Québec's geological heritage: geosites
Pierre Verpaelst
Direction de géologie Québec
In fall 2001, the gouvernement du Québec implemented
the Québec Protected Areas Strategy/QPAS (Stratégie
québécoise des aires protégées/SQAP).
This strategy stems from the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. During the conference,
the foundations of sustainable development for ensuring the equilibrium
and future of the planet were laid. The strategy includes the goal
of protecting 8% of the territory.
In December 2001, the Ministère des
Ressources naturelles, de la Faune et des Parcs (MRNFP) set
up a working group to develop a process for designating remarkable
or outstanding geological sites, also called geosites. The group
consists of representatives from the mining industry, universities,
professional organizations, and the MRNFP. The working group's objectives
are:
- to prepare an action plan;
- to develop a process for designating geosites;
- to submit it for consultation; and
- to implement it in 2004.
Why
protect geological sites?
What
is a geosite?
Where
are the geosites that need protection?
How
can geosites be protected?
When
will the geosites actually be designated?
References
QUÉBEC, MINISTÈRE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT,
1999 - Aires protégées au Québec : Contexte,
constats et enjeux, 64 pages.
QUÉBEC, MINISTÈRE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT,
2002 - Les aires protégées au Québec :
une garantie pour l’avenir, Plan d’action stratégique,
premiers résultats, 44 pages.
BOUCHARD, Michel, 2002 - La notion de géosites
et géoparcs et les sites géologiques exceptionnels
(SGE), Ordre des géologues du Québec, 9 pages.
PRICHONNET, G., 2001 - La notion de géosites
et de géoparcs et son application à la Stratégie
québécoise sur les aires protégées,
Association professionnelle des géologues et géophysiciens
du Québec, 12 pages.
UNESCO, 2000, Report by the Director-General
on the feasibility study on developing a UNESCO Geosites/Geoparks
Programme, Executive Board, 160th session.
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