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Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve

Coordinates: 50°13′N 63°10′W / 50.217°N 63.167°W / 50.217; -63.167
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Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Monoliths of the Mingan Archipelago
Map showing the location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Map showing the location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve in Canada
Map showing the location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Map showing the location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve
Location of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve in Quebec
LocationHavre-Saint-Pierre / Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Minganie Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada
Nearest citySept-Îles, Quebec
Coordinates50°13′N 63°10′W / 50.217°N 63.167°W / 50.217; -63.167
Area151 km2 (58 sq mi)
Established1984
Visitors28,862 (in 2007)
Governing bodyParks Canada
Official nameSite patrimonial de l'Archipel-de-Mingan
TypeDeclared heritage site
Designated1978-11-15

Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve or Mingan Archipelago Heritage Site bathes in the waters of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the administrative region of Côte-Nord, in the municipality of Havre-Saint -Pierre, facing Anticosti Island.

Accessible by sea or by air, the reserve protects a thousand islands, islets of rocks, cays and limestone reefs in a mosaic of several ecosystems coexisting on small island surfaces.

The reserve is home to the largest concentration of erosion monoliths in Canada, important fossil sites, unique ecological environments, alpine arctic flora, including the Mingan thistle, seabirds with the largest concentrations of Arctic terns, Common terns and Common eiders of the St. Lawrence.[1] [2]' [3]' [4]

Geography

La Grande Dame monolith, 2003

The islands formed as the continent slowly rose after the last glaciation. Over the course of the last few thousand years, the limestone rocks were slowly eroded by the waves, the changing sea level and the winds, as well as seasonal freezing and thawing. The result is a unique set of limestone sculptures, which form the largest group of such monoliths in Canada.

Mingan Archipelago was represented in the 2011 documentary film series National Parks Project, with its film directed by Catherine Martin and scored by Sebastien Grainger, Jennifer Castle and Dan Werb.

Fauna

Animals that inhabit this national park are beavers, river otters, muskrats, silver foxes, red squirrels, snowshoe hares, red foxes, ermines, certain species of bats and a number of small rodents. Occasionally, black bears and moose can be found on certain islands near the coast. Birds found on the islands include warblers, buntings, bald eagles, ospreys, passerines, eiders, terns, puffins, razorbills, and shorebirds. Marine animals that inhabit offshore are grey seals, minke whales, dolphins, harbour seals, humpback whales, porpoises, fin whales, and harp seals.

Photos

  • Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve 1976
  • Islands, islets, rocks, cays, reefs
    Islands, islets, rocks, cays, reefs
  • South Quarry Island, monoliths, limestone formations, boreal forest
    South Quarry Island, monoliths, limestone formations, boreal forest
  • La Grande-Île, monoliths, St Lawrence Golf
    La Grande-Île, monoliths, St Lawrence Golf

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-12. Oddly shaped rock pillars sculpted by wind and sea create the unique islandscape of the natural reserve
  2. ^ "Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve". Government of Canada. 2022-11-19. Retrieved 2024-01-10. Several animal and plant species present on the islands of the Mingan Archipelago and the surrounding landscape are endangered or at risk
  3. ^ Michael Melford photograph. "Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve". Quebec, Canada: National Geographic. Retrieved 2024-01-10. close to a thousand islands and islets sprinkled along 93 miles from east to west, 24,711 acres
  4. ^ Zach Baranowski, photograph. "The Mingan Archipelago,". St Lawrence golf: Canadian Geographic. Retrieved 2024-01-10. the shoreline at low tide reveals seemingly endless tide pools full of barnacles, green sea urchins, sea stars and other small invertebrates.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve.


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