East side of Manitoba's Lake Winnipeg - heart of Canada's largest intact and roadless section of boreal forest wilderness. Industrial developments jeopardize this world-class wilderness.
East Side Lake Winnipeg
In the heart of North America lies a 100,000 square kilometre expanse of nearly pristine boreal forest and magnificent wild rivers that is threatened by proposed industrial forestry, mining, road-building and hydro-electric developments.This tract of Precambrian boreal forest is located in Eastern Manitoba and is known as the East Side Forest. The southern border of this forest is approximately 200 km northeast of Winnipeg. It is bounded by the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg to the west, the Manitoba-Ontario border to the east, and the Hudson’s Bay Lowlands to the north.
Mantario Wilderness, by Roger Turenne
The fact that much of Canada’s closed canopy boreal forest has been fragmented, in turn imperiling the biodiversity of the forest, presents a unique opportunity for Manitoba to be a forest preservation leader in Canada. Manitoba’s 100,000 square kilometer East Side Forest provides us with one last chance to “get it right” by putting the integrity of the forest ecosystem ahead of development. In addition, it is now clear that boreal forests play an important role in moderating global climate change. We have a global responsibility to ensure our actions do not diminish this significant portion of the lungs of the Earth.
Up Close with the East Side Forest Ecosystem
This region of predominantly closed canopy coniferous trees is underlain by Precambrian rock of several types, including sedimentary, igneous and volcanic. Precambrian rock outcrops and geology are major visual characteristics of the region. There is an abundance of poorly drained fens and bogs. Forest cover is predominantly a Spruce and Pine mixedwood forest interspersed with a few pure hardwood stands. White and Black Spruce, Jack Pine, Balsam, Poplar, Tamarack, Trembling Aspen and White Birch, Ash, Elm, and Maple can all be found in the East Side Forest. A wide diversity of shrubs, flowering plants, fungi, mosses and lichens are also part of the East Side Forest ecosystem. The area is home to many vegetation species, which are at the edge of their ranges. This diversity of vegetation naturally leads to a diversity of wildlife.
Woodland Caribou, by Scott Stewart
Many species of birds can be found across the area, including songbirds, the Bald Eagle and Osprey. Mammals also abound, including species-at-risk such as Woodland Caribou, Wolverine, and the Eastern Cougar. Scientific data has shown repeatedly that species such as Woodland Caribou are extremely sensitive to human activities and habitat fragmentation caused by clearcut logging and roads.
The cold oligotrophic lakes of the region are not overly “productive” in terms of tonnes of fish produced. However, they do support a wide diversity of aquatic species, including the “vulnerable” Chestnut Lamprey and pockets of Lake Sturgeon, which is important for historical and cultural reasons. Inappropriate logging practices are a threat to the water quality of the region’s lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands.
This area has been the traditional lands of many First Nations communities for thousands of years and supports their subsistence needs through hunting, trapping, fishing, and wild rice, fungi, berry and medicinal herb harvesting.
Flowing through the region are many of Manitoba’s and Canada’s most scenic, wild and ecologically diverse rivers. Included in these rivers are the Pigeon, Berens and the Bloodvein, which is Manitoba’s oldest member of the Canadian Heritage River System. Manitoba’s eastern rivers are the destination of many recreational canoeists and have the potential to support a sustainable community-driven ecotourism industry.
Bloodvein River Rapids
by Roger Turenne
Threats to Manitoba’s Boreal Forest
Logging: Tembec (formerly Pine Falls Paper Company) is seeking to increase its logging operations in the unallocated East Side Forest forest that remains largely undeveloped and unroaded at its core.Roads: Another threat to the East Side Forest is the proposed construction of an all-weather road through the heart of this undisturbed ecosystem.
Hydro: Manitoba Hydro is proposing to build a new hydro-electric generating station at Gull Rapids on the Nelson River. To bring the power from this station into Manitoba’s electrical power grid, Manitoba Hydro wants to build a new transmission line from Gull Rapids to Winnipeg. This transmission line would cut right through the middle of the East Side Forest where presently there are no high voltage transmission lines.
Mining: Although proposed mining developments planned for the region are unknown at this time, a significant number of exploration permits have been granted for the region. It also contains many pockets of greenstone belt. The mining industry has worked very hard to ensure that it has access to greenstone belts, at the expense of protected areas, in other areas of the province.
Land-use Planning for the East Side Forest
Thanks to the efforts of CPAWS members and others concerned about Canada’s northern forests, the Government of Manitoba announced in August 2000 that it would undertake a land-use planning process for the East Side Forest before allowing any further large-scale development to take place in the region.
While the first phase of the land use planning process determined that the province would not permit any major new timber allocations, it did allow consultations on the hydro transmission lines to proceed along with the study for the proposed all-weather road.
CPAWS Manitoba continues to track progress of the provincial government’s land use planning initiative for the East Side of Lake Winnipeg to ensure it will protect the ecological health of the area.
For more information on land-use planning for the East Side Forest, go to:
