C-61.01, r. 24 - Order in council respecting the establishment of the Réserve écologique de l’Île-Garth and approval of the conservation plan

Updated to 1 June 2024

This document has official status.

chapter C-61.01, r. 24

Order in council respecting the establishment of the Réserve écologique de l’Île-Garth and approval of the conservation plan

Natural Heritage Conservation Act

(chapter C-61.01, s. 43).

1. The permanent ecological reserve status be assigned to the land, the plan and technical description of which are attached as a schedule, under the name Réserve écologique de l’Île-Garth.

O.C. 517-2003, s. 1.

2. The proposed conservation plan for that area, the text of which is attached as a schedule, be approved.

O.C. 517-2003, s. 2.

3. (Omitted).

O.C. 517-2003, s. 3.

ANNEXE

PROVINCE OF QUÉBEC

REGISTRATION DIVISION OF TERREBONNE

CADASTRE OF QUÉBEC

MUNICIPALITÉ DE LA VILLE DE BOIS-DES-FILION

MUNICIPALITÉ RÉGIONALE DE COMTÉ DE THÉRÈSE-DE-BLAINVILLE

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF ÎLE-GARTH ECOLOGICAL RESERVEMENV FILE: 5141-03-15 (6.43)

LOT 1 953 696

Of irregular shape,

Bounded on all sides by Rivière des Mille Îles, a land without cadastral division.

The southwestern end of that lot being situated one hundred and eighty and three tenths metres (180,3 m) along a bearing of 124°50′ from the intersection of the dividing line between lots 2 294 921 and 1 952 902 with lot 1 955 577.

Covering an area of 172,327 m2.

The whole as shown on the attached plan, drawn from an extract of the plan of the cadastre of Québec produced by the Ministère des Resources naturelles du Québec.

Prepared by Claude Vincent, land surveyor, bearing number four thousand three hundred and thirty of his minutes.

Prepared at Charlesbourg, this 13 March 2003.

CLAUDE VINCENT & ASSOCIÉS

_________________________

CLAUDE VINCENT,

Land surveyor

TRUE COPY

Made on: 13-3-03

File: LC122

Minute: 4330

CONSERVATION PLAN FOR THE ÎLE-GARTH ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, MARCH 2003

(1) Plan and description

(1.1) Geographic location, limits and dimensions

The plan of the Île-Garth ecological reserve and its location are shown on the annexed maps.

The Île-Garth ecological reserve covers the total area of Île-Garth in the Mille Îles river. The island is situated within the limits of Ville de Bois-des-Filion, approximately 2 km downstream from the town of Rosemère. Almost 90% of the island is a flood-risk area. The ecological reserve covers an area of approximately 18 ha.

(1.2) Ecological overview

The ecological reserve is part of the natural region of the Upper St. Lawrence Plain in the natural province of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. It protects three threatened or vulnerable species: black maple (Acer nigrum), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) and American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia). The ecological reserve also protects regionally rare forest communities of interest such as white pine, red oak and bur oak stands, and communities of American bladdernut and silver maple with shagbark hickory. It will protect one of the rare riparian forests typical of the Milles Îles river having conserved a high level of ecological integrity and having remarkable floristic diversity.

(1.2.1) Representative elements

Climate:

The territory is characterized by a moderate climate. It belongs to the bioclimatic field of sugar maple-bitternut hickory stands.

Geology and geomorphology:

The bedrock is formed mainly of limestone and dolostone, carbonatized rock types. The majority of surface deposits on Île-Garth are composed of sediments deposited by the Mille Îles river.

Vegetation:

Silver maple stands cover the entire central and eastern part of the island. In the low-lying areas in the interior of the island, poor drainage conditions result in one complex in which the only companion species of trees in abundance are red ash and American elm (Ulmus americana). The herbaceous stratum is made up almost exclusively of sensitive fern.

The highest part of the island, the western tip, is colonized by a white pine stand. Shagbark hickory and American basswood are also relatively abundant.

On the north-eastern part of the island, pioneer species such as white birch (Betula papyrifera) and red maple (Acer rubrum) are found alongside more shade-tolerant species such as butternut and shagbark hickory.

(1.2.2) Outstanding elements

Île-Garth is home to at least three threatened or vulnerable species in Québec: black maple (Acer nigrum), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) and American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia).

As for the fauna, the map turtle (Graptemys geographica), a species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in Québec, was spotted in 1985 at the mouth of Aux Chiens creek, located in the vicinity of Île-Garth, and also at other points along the Mille Îles river.

(1.3) Land occupation and use

The land is public property. There has been no development on the island.

(2) Protection status

The Île-Garth ecological reserve meets the objectives for which it is established on the territory, namely:

(1) to conserve the elements constituting biological diversity in their natural state, as integrally as possible and in a permanent manner, in particular by protecting ecosystems and the elements or processes on which their dynamics are based;

(2) to set aside land for scientific study or educational purposes; and

(3) to safeguard the habitats of threatened or vulnerable flora or fauna.

(3) Activities within the reserve

All activities carried on within the Île-Garth ecological reserve are governed by the provisions of the Natural Heritage Conservation Act (chapter C-61.01, s. 48). This conservation plan does not specify any prohibited activity other than those prohibited in ecological reserves by the Act.

(3.1) Prohibited activities

— General prohibitions under the Act

For reference purposes, it is important to note that under the Natural Heritage Conservation Act, the main activities prohibited in an area assigned ecological reserve status are:

— hunting, trapping, fishing, earthwork or construction activities, agricultural, industrial or commercial activities, and generally, any activity likely to alter the state or nature of ecosystems;

— forest development activities within the meaning of section 4 of the Sustainable Forest Development Act (chapter A-18.1);

— mining, and gas or petroleum development;

— mining, gas or petroleum exploration, brine and underground reservoir exploration, prospecting, and digging or boring; and

— the development of hydraulic resources and any production of energy on a commercial or industrial basis.

In addition, no person may be in an ecological reserve, except for an inspection or for the carrying on of an activity authorized under law. The Minister may, however, authorize, in writing and on the conditions the Minister determines, any activity consistent with the purposes of an ecological reserve or with the management thereof.

(3.2) Supervision of activities

The Minister of the Environment is responsible for the application of the Natural Heritage Conservation Act, and is also responsible for the ecological reserves established under that Act. The Minister will supervise and monitor the measures contained in the Act with regard to permitted activities in protected areas.

In addition, the Minister has authority over that land, which forms part of the domain of the State.

O.C. 517-2003, Sch.

REFERENCES

O.C. 517-2003, 2003 G.O. 2, 1485 and 1527