Wilderness and Ecological Reserves
The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act,
falling under the Department of Environment and Conservation, was
established to provide for natural areas in the province to be set aside
for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people of the province.
Wilderness reserves are areas of the
province that are subject to no or little human activity. They:
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provide for the continued existence of those areas as large wilderness
areas to which people may come and in which they may hunt, fish, travel,
and otherwise experience and appreciate a natural environment,
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allow
within those areas undisturbed interactions of living things and their
environment,
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preserve those large areas that may be necessary for
the continued survival of a particular species, or
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protect areas
with primitive or extraordinary characteristics. |
Ecological reserves are areas of the
province set aside because they contain a representative or unique
ecosystem, species, or natural phenomena. They may:
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provide for
scientific research and educational purposes in aspects of the natural
environment,
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preserve the habitat of an animal or plant species that
is rare or endangered,
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provide standards against which the effects
of development in other areas may be measured,
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provide an
opportunity for study of the recovery of ecosystems from the effects of
modification by human beings,
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preserve rare botanical, zoological,
geological or geographical characteristics,
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preserve representatives
of distinct ecosystems in the province, or
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preserve organisms in
their natural habitat to ensure the preservation of their gene pools. |
Wilderness Reserves include:
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Avalon Wilderness Reserve
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Bay du Nord Wilderness Reserve |
Ecological Reserves include:
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Hawke Hill Ecological Reserve
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Watts Point Ecological Reserve
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West Brook Ecological Reserve
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King George IV Ecological Reserve
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Redfir Lake - Kapitagas Channel
Ecological Reserve
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Fortune Head Ecological Reserve
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Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
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Table Point Ecological Reserve
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Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve
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Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve
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Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
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Burnt Island Provisional Ecological
Reserve
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Little Grand Lake Provisional
Ecological Reserve (currently being drafted) |
The following bird sanctuaries also are
considered reserves under the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act:
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Funk Island Seabird Sanctuary
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Hare Bay Seabird Sanctuary
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Gannet Islands Seabird Sanctuary |
For a detailed description of the above
reserves, please refer to the
Wilderness and Ecological Reserves
Act/Regulations or visit Parks
and Natural Areas.
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