A forest of the Laurentians threatened

Photos are courtesy of Claude Alexandre Carpentier, Robert Perron, and the Coalition Mont-Kaaikop
Claude Samson, of the Coalition for the preservation of the Mont-Kaaikop, launched a petition for the mount Kaaikop to become a protected area.

Anne Caroline Desplanques

Saturday, 22 July, 2017 08:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 22 July, 2017 08:00

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Quebec will cut timber mass in one of the last intact forests of the Laurentians, in a municipality that fears of not being able to live of its outdoor activities and vacationing.

“It’s going to be a disaster, growls the mayor of Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides, Serge Chénier. The world will not go there. Who would like to come in a forest razed to the ground ? “

The forest of Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides is perched on the second highest mountain of the Laurentians, the mont Kaaikop, not far from Mont-Tremblant. The municipality has managed to prevent the cuts by contacting the justice in 2014.

But the ministry of Forests, Fauna and Parks (MFFP), which assigns the rights to cut timber, has obtained the annulment of the injunction and intends to let in the loggers.

Consultations

For this purpose, the MFFP has informed this week the mayor that it will be holding public consultations this winter. Nevertheless, ” the consultations did not aim to review the rights already granted in the territory “, indicates the Newspaper the spokesman of the ministry, Caroline Bujold.

It noted from the outset that ” the work will be carried out by a company in the region with a guaranteed supply “.

“What we said to the MFFP, it is “we, we gave guarantees of wood supply, and we are going to observe that you are happy or not”, ” translated the mayor Chénier.

“The plan cuts the department is planning to cut more than 50 % of the forest, says Claude Samson, of the Coalition for the preservation of the Mont-Kaaikop. We are lucky enough to have a mature forest, undisturbed for over 90 years. If it is cut, it is five lakes that are put in danger. There is a risk of erosion and disruption irreparable. “

Incompatibility

Quebec believes that the cuts are not incompatible with the activities of the resort.

“It is possible to reconcile the uses,” says Ms. Bujold. Unthinkable, reply co-op, full air Interval, the engine of the local economy.

“We, we saw the mountain. If it is shaved, it will have nothing to offer. We would be devastated “, said Guillaume Chartrand, the assistant coordinator of the organization.

“The battle is not just for our beautiful view, but because there are environmental emergency. If nothing is done, the territory will be split to the size. Where will go to the wildlife ? ” asked Mr. Samson.

The mount Kaaikop is located in a strategic sector of the network écocorridors and protected areas, which connects to the Parc national du Mont-Tremblant national Park of Oka. This corridor is particularly frequented by wolves, and lynx. A long time gone, the cougar would also be present.

“In 20 years, it has already been seven campaigns of the cup. Let go Sainte-Lucie “, argues the mayor Chénier.

Photo courtesy

Mont-Kaaikop

The costs of the cuts

• $ 2.8 billion of public investment provincial between 2006 and 2015
• 675$ M) public investment planned between 2016 and 2019

The profits of the cuts

• 208 M$/year estimate of royalties paid to Quebec between 2012 and 2016

Source: 2014-2015 Budget