MONTREAL - Half of the Quebec north, a chunk of land the size of France, will be protected against the development
The area unveiled at a press conference Friday will be left untouched by hydro-electric dams, mining and wind farms; no roads will be built and no logging will be permitted.
Northern Quebec boasts the world's largest supply of fresh water, the largest intact forest ecosystem on earth, the planet's largest carbon storehouse and it represents one quarter of Canada's boreal forest.
Premier Jean Charest has promised an suitably massive plan to harness the natural wealth of the area in the massive, upcoming Northern Plan.
And on Friday his Environment Minister Pierre Arcand described what parts of that great north would be off limits from development.
"There's going to be hydroelectric projects, Hydro Quebec has indicated there are areas where they think they should continue to develop some hydroelectric projects," said Environment Minister Pierre Arcand.
Some opponents have pointed out that the government has given itself until 2035 to fully protect that area of 600,000 square kilometers.
Richard Brooks of Greenpeace would like to see the most vulnerable parts protected promptly.
"The more responsible thing to do is to determine which areas of wilderness need to be protected because they are highly sensitive, because they are of significant ecological value, and then after that determine where development can happen," said Brooks, a Greenpeace representative.
