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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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CHARLEVOIX |
 © Photo: Charles Roberge |
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| General Description |
Situated some 80 km east of Quebec City, Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve borders the Saint Lawrence River to the north. Extending from 5 to 1,150 meters above sea level, the area comprises agricultural areas, river ecosystems, estuarine tidal marshes and flats, coniferous and mixed forests, stunted vegetation (krummholz) and mountain tundra ecosystems. About 30,000 people live in the biosphere reserve (1988), which covers 457,000 hectares. In former times, the population of Charlevoix used to rely on the river and the sea, for example on coastal navigation, marine constructions and fisheries (e.g. beluga, eel). Today, the economic landscape has diversified and major factors in the local economy are now forestry, silica mining, agriculture and tourism. The forest education centre ‘Les Palissades’ or the ecological center ‘Port-au-Saumon’ are important institutions for environmental education in the area. A five-year action plan (1999-2003) currently tries to promote the divers goals of a biosphere reserve. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Boreal needleleaf forests or woodlands | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Maple forests including paper birch (Betula papyriferae), alder (Alnus spp.) and elm (Ulmus spp.) and with an understory of sumac (Rhus typhina), Acer pensylvanicum and Cornus alternifolia; mixed fir (Abies sp.) forest with Corylus cornuta, Sambucus pubens and Taxus canadensis; boreal forests up to an altitude of 300m with fir and spruce (Picea spp.); estuarine tidal marsh and flats dominated by Scirpus americanus meadows including Zizania palustris, Sagittaria cuneata and S. latifolia; tundra with ericaceous zones consisting of Kalmia spp., Ledum groenlandicum; stunted vegetation community (krummolz) with Picea mariana and Abies balsamea; agroecosystems with cereals, fruits and legumes; river ecosystems | |||
| Location | 47°15' to 48°05'N; 69°55' to 71°10'W | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 560,000 | |||
| Core area(s) | 65,000 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 495,000 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | ||||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | 0 to +1,170 | |||
| Year designated | 1988 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Corporation de la reserve mondiale de la biosphere de Charlevoix | |||
| Last updated: 2/26/2007 |
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