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Restoration and protection of Pessamit spit
The landscape has dramatically changed on the Pessamit spit, located on the Upper North Shore. Where once stood eroded shorelines, strewn with litter and scattered dunes criss-crossed by ATV tracks, visitors are now greeted by the prospect of a clean and verdant shoreline, interrupted only by a few well-marked trails.
This green renaissance of a high-value ecosystem in the estuary of the Betsiamites River is the result of a project carried out by the Rive Nord de l’Estuaire ZIP Committee in collaboration with the Conseil des Innus de Pessamit [Innu Council of Pessamit], and thanks to the financial participation of the Community Interaction Program and the Fondation de la faune du Québec.
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| Photo: Rive nord de l'estuaire ZIP Committee |
In addition to the clean-up of 3 km of shoreline by the community of Pessamit in the fall of 2007, some 6000 seedlings of native plants abundant in the region were planted in the spring of 2008. As well, 300 m of fencing was installed to reduce the number of ATV tracks and an explanatory sign has been put up to help users understand the importance of protecting this ecosystem.
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| Photo: Rive nord de l'estuaire ZIP Committee |
Indeed, awareness-raising was the focus of the project. Not only was a pamphlet distributed to all the homes on the reserve, but several radio interviews and articles in the local newspaper dealt with the restoration and the protection of Pessamit spit.
Young people were a particular focus of attention. During a family day, all the elementary school pupils were invited to plant a pine tree on the site to be restored, while Secondary 5 students from the Uashkaikan school took part in several activities, including a cultural exchange during which they carried out preliminary field work with Brazilian and Canadian members of Canada World Youth.
Another noteworthy point, the key messages of the awareness-raising documents were translated into the Innu language.
For more information, contact:
Rive Nord de l’Estuaire ZIP Committee
57 Place LaSalle, Baie-Comeau
Tel.: 418-296-0404
E-mail: zip.rne@zipnord.qc.ca
Date modified: 2008/10/27 – Important Notices
