Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve
| Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Mealy Mountains
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 Mealy Mountains National Park Location
Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve (Newfoundland and Labrador)
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| Location |
Labrador,  Newfoundland and Labrador Canada
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| Nearest city | Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador |
| Coordinates | 53°24′00″N 59°22′00″W / 53.4°N 59.3667°WCoordinates: 53°24′00″N 59°22′00″W / 53.4°N 59.3667°W |
| Area | 10,700 km2 (4,131 sq mi) |
| Established | Proposed |
| Governing body | Parks Canada |
Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve is a proposed national park reserve in the Labrador region of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its area would cover approximately 10,700 square kilometres (4,131 sq mi), and be known officially as Akami–uapishku-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve. Along with the Mealy Mountains, the park will protect a large portion of boreal forest, tundra and 50 kilometres of shoreline on the Labrador Sea. Once established, it will be the largest national park in eastern Canada. It is inhabited by a variety of wildlife, including the threatened Mealy Mountains woodland caribou herd. Other mammals that inhabit this park reserve are wolf packs, black bear, marten and two species of fox. An agreement with the native peoples of the area, including the Inuit, Innu and NunatuKavut will allow them to continue to hunt, trap and fish in the protected area.
Parks Canada, the governing and administration body for the national park system, has developed a national systems plan identifying 39 different natural regions it aims to represent. In 2001, Parks Canada began conducting a feasibility study regarding whether a new park should be established in Labrador, which would represent the east coast boreal forest. A Steering Committee was formed, and they held a series of meetings near Lake Melville. One of the concerns brought up by the area residents was regarding the "traditional land uses by Labradorians," which include "the continuing use of personal cabins, boil-ups (lunch and picnic fires), cutting wood for personal use, gathering medicinal and healing herbs, berry picking, fishing, and hunting, trapping and snaring small game."
In May 2008, the committee concluded that a park was feasible. The park will start as a reserve due to land claims negotiations with native peoples in the area. A National Park Reserve is an area that has been set aside with the intention of becoming a national park, pending the settlement of native land claims. Until then, they are managed as national parks under the National Parks Act.
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