Missinaibi Park Management Plan Copies of this publication are available at the following locations: Chapleau District Office Ontario Parks 190 Cherry Street Northeast Zone Office Chapleau, ON P0M 1K0 199 Larch Street, Suite 404 Tel: (705) 864-1710 ext. 214 Sudbury, ON P3E 5P9 Fax: (705) 864-0681 Tel: (705) 564-3170 Fax: (705) 564-3171 This publication is also available on-line at: www.ontarioparks.com © 2004 Queen’s Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario, Canada Cover Photo: Glassy Falls Planning questions can be addressed to: Ontario Parks Superintendent, Missinaibi Provincial Park Northeast Zone Office Chapleau District Office 199 Larch Street, Suite 404 190 Cherry Street Sudbury, ON P3E 5P9 Chapleau, ON P0M 1K0 Tel: (705) 564-3170 Tel: (705) 864-1710 ext. 214 Information related to Canadian Heritage River’s can be obtained at: www.chrs.ca 51259 (0.3 k, P.R. 04 03 31) 0-7778-8286-8 Cette publication est également disponible en français. Missinaibi Park Management Plan – 2004 APPROVAL STATEMENT I am pleased to approve the Missinaibi Park Management Plan as the official policy for the protection and management of Missinaibi Provincial Park, including the OLL Additions (P1542, P1543, P1544). The plan reflects the Ministry of Natural Resources’ and Ontario Parks’ intent to protect the natural and cultural features of Missinaibi Provincial Park and maintain and develop high quality opportunities for outdoor recreation and heritage appreciation for the residents of Ontario and visitors to the Province. The plan includes an implementation strategy and a summary of the public consultation that occurred as part of the planning process. The plan for Missinaibi Provincial Park will be used to guide the management of the park. It may be reviewed to address changing issues or conditions. Missinaibi River was nominated as a Canadian Heritage River for its unspoiled beauty, significant natural heritage features, and its importance to the history of Canada’s Aboriginal and fur trading route. This management plan will be submitted to the Canadian Heritage River’s Board as the final requirement for designating the Missinaibi River as a Canadian Heritage River. I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all those who participated in this important process. Yours truly, Barton Feilders Date A/Managing Director Ontario Parks Missinaibi Park Management Plan – 2004 i Table of Contents Section Title Page A Vision for the Future ___________________________________________________________ v Consideration of the Ministry of Natural Resource’s Statement of Environmental Values under the Environmental Bill of Rights _________________________________________________vii 1.0 Introduction ___________________________________________________________________ 1 2.0 Summary of Significant Issues ____________________________________________________ 3 2.1 Adjacent Forest Management ______________________________________________ 3 2.2 Access________________________________________________________________ 3 2.3 Motorized Travel________________________________________________________ 3 2.4 Waterway Boundary_____________________________________________________ 3 2.5 Tourism Development____________________________________________________ 3 2.6 Public Interest in Park Management Planning _________________________________ 4 2.7 Trapping ______________________________________________________________ 4 2.8 Private Recreation Camps Authorized by Land Use Permits ______________________ 4 3.0 Classification __________________________________________________________________ 4 4.0 Goal _________________________________________________________________________ 4 5.0 Objectives ____________________________________________________________________ 4 5.1 Protection_____________________________________________________________ 4 5.2 Heritage Appreciation____________________________________________________ 5 5.3 Recreation_____________________________________________________________ 5 5.4 Tourism_______________________________________________________________ 5 6.0 Park Boundary _________________________________________________________________ 5 7.0 Zoning _______________________________________________________________________ 6 7.1 Natural Environment Zones________________________________________________ 6 NE1 Missinaibi Lake ______________________________________________ 6 NE2 Quittagene Rapids ___________________________________________ 7 NE2-b Missinaibi-Hay River __________________________________________ 7 NE3 Swamp Portage Rapids _______________________________________ 7 NE3-b Missinaibi-East Addition _______________________________________ 7 NE4 Fire River __________________________________________________ 7 NE4-b Missinaibi River______________________________________________ 7 NE5 Brunswick Lake and River _____________________________________ 7 NE5-b Brunswick Lake and River, Foster Lake ___________________________ 8 NE6 Two Portage Falls____________________________________________ 8 NE6-b Rykert, Orkney, Magladery, Staunton, Eilber and Devitt Townships _____ 8 NE7 Rock Island Portage _________________________________________ 9 NE7-b Missinaibi-Thunder House Falls Addition __________________________ 9 NE8 Lowlands___________________________________________________ 9 NE8-b McBrien Township ___________________________________________ 9 NE8-b Pivabiskau River to Moose River Crossing________________________ 10 7.2 Historical Zones________________________________________________________ 10 H1 Fairy Point Pictographs_______________________________________ 10 H2 Snake Arm Bay_____________________________________________ 10 H3 Missinaibi Lake _____________________________________________ 11 H4 New Brunswick House _______________________________________ 11 H4-b New Brunswick House _______________________________________ 11 Missinaibi Park Management Plan – 2004 ii Table of Contents Section Title Page H5 Coal River _________________________________________________ 11 H6 Wapiscogamy ______________________________________________ 11 7.3 Nature Reserve Zones __________________________________________________ 11 NR1 Reva Island________________________________________________ 11 NR2 Hay River Cedar Swamp _____________________________________ 11 NR3 Peterbell Wetland ___________________________________________ 12 NR4-b Doherty Creek Wetlands______________________________________ 12 NR5 Elm and Ash Island__________________________________________ 12 NR6 Cretaceous Marine Sediments _________________________________ 12 NR7 Quaternary Glacial Drift ______________________________________ 12 NR7-b Quaternary Glacial Drift ______________________________________ 12 NR8 Moose River Basin Inter-till Fossil Deposits _______________________ 12 NR9 Hudson Bay Lowland Marine and Fossil Deposits __________________ 13 NR10 Northern Elm and Ash Island __________________________________ 13 7.4 Wilderness Zones______________________________________________________ 13 W1 Little Missinaibi Lake_________________________________________ 13 W2 Thunder House Falls ________________________________________ 13 7.5 Access Zones_________________________________________________________ 14 A1 Barclay Bay Road ___________________________________________ 14 A2 Peterbell __________________________________________________ 14 A3 Byng Creek ________________________________________________ 14 A4 Brunswick Lake_____________________________________________ 14 A5 Brunswick River ____________________________________________ 14 A6 Camp 95 Bridges ___________________________________________ 14 A7 Glassy Falls _______________________________________________ 14 A8 Rock Island Falls ___________________________________________ 14 A9 Skunk Island _______________________________________________ 15 A10 Bells Bay__________________________________________________ 15 A11 Crooked Lake ______________________________________________ 15 A12 Elbow Lake ________________________________________________ 15 7.6 Development Zones____________________________________________________ 15 D1 Barclay Bay Campground_____________________________________ 15 D2 Mattice-Val Côté ____________________________________________ 15 8.0 Resource Stewardship Policies ___________________________________________________ 16 8.1 Terrestrial Ecosystems__________________________________________________ 16 8.1.1 Adjacent Land Management ____________________________________ 16 Forest Management Planning and Forest Operations Adjacent to the Park _____________________________________________ 16 8.1.2 Vegetation Management_______________________________________ 18 Forest Fires______________________________________________ 18 Insects and Disease _______________________________________ 18 8.1.3 Mining_____________________________________________________ 18 General Policy for the Park and OLL Additions ___________________ 18 OLL Additions____________________________________________ 18 Aggregate Pits____________________________________________ 20 8.1.4 Commercial Tourism Operations _________________________________ 20 8.1.5 Hunt Camps_________________________________________________ 20 8.1.6 Private Recreation Camps ______________________________________ 20 8.1.7 Patent Property______________________________________________ 21 Cottages ________________________________________________ 21 Lodges__________________________________________________ 21 8.1.8 Land Disposition_____________________________________________ 21 Missinaibi Park Management Plan – 2004 iii Table of Contents Section Title