Location of local and regional wildlife protection offices.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Territory of the districts of the Direction Générale de la Protection de la Faune du Québec. These territories represent the administrative boundaries of the territories covered by the various wildlife protection districts.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Territorial division of the province of Quebec into fur harvesting management units. The data has been digitized at a scale of 1:250,000. __Warning:__ The MFFP cannot guarantee the accuracy of this Data and cannot be held responsible for the conclusions obtained as a result of the use of this Data. The MFFP will not assume any responsibility for any damage suffered as a result of the use of this Data. This cartographic compilation of fur animal management units has no legal significance; only the documents filed have legal force.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

## #Mise with caution and limitations of data use: * ** The report by Lesmerises and St-Laurent (2018) must be cited when using this file (see Literature section). ** * The distribution area of the mountain caribou population of Gaspesia in this file represents the state of knowledge on the use of land by montane caribou between 1988 and 2016. * Information on the distribution of the Gaspesie mountain caribou population in this file represents the state of knowledge on land use by montane caribou between 1988 and 2016. * Information on the distribution of the Gaspesie mountain caribou population in this file represents the state of knowledge on land use by montane caribou between 1988 and 2016. * Information on the distribution of the Gaspesie mountain caribou population in this file represents the state of knowledge on land use by montane caribou between 1988 and 2016. * Information on the distribution of the local population does not allow us to establish with certainty that caribou are absent in territories outside of this range. * The range is subject to change, depending on new telemetry data that will be acquired, the refinement of our local knowledge and changes in the patterns of land use by caribou. ## #Description of the range of the local population of woodland caribou, mountain ecotype, population of Gaspésie The data represent the range of woodland caribou, mountain ecotype, population of Gaspesie (hereinafter mountain caribou of Gaspesie). The file contains the polygon and the name assigned to the population, the period covered by the telemetry data used during the delimitation exercise, and the date of the last update. The information contained in the file of occurrences of species in a precarious situation of the Quebec Natural Heritage Data Center (CDPNQ) is also present in the file (CDPNQ occurrence number, French, English and scientific name of the species, the type of occurrence, the rank of precariousness (rank S) and the status under the Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species, see MELCCFP 2023 for a description of these fields.). ## #Contexte of the publication The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (hereinafter MELCCFP) is responsible for the monitoring and management of mountain caribou in Gaspésie (Government of Quebec, 2021 a, b). The local population has been identified as the appropriate monitoring and management scale for this species since each population may face different threats depending on the habitat and socio-economic context in which it is found (Environment Canada, 2008). The local population is defined as a group of caribou occupying a defined territory that is spatially distinct from the territories occupied by other caribou groups. The dynamics of the local population are determined primarily by local factors influencing birth and mortality rates, rather than by the contributions or losses resulting from immigration or emigration between groups. As a result, the range of the local population of mountain caribou in Gaspésie is defined as the geographic area where a group of individuals exposed to similar factors influencing their demographics live and which meets the needs of their life cycle during a given period (e.g. calving, rutting, wintering). In 2018, Lesmerises and St-Laurent produced the report *Influence of the rate of habitat disturbance, regional coyote abundance, and predator control on the demographic parameters of the Gaspesia-Atlantic caribou population* report presented to the Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada). One of the objectives of the report was to delineate the range of this population. The MELCCFP uses the distribution area delimited by Lesmerises and St-Laurent (2018) as part of the monitoring and management of mountain caribou in Gaspésie. For any questions related to the Lesmerises and St-Laurent report (2018), please contact Mr. St-Laurent ([Martin-hugues_St-laurent@uqar.ca] (mailto: Martin-hugues_St-laurent@uqar.ca)). ## #Méthodologie in a nutshell The methodology below is a summary of that described in Lesmerises and St-Laurent (2018). Telemetry data from three follow-ups carried out during different periods of time were used (1988-1991, 1998-2008 and 2013-2016). The caribou were equipped with VHF collars during the first two follow-ups. Aerial flights were carried out at various times in order to locate the caribou. During the follow-up from 2013 to 2016, the caribou were equipped with GPS/Argos collars programmed to acquire locations every 2 or 3 hours depending on the collar model used. The range of the mountain caribou population in Gaspesie was defined by estimating a minimum convex polygon comprising 99% of telemetry locations plus a 10 km buffer zone. Finally, the parts superimposed on the St. Lawrence River were removed. ## #Littérature Environment Canada. 2008. Scientific review for the identification of critical habitat for the boreal population of woodland caribou (*Rangifer tarandus caribou*) in Canada. August 2008. Ottawa: Environment Canada. 80 pp. + 192 pp. appendices. Government of Quebec. 2021 a. Monitoring system for forest caribou populations in Quebec and mountain caribou in Gaspésie 2020-2031: summary document, Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Directorate of Expertise on Terrestrial Wildlife, Herpetofauna and Avifauna, 16 pp. Government of Quebec. 2021 b. Literature review on the factors involved in the decline of forest caribou populations in Quebec and mountain caribou in Gaspésie, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction of expertise on terrestrial fauna, herpetofauna and avifauna, 244 pp. + 15p. appendices Lesmerises, F. and M.-H. St-Laurent. 2018. Influence of the rate of habitat disturbance, regional coyote abundance, and predator control on the demographic parameters of the caribou population in Gaspesia-Atlantique. Scientific report submitted to Environment Canada — Canadian Wildlife Service, Rimouski (Quebec). 22 pp. + 8 appendices. Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP). 2023. The Quebec Natural Heritage Data Center — Information document, Government of Quebec, Quebec, 32 pp.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

## #Description of the distribution areas of local populations of woodland caribou, forest ecotype, in Quebec The data represent the ranges of the 13 local populations and two areas of knowledge acquisition of woodland caribou, a forest ecotype in Quebec (hereinafter forest caribou). The file contains the polygons and the name assigned to each population or knowledge acquisition sector, the period covered by the telemetry data used during the delimitation exercise, and the date these boundaries were last updated. The information contained in the file of occurrences of species in a precarious situation of the Quebec Natural Heritage Data Center (CDPNQ) is also present in the file (CDPNQ occurrence number, French, English and scientific name of the species, the type of occurrence, the rank of precariousness [rank S] and the status under the Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species, see MELCCFP 2023 for a description of these fields.). ## #Contexte The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (hereinafter MELCCFP) is responsible for the monitoring and management of forest caribou in Quebec (Government of Quebec, 2021 a). In 2017-2018, the MELCCFP improved its monitoring activities in order to obtain an accurate and up-to-date portrait of the situation of the various populations on its territory (see [Literature review on the factors involved in the decline of caribou populations in Quebec, Government of Quebec] (https://consultation.quebec.ca/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBjZz09IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--45f10ff67d1f9e80ca714b08f984b5965760abd3/RevueLitterature_CaribouVF.pdf), 2021 b). The local population has been identified as the appropriate monitoring and management scale for this species since each population may face different threats depending on the habitat and socio-economic context in which it is found (Environment Canada, 2008). It is within this framework that the work to identify and delimit the distribution areas of forest caribou populations carried out in 2021-2022 is part of. The local population is defined as a group of caribou occupying a defined territory that is spatially distinct from the territories occupied by other caribou groups. The dynamics of the local population are determined primarily by local factors influencing birth and mortality rates, rather than by the contributions or losses resulting from immigration or emigration between groups. Therefore, the ranges of local forest caribou populations in this file are defined as the geographic area where a group of individuals exposed to similar factors influencing their demographics live and which meets the needs of their life cycle over a given period of time (e.g. calving, rutting, wintering). Note that for the two knowledge acquisition sectors, Baie-James and Matamec, the number of caribou monitored and the temporal scale of monitoring do not allow to date clearly conclude that they are distinct local populations or to associate these caribou with an adjacent population. ## #Méthodologie in short The forest caribou populations in Charlevoix and Val-d'Or were excluded from the following manipulations, as their geographic isolation is sufficient to demonstrate that they are local populations distinct from other caribou groups. A minimal convex polygon was made using 100% of telemetry data from 2004-2012 and 2017-2021 for the population of Charlevoix and from 1986 to 2020 for that of Val-d'Or. For other forest caribou populations, telemetry data from collars placed on caribou by the MELCCFP and various partners (Université Laval, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Hydro-Québec, Government of Ontario and Government of Ontario and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) were used to identify and delimit the distribution areas of local populations. The data ranges from 2001 to 2021, but the period covered by the data varies by sector of study (see field: Layer tempo for information). Forest caribou populations in Quebec were identified by assigning caribou monitored by telemetry to a population using the fuzzy classification method (*c-mean fuzzy clustering*; Schaefer et al., 2001; Schaefer et al., 2001; Schaefer and Wilson, 2002). This method aims to unite individuals into groups in order to maximize the distance between members of distinct groups and to minimize the distance between members of the same group. Centroids from individual home ranges were used in this analysis. The ranges were delineated by creating minimal convex polygons including 100% of caribou locations (100% MCP) assigned to a population. For the Baie-James sector, the area was delimited by removing the overlaps between the area inventoried in 2020 (Szor and Gingras, 2020) and the distribution areas of the surrounding local populations. For the Matamec sector, the area represents the non-overlap between the distribution area of the local population of the Lower North Shore and a minimal convex polygon encompassing all telemetry data for caribou in the Matamec sector and the local Lower North Shore population. The acquisition of knowledge on the distribution of caribou and the presence of distinct populations continues in the Baie-James sector (Nord-du-Québec) and the Matamec sector (Côte-Nord). The last update was made in 2021-2022. ## #Mise on guard and limitations of data use: * The ranges of forest caribou populations in Quebec in this file represent the state of knowledge on land use by caribou between 2001 and 2021. * The ranges of the Detour and Nottaway populations overlap both the province of Quebec and that of Ontario, while the ranges of the populations Caniapiscau, Lower North Shore, Lac Joseph and Joir River also straddle the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Only the portion of the ranges of forest caribou populations in the province of Quebec is presented in the file. * Information on the ranges of local populations does not make it possible to establish with certainty that caribou is absent in territories outside the ranges. * The ranges represent areas where it is likely to find caribou belonging to the same population. They do not make it possible to identify the sectors used more or less strongly by caribou in this population or the sectors used by caribou to move within the range or from one population to another (connectivity sectors). * The ranges are subject to change, depending on the new telemetry data that will be acquired, the refinement of our local knowledge and the modifications of land use patterns by caribou. ## #Littérature Environment Canada. 2008. Scientific review for the identification of critical habitat for the boreal population of woodland caribou (*Rangifer tarandus caribou*) in Canada. August 2008. Ottawa: Environment Canada. 80 pp. + 192 p. appendices Government of Quebec. 2021 a. Monitoring system for forest caribou populations in Quebec and mountain caribou in Gaspésie 2020-2031: summary document, Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Directorate of Expertise on Terrestrial Wildlife, Herpetofauna and Avifauna, 16 pp. Government of Quebec. 2021 b. Literature review on the factors involved in the decline of forest caribou populations in Quebec and mountain caribou in Gaspésie, Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Directorate of Expertise on Terrestrial Wildlife, Herpetofauna and Avifauna, 244 pp. + 15p. appendices Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP). 2023. The Quebec Natural Heritage Data Center — Information document, Government of Quebec, Quebec, 32 pp. Schaefer, J.A., Veitch, A.M., Harrington, F.H., Harrington, F.H., Brown, W.K., Theberge, J.B., & Luttich, S.N. 2001. Fuzzy structure and spatial dynamics of a declining woodland caribou population. *Oecologia*, 126 (4), 507—514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004420000555 Schaefer, J.A., & Wilson, C. C. 2002. The fuzzy structure of populations. *Canadian Journal of Zoology*, 80 (12), 2235—2241. https://doi.org/10.1139/z02-184 Szor, G, and G. Gingras. 2020. Aerial inventory of forest caribou (*Rangifer tarandus caribou*) in the James Bay, Rupert and La Grande sectors, Nord-du-Québec, in winter 2020, Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Direction de la gestion de la fauna du Nord-du-Québec, 31 p.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The data represent the distribution of species of amphibians, reptiles, reptiles, terrestrial mammals and freshwater and migratory fish in Quebec. The files represent: amphibians: 21 reptile species: 17 species terrestrial mammals: 17 species terrestrial mammals: 69 species freshwater and migratory fish species: 118 species The ranges were established on the basis of various sources of information and validated by the Main Directorate of Expertise on Terrestrial Wildlife (DPEFT), the Main Directorate for Threatened or Vulnerable Species (DPEFT), the Main Directorate of Threatened or Vulnerable Species (DPEMV) and the Main Directorate of Expertise on Aquatic Wildlife (DPEFA) of the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP). The ranges of species of _freshwater and migratory fish_ are also illustrated in the [“Freshwater Fish of Quebec”] poster (https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/faune/documents/animaux/affiche-poissons-eau-douce.pdf). Some ranges have changed slightly since they were included in the poster. __There may be differences between the ranges of the species presented in the files and the current spatial distribution of the species.__ The ranges were produced on a small scale, they provide indicative information on the presence of the species in Quebec. The cards are the property of MELCCFP. __Atten:__ The ranges of marine mammals that frequent the coasts of the province of Quebec are not included in this dataset.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

In order to effectively fight against aquatic invasive species, the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks has formulated a series of best practices. Among these good practices, cleaning watercraft greatly reduces the risks of dispersal of aquatic invasive species, whether animals or plants. In recent years, several municipalities in Quebec have installed cleaning stations (permanent or mobile), near water bodies, in order to protect them from the arrival of new invasive species or to reduce the risks of dispersion. The MELCCFP participated in this effort by funding several cleaning stations through its funding program. In order to facilitate the planning of nautical activities for citizens, it is important to make the location of these cleaning stations available. Thus, this dataset lists the location, address and name of known cleaning stations in Quebec. __WARNINGS:__ * The identification of these stations was carried out in collaboration with the Reunification of organizations of watersheds of Quebec and the Laurentides Regional Environment Council, as part of projects funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as the organizations managing the stations. There may be a time lag between the position listed in the data set and the actual location of the station. If you notice such a discrepancy, please inform the data set managers so that the necessary corrections can be made. * The “mobile” cleaning stations were positioned at their most frequent locations during the year. Depending on the season and current events in a locality, mobile stations may not be parked at the location listed. __** Update **__ * If you believe that information is incorrect for one of the stations, please send [DEFA@mffp.gouv.qc.ca] (mailto: DEFA@mffp.gouv.qc.ca) the information that needs to be changed to [] (mailto:) the information that needs to be changed, including the unique identifier of the station (__Station_Identifier__ field) in question.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

## #Description This database contains the coordinates of observations of fish and invertebrates, which are exotic and invasive, known by the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) in Quebec (MELCCFP) in Quebec as of May 2024. An aquatic invasive species is a plant, animal, or microorganism (virus, bacteria, or fungus) that is introduced outside of its natural range, colonizes new sites or regions at a rapid rate, and can form dominant populations. Its establishment or spread can pose a threat to the environment, economy, or society. ## #Les observations come from a variety of sources such as: * scientific sampling conducted by the MELCCFP and by other governmental or non-profit organizations; * references from citizens who contacted MELCCFP customer service directly or using tools such as Sentinel and iNaturalist; * accidental catches by commercial fishermen who are members of the Saint Lawrence Exotic Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection Network. For more information on the control of aquatic invasive species, introduction factors, or prevention methods, consult the following web page: [Management of exotic invasive animal species] (https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/faune/gestion-faune-habitats-fauniques/gestion-especes-exotiques-envahissantes-animales). To help you identify the various species of freshwater fish in Quebec (native and invasive), use the iPêche mobile application (available [here] (https://www.quebec.ca/tourisme-et-loisirs/activites-sportives-et-de-plein-air/peche-sportive/identifier-poisson-ipeche)), which is free and developed by the Government of Quebec. This application allows voluntary reporting of catches for wildlife research purposes. ## #Mises on guard * __Please consult the PDF document for the list of acronyms and references used in the database “Invasive exotic aquatic fauna in Quebec” .__ * The data is not exhaustive. Thus, the absence of information in a given territory does not mean that there is no invasive aquatic fauna there. * The observations transmitted by means of photographs are validated by experts, but have not all been subject to field validation by the MELCCFP. * The observations may have been subject to changes since their integration into the database (e.g. control action).**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

This habitat quality model shows the probability of the presence of short-eared owls in southern Quebec during the nesting season. It is based on species presence data and a modeling of several environmental variables of interest to the species during the nesting period. The model is based on 64 ha analysis units, i.e. cells with a side length of 800 meters. For more details, for example on the study area, the data used and the modeling carried out, consult the following report [“Habitat quality model for the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) in southern Quebec”] (https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/faune/documents/habitats/RA_modele-qualite-habitat_hibou_marais.pdf). ### What is an MQH? A habitat quality model (HQM) is a “rough representation” of the preferred habitat of a wildlife species. For general information, consult the [“Habitat Quality Assessment”] page (https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/faune/gestion-faune-habitats-fauniques/habitats-fauniques/evaluation-qualite-habitats). ### WARNING The MQH was developed primarily in order to determine the sectors with the best potential to shelter the target species, in order to prioritize inventories. The models developed have limitations and therefore cannot be used to confirm the absence of a species at a given location. Consult the [“The benefits and limitations of habitat quality models”] section (https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/faune/gestion-faune-habitats-fauniques/habitats-fauniques/evaluation-qualite-habitats#c159177) on the “Habitat Quality Assessment” page for general information or the [report] (https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/faune/documents/habitats/RA_modele-qualite-habitat_hibou_marais.pdf) for information specific to the short-eared owl MQH.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Wildlife Habitats (HAFA) contains data for the 11 legal wildlife habitats located on land under the domain of the State and is protected under the Wildlife Habitat Regulations (RHF). There are also HAFAs located on mixed and private lands for information purposes. Since they are essential environments for wildlife, the eleven habitats benefit from legal protection in Quebec. __The conservation of wildlife species and their habitats is beneficial for biodiversity. Each of these species plays an important role in our ecosystems.__ ### #Mise on guard: The digital version of geo-descriptive data describing wildlife habitats is produced from a legal perspective of location, protection and management of habitats. In fact, only the digital version that has been published in the Official Gazette of Quebec is recognized as legal. Last publication of wildlife habitats: November 17, 2022.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**