Canadian nesting zones are broad, general areas, corresponding roughly to Bird Conservation Regions (version 2014. updates have been made in 2022) https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/avoiding-harm-migratory-birds/general-nesting-periods/nesting-periods.html The limits of nesting zones reflect: - variations in species diversity - variations in mean annual temperature - similarities in the nesting periods within and between zones Changes in the nesting period between adjacent nesting zones occur as a gradient. When working near the boundary of a zone, you should also consider the nesting period of the adjacent zone.. More detail technical information are available here: https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.843362/publication.html Warning: This technical information on timing of nesting migratory birds are published by EC to support the planning of activities in order to reduce the risk of detrimental effects to migratory birds, their nests and eggs. This technical information constitutes advice only. This information does not provide an authorization for harming or killing migratory birds or for the disturbance, destruction or taking of nests or eggs as prohibited under the MBR. This information does not provide a guarantee that the activities will avoid contravening the MBR or other laws and regulations. This is general information not intended to be relied on as official advice concerning the legal consequences of any specific activity. It is not a substitute for the MBCA, the MBR, or any other legislation. It is the responsibility of individuals and companies to assess their risk with regards to migratory birds and design relevant avoidance and mitigation measures.

Matrix representation of surface materials by RVBI aerial photographs. Identification of vegetated and mineralized areas for the purposes of planning and management of the territory.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

***** This project was carried out by Environment and Climate Change Canada in collaboration with the MDDELCC as part of the St. Lawrence Action Plan (PASL). Since 1988, the governments of Canada and Quebec have worked together to conserve and enhance the St. Lawrence River as part of the St. Lawrence Action Plan (PASL). One of the projects identified under the theme of biodiversity conservation is the development of an integrated plan for the conservation of natural environments and biodiversity in the St. Lawrence. Identifying priority natural environments for the conservation of biodiversity was the first step in this planning exercise. However, planning for the conservation of natural environments requires having a fair, reliable, accurate and current image of the spatial distribution of ecosystems in the study area. In order to produce an Atlas of territories of interest for conservation in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, an updated mapping of land use in this vast territory was therefore undertaken. This project required the obtaining of reliable information on the natural environments of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Although numerous and excellent cartographic products already exist to delimit different types of environments, they often cover well-circumscribed regions and it was therefore particularly important to obtain a homogeneous product throughout the territory. At the same time, this makes it possible to obtain the best information on its various components: Agricultural, aquatic, anthropogenic, wooded, humid environments as well as wastelands and bare soils. The mapping of land use in the St. Lawrence Lowlands is thus mainly based on grouping and improving the best existing products for each of the themes.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Since 1988, the governments of Canada and Quebec have been working together to conserve, restore, protect and develop the St. Lawrence River under the St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP). One of the projects identified under the theme of biodiversity conservation is the development of an integrated plan for the conservation of the natural environments and biodiversity of the St. Lawrence River. The identification of priority sites for conservation has been the first step of this planning exercise. Conservation planning of natural environments requires a reliable, accurate and up-to-date image of the spatial distribution of ecosystems in the study area. In order to produce an Atlas of Priority Sites for Conservation in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, an updated cartography of the land cover of this vast territory was undertaken. This project required obtaining reliable information on the natural environments of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Although several land cover mapping projects have been conducted for specific types of habitats, it was particularly important to obtain a homogeneous product that would cover the entire territory and that would provide the most detailed information on its various thematic components: agricultural, aquatic, human-modified and forest environments, wetlands as well as old fields and bare ground. The methodology used to produce the land cover mapping of the St. Lawrence Lowlands thus relied mainly on combining and enhancing the best existing products for each theme. This project was made in collaboration with MDDELCC as part of the St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP).

__The link: * Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset description sheets; Additional information*__. Hydrographic derivatives from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) were produced as part of the provincial LiDAR sensor data acquisition project. These products provide information on the geographical position of water flow beds on the territory as well as their nature (permanent or intermittent watercourse). These layers represent the path that water should take depending on the topography. It is therefore a potential flow bed that does not take into account the nature of the surface deposit or underground pipes. These vector layers are preliminary and do not replace reference hydrographic layers such as the Quebec Hydrographic Network Geobase (GRHQ). They are primarily used to support forest operations. These layers will also be improved over the coming years thanks to a collective effort by two ministries, namely the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF) and the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, and Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP). Data on potential flow beds are distributed, as of March 2022, by water drainage unit (UDH), a division that respects the natural boundaries of the watershed. This division uses the same codes and approximately the same spatial limits of the UDHs of the GRHQ. Data for each UDH is available in Geodatabase (GDB) or GeoPackage (GPKG) format.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: * Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset description sheets; Additional information*__. Products derived from lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) are generated as part of the [__provincial lidar sensor data acquisition project__] (https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/documents/forets/inventaire/Analyse_retombees_lidar-Finale.pdf). It is therefore to facilitate the use of raw lidar data and optimize its benefits that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF) generated and made available products derived from lidar in a user-friendly format. Lidar technology makes it possible to accurately provide information such as ground altitude, forest cover height (canopy), slopes, and contour lines. Here is the list of the five derived products: + Digital terrain model (spatial resolution: 1 m) + Digital terrain model in shaded relief (spatial resolution: 2 m) + Canopy height model (spatial resolution: 1 m) + Slopes (spatial resolution: 2 m) + Slopes (spatial resolution: 2 m) + Level curve (interval of: 1 m) This data covers almost the entire territory of Quebec south of the 52nd parallel. This map is distributed by map sheet at a scale of 1/20,000. __Note 1:__ The resolution of the following products (digital terrain model, digital terrain model in shaded relief, canopy height model and slopes) has been slightly degraded in visualization in the interactive map to ensure efficient display. __Note 2:__ The planimetric and altimetric accuracy of the curves is variable, but inevitably lower than that of the lidar surveys used to generate them. Moreover, it is recommended to use these level curves only for visual representations, and not for quantitative analyses.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

High-resolution relief data produced from LiDAR surveys and limited to crop plots are particularly useful in the agricultural sector since they make it possible to model surface drainage in order to identify drainage problems or the risks of soil erosion. Agronomic interpretation will take advantage of this information not only in the form of the numerical terrain model and the shading, but also with the level curves, flow paths and basins located inside the cultivated plots, as delimited by the database of declared agricultural plots and productions (BDPPAD) of the Financière Agricole du Québec (FADQ). Level curves of 1 m covering the entire treated territory excluding cultivated plots (agricultural, forest, urban, etc.) are also available. These new data are the result of a collaboration between the MRNF and the MAPAQ, and they are offered thanks to the open valorization of data initially derived from LiDAR to the MRNF Forest Inventory Directorate (DIF). We hope that this data will support better soil and water management interventions, in order to mitigate the consequences of climate change, and to promote sustainable agriculture.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: * Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset description sheets; Additional information*__. As part of the provincial LiDAR sensor data acquisition project, a topographic humidity index or *Topographic Wetness Index* (TWI) was produced from the digital terrain model derived from aerial LiDAR (*Light Detection and Ranging*). The matrix layers thus produced provide information on the potential for water accumulation on the territory as a function of the slope and accumulation at a given pixel.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

These thematic layers present the location of the protection areas of category 1 water withdrawal sites as defined in article 51 of the Water Withdrawal and Protection Regulation (RPEP). For groundwater withdrawals, protection areas and their vulnerability levels are determined according to the requirements of articles 53, 54, 57 and 65 of the RPEP. The areas for the protection of surface water withdrawals are determined according to the requirements of articles 70, 72 and 74 of the RPEP. The protection areas and vulnerability levels were compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) based on vulnerability analysis reports that were produced by municipalities under articles 68 and 75 of the RPEP. According to the manager, the vulnerability analysis reports were produced by professionals, representatives of watershed organizations (OBV) or representatives of regional consultation tables (TCR).**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Location of public schools (French-speaking, English-speaking and special status) as well as private and governmental schools for preschool, primary, secondary, vocational training and adult education. In addition, the location of educational institutions in the college and university networks is also available.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**