Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park
IUCN Category II - National Park
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The Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park is a 3997 km ² large park on the eastern border of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The name comes from the language of the Anishinabe, meaning " Land of the Caribou ". It was established in the catchment areas of the Bloodvein River and the Pigeon River in 1985. The former arises at Red Lake in Ontario and flows into the Lake Winnipeg. He is recognized in both provinces as a Canadian Heritage River. Other rivers are Gammon River, Leyond River, Dogskin River, Sasaginnigak River and Broadleaf River.
The roads not accessible nature park is to preserve typical of a region of the Boreal Forest Precambrium flora and fauna of an era marked by granite landscape. This technique, known as Lac Seul Upland area is the remnant of a 2.5- billion year old mountain range.
The south joins the Nopiming Provincial Park, southeast of the already located in Ontario Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.
The entire region, consisting of provincial parks and traditional territories of the resident in the border area between Ontario and Manitoba First Nations to find by 2012 recognition as world heritage. For this purpose, based in Ontario Pikangikum First Nation and the people living in Manitoba First Nations from the Poplar River ( at Winnipeg ), Pauingassi and Little Grand Rapids have come together. Part of the initiative are beyond the Woodland Caribou Park, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Manitoba Conservation. The First Nations of Ontario the Wabaseemoong, Grassy Narrows and Lac Seul which are in turn a partner of the Woodland Caribou - parks.
Flora and Fauna
The area was covered until about 10,000 years of ice, the glaciers have shaped the landscape. By the melting of Lake Agassiz, which covered 7000 to the present Park BC was born. To 6000 BC replaced boreal forest of the shrinking lake. Poplar, birch and various conifers, such as jack pine ( "jack pine" ), black spruce and white spruce followed the initially collected lichens. There were alder, hazel and Vermont maple ( Acer spicatum ).
Frequently among the larger mammals Timber Wolf, Black Bear, Moose, Whitetail Deer and Woodland Caribou are (Rangifer tarandus caribou ), of which 300 to 500 animals live in the park, more precisely in Manitoba 's Atikaki - Berens caribou range. In winter, they gather to form small herds between 20 and 60 animals in the west of the park and attract summer up to Ontario. Other small herds exist in Nopiming Park and the Grass River Park, but they are considered endangered.
History
Early History
Human traces can be detected over several millennia. The inhabitants were hunters, gatherers and fishermen.
By 1800, the vast majority of the territory was taken east of Lake Winnipeg from the Anishinabe to complete. Their descendants today live mostly on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg. They came from the area around Sault Ste. Marie and displaced older Cree groups. The Anishinabe or Ojibway fished primarily during the spring and summer at the river mouths. In the fall they moved up the rivers, and gathered many wild rice, hunted moose and caribou. The manufacture of clothing and blankets served mainly to hunt beavers and muskrats. In the park there are numerous rock paintings that are under the protection of Heritage Resources Act of 1986.
Trappers
Trappers of the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company hunted in as Le Petit Nord ("The Little North" ) designated area, but can be fur bearing only guess. The vast majority of prey (now Knox Lake ) brought into camp on the Berens River, the Little Grand Rapids, the Bad Lake and Red Lake in Ontario.