, 2017

10. Successes
The availability of the science-based Ecological reference framework for defining Québec’s biodiversity, which was used throughout a systematic conservation planning process that allowed taking the representativeness of Québec’s natural ecosystems into account;
In 2002, a new act introduced new protected area designations where industrial rights were withdrawn while ensuring the continuation of some low impact activities (e.g.: seasonal hunting, maintenance of existing cabins, recreation). This allowed for the creation of 100 new protected areas ranging from 1 to 11,871 km2 (average of 690 km2), all IUCN category II;
The majority of those areas are located on public land and the environmental certification procedure undertaken by logging companies facilitated the process;

11. Successes
The consultation process enabled local communities to approve the boundaries before the start of formal protection;
In addition, the government set up three private stewardship programs with an overall budget of 47 million between 2002 and These programs helped to protect close to 200 km2 of very rich biodiversity habitats in southern Québec. A new program of 20 million has just been announced for the next four years;
Québec’s protected areas network is based on the highest IUCN criteria;
Québec is the legal entity for reporting on protected areas, which means that the federal government uses Québec’s statistics.

12. Challenges
Over the past decade, local stakeholders and authorities have been more involved in the creation process, thus requiring more energy while helping to reconcile economic and social development with environmental protection;
To meet the 2020 targets, Québec will have to increase the current designation rate of protected areas;
In a marine context, creation requires that provincial and federal governments harmonize their efforts;
Governance is mainly at the provincial and federal levels, but Québec needs to explore engaging local and native communities more fully in the management of its protected areas;
Québec (and Canada) will have to develop metrics to report on the effective management of protected areas;
The progression of the network will need to take increased
resilience to climate change into account.

13. Merci!!!