Biodiversity reserves of Quebec

The main difference from national parks is that there is no systematic development or establishment of service infrastructure or recreational or educational activities organized by the government. In addition, hunting and trapping activities, occupations such as vacationing and recreational activities such as hiking, biking, snowmobiling or motor boating are permitted. These are protected areas where, in general, only industrial activities exploiting natural resources are prohibited, while access and traffic are free.

Biodiversity reserves are managed by the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks.

Biodiversity reserve, along with aquatic reserve, is a status set up to provide Québec with a network of protected areas that must include representative samples of all types of ecosystems. This level of representation is determined by the Quebec Reference Ecological Framework, which ensures an adequate spatial distribution of protected areas in Quebec.

The ministry has set aside several territories for the creation of future biodiversity reserves. In general, this proposed status is valid for a period of 4 years. Some of the proposed biodiversity reserves protect areas that are under study with a view to creating national parks: