| Uapishka Biodiversity Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Réserve de biodiversité Uapishka | |
 View from Mount Harfang in Monts Groulx | |
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| Location | Lac-Walker, Quebec, Canada |
| Coordinates | 51°32′49″N67°57′22″W / 51.547°N 67.956°W /51.547; -67.956 |
| Area | 138,191 ha (533.56 sq mi) |
| Designation | biodiversity reserve |
| Created | 15 April 2009 |
| Administrator | Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change |
TheUapishka Biodiversity Reserve (French: Réserve de biodiversité Uapishka) is a protected area in theCôte-Nord region of Quebec.It is one of fivebiodiversity reserves in the province. It is to the east of theManicouagan Reservoir and includes a large part of theMonts Groulx.It is also part of the central area of theManicouagan Uapishka Biosphere Reserve.
The nameUapishka comes from theInnu name for the Groulx Mountains and means "always snowy rocky peaks" or "several white mountains".[1][2]
The Uapishka Biodiversity Reserve is located 325 kilometres (202 mi) north ofBaie-Comeau. It is accessible byQuebec Route 389 from Baie-Comeau andFermont. The reserve covers the western part of the Monts Groulx massif. It shares a boundary with the proposed Monts-Groulx biodiversity reserve, which has been excluded from the creation of the reserve in order to give it the status ofecological reserve, a superior protection status.[3]
The reserve is located in the unorganized territories ofRivière-Mouchalagane,Rivière-aux-Outardes andLac-Walker, which are respectively in theCaniapiscau,Manicouagan andSept-Rivières regional county municipalities.[1]
The Groulx Mountains form a tabular massif consisting of a long high plateau with several slightly convex peaks exceeding 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) elevation. The elevation varies from 360 metres (1,180 ft) on the shores of theManicouagan Reservoir to 1,104 metres (3,622 ft) at the top of Mount Veyrier. The Monts Groulx massif is the third largest massif in Quebec by size and the sixth highest.[4]
The Groulx Mountains are part of theGrenville Province, a geological division of theCanadian Shield. They are composed ofPrecambrian rocks that have been deformed during theLabrador andGrenville orogenies. The massif is composed mostly ofgabbro-norite, amafic rock rich in magnesium and iron. The northern part of the massif is mostly composed ofanorthosite and the east ofgneiss andparagneiss.[3] The rock is visible in outcrops at the top, while the slopes are covered withglacial till deposits up to a few meters thick. The valley bottoms are composed ofalluvial deposits laid down by rivers and sandy deposits from glaciers that are often covered withpeat.[4]
The reserve is located entirely in the basin of theManicouagan River.It serves as a source for theToulnustouc,Hart Jaune and Manicouagan rivers. The internal hydrographic network of the reserve is composed of about twenty small lakes and head streams.[4]
The flora of the reserve varies according to elevation. Lower down the vegetation is mostlyblack spruce (Picea mariana) andbalsam fir (Abies balsamea), mixed withwhite spruce (Picea glauca) at about 700 metres (2,300 ft),white birch (Betula papyrifera) andtrembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). Above 700 metres (2,300 ft) the white spruce becomes more common and deciduous trees disappear. Above 800 metres (2,600 ft) the forest becomes more sparse withkrummholz stands of spruce and fir in the most exposed areas. The tree line is around 900 metres (3,000 ft), above which is alpine heath.[4]
Four species at risk are located in the reserve:alpine lady-fern (Athyrium distentifolium var.americum),orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca),highland cudweed (Gnaphalium norvegicum), andclustered lady's mantle (Alchemilla glomerulans).[4]There are twelveexceptional forest ecosystems on the reserve, mostly old white montane spruce forests that have never been logged or impacted by major natural disturbances.[5]
Wildlife includes several species of interest. There are six animal species on the reserve that benefit from protection status:wolverine (Gulo gulo),boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou),golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos),bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus),rock vole (Microtus chrotorrhinus) andleast weasel (Mustela nivalis). Three other species are also considered of "heritage interest", thewillow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus),osprey (Pandion haliaetus) andrough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus).[4]
The reserve is crossed by six traplines for the use of theInnu ofPessamit andUashat-Maliotenam. Obtaining reserve status has not changed their traditional rights and practices. Three hiking trails provide access to the Monts Groulx from km 335, 365 and 350 (winter only) of Route 389. The Monts Groulx are visited annually by about 500 people who come to practice hiking,snowshoeing,telemark skiing anddog sledding. Snowmobiling is limited to elevations below 800 metres (2,600 ft).[5]
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