Environment and Conservation
September 18, 2015

Protecting our Natural Heritage

Public Hearings Set to Begin on Changes to Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve

The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council (WERAC) is hosting public hearings in the Town of Milltown-Head of Bay d�Espoir on Thursday, October 29, to discuss proposed changes to the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve. The council will discuss removing a parcel of land from the reserve to allow for construction of a new transmission line and adding a parcel to the reserve for conservation value, and will discuss proposed changes to the management plan.

�I encourage all stakeholders and interested parties to take part in these public hearings. Your involvement is key to enhancing the management of our natural heritage. Protecting our ecologically-sensitive areas is important to ensure an environmentally-sustainable future for all residents.�
- The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation

Two sessions will be held at the Lions Club in Milltown-Head of Bay d�Espoir on Thursday, October 29, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Notices of the sessions will published in local newspapers.

NL Hydro has requested that a narrow section of the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve be removed to permit the construction of a new transmission line adjacent to the two existing transmission lines. Concurrently, the Department of Environment and Conservation is proposing that a parcel south of the Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve and north of the existing transmission lines be added to the reserve. This added area of conservation will increase protection of caribou habitat and forested habitat in the region. The proposed changes to the area is available on-line at www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/publications/parks/bay_du_nord_wilderness_reserve_map.jpg 

Any person wishing to make a presentation at the public hearings on any aspect of changes to the reserve boundary or the management plan, contact Erika Pittman at email erikapittman@gov.nl.ca or phone 709-637-8051 within 30 days of the publication of the notice.

In addition to the sessions, interested groups and individuals can submit feedback or written submissions to:

Erika Pittman
Parks and Natural Areas Division
Department of Environment and Conservation
P.O. Box 550, Corner Brook, NL A2H 6E6
erikapittman@gov.nl.ca

Written submissions must be received before November 12, 2015. The current Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve management plan is available online at www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/publications/parks/bay_du_nord_wilderness_reserve.pdf PDF.

The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council advises the Provincial Government on the creation and management of wilderness and ecological reserves. WERAC is an independent group of citizens from a variety of backgrounds and all regions of the province. Its members are appointed by the Provincial Government for three-year terms, which can be renewed. The council's work and recommendations are directed by scientific research and public input.

QUICK FACTS

  • The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council (WERAC) will host public hearings in the Town of Milltown-Head of Bay d�Espoir on October 29 to discuss changes to Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve.
  • Two public sessions will be held at the Lions Club in Milltown-Head of Bay d�Espoir on Thursday, October 29, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act was passed by the Provincial Government in 1980 to guide the creation of a system of protected areas in the province that would preserve wilderness, unique ecosystems, species, or natural phenomena.
  • The Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve was established in 1990 to protect the Bay du Nord River and its tributaries, a representative example of the Maritime Barrens Ecoregion, the Middle Ridge Woodland Caribou herd, and all other species of plants and animals occurring within the boundaries of the reserve.
  • The reserve encompasses 2,895 km2 and is Newfoundland and Labrador�s largest provincial protected area.

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Media contact:
Tina Coffey
Public Relations Specialist
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-5783, 728-8650
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

2015 09 18                            11:40 a.m.