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DESCRIPTION:

The southern and northern portions of Lake Nipigon contain high recreation potential, diverse wildlife habitat and plants reaching their northern limits. The northern portion is a major caribou habitat area and travel corridor. This large area contains a wide variety of representative landform and vegetation types. This area includes all Crown islands and the majority of the shoreline of Lake Nipigon, as well as the bed of the lake in Humboldt Bay, West Bay, South Bay and McIntyre Bay.

Lake Nipigon Conservation Reserve was regulated on June 9, 2003.

This area is located within the Lake Nipigon Basin Signature Site, one of 9 such areas featured in the Ontario's Living Legacy Land Use Strategy (1999). Signature Sites are identified for their range of natural and recreational values and their potential to contribute to future recreation and tourism.

The Lake Nipigon Basin Signature Site Ecological Land Use and Resource Management Strategy, which includes the Lake Nipigon Conservation Reserve Resource Management Plan guides the management of this area.

This area contains lake(s) designated for lake trout management. For a current list of designated lakes associated with this area, refer to the Lake Trout Lake Search Index accessible via the ‘Source of Direction’ portion of this policy report.

This area is subject to the Range Management Policy in Support of Woodland Caribou Conservation and Recovery (2014). The Range Management Policy is accessible via the “Source of Direction.”

LAND USE INTENT:

The conservation reserve will be managed as an area offering exceptional remote recreational opportunities in a pristine setting. Tourism and recreation oriented facility development will be limited to trails, look-outs ,campsites and interpretive signage. Critical fish and wildlife habitat/values (e.g. caribou calving islands, pelican colonies, eagle nests, osprey nests, heron colonies) will be protected through the implementation of restrcited use zones. Fisheries management will focus on the maintenance of a world class sport and commercial fishery. Commercial Fishing and associated traditional facilities are allowed to continue, subject to existing regulations and policies

Big Game hunting on the islands is prohibited by regulation although small game hunting is permitted. Geikie Island is a Crown Game Preserve To promote the renewal of ecosystems, natural fires will be allowed to burn on the islands where no human or structural values are at risk. . .

Management of this area is also governed by the general polices contained in the Land Use Strategy (1999).

MANAGEMENT DIRECTION:

Those uses and management activities not listed in the following table are governed by the Lake Nipigon Basin Signature Site Ecological Land Use and Resource Management Strategy which includes the Lake Nipigon Conservation Reserve Resource Management Plan and where it is silent, by existing conservation reserve policy.

The following tables aim to present current information. However, with the passage of new legislation, updates to provincial policy and the development of protected areas management direction documents, certain content elements may be out of date.

Commercial Activities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
Aggregate Extraction	No
Bait Fishing, Existing	Yes	Existing use permitted to continue, unless there are significant demonstrated conflicts.
Bait Fishing, New	Maybe	New operations can be considered, subject to the 'test of compatibility'.
Bear Hunting by Non-residents (guided), Existing	Yes	There are four Bear Management Areas that fall partially or wholly within the conservation reserve. These existing authorized operations are permitted to continue.
Bear Hunting by Non-residents (guided), New	No	New operations are not permitted.
Commercial Fishing, Existing	Yes	Existing use permitted to continue with the intent of reducing commercial fish quotas for traditional sport fish over the long term. Commercial fish licences will be bought out on a willing seller basis as funds permit. Management strategies to reduce incidental catch and allow degraded species to recover (i.e. walleye and sturgeon) will be implemented.
Commercial Fishing, New	No	New operations are not permitted.
Commercial Fur Harvesting, Existing	Yes	Existing use permitted to continue, unless there are significant demonstrated conflicts. Existing trap cabins can continue.
Commercial Fur Harvesting, New	Maybe	New cabins are not permitted except in instances where they are incidental to the exercise of a treaty right, in which case current Ministry policy will apply. New operations can be considered, subject to the 'test of compatibility'.
Commercial Hydro Development	No
Commercial Power Generation Development	No
Commercial Timber Harvest	No
Commercial Tourism (Services and/or Facilities), Existing	Yes	Existing authorized facilities can continue, unless there are significant demonstrated conflicts.
Commercial Tourism (Services and/or Facilities), New	Maybe	New tourism facilities can be considered during the planning for an individual reserve.
Energy Transmission and Communications Corridors, Existing	Yes	These facilities should avoid conservation reserve lands wherever possible.
Energy Transmission and Communications Corridors, New	No	These facilities should avoid conservation reserve lands wherever possible.
Food Harvest (Commercial), Existing	No
Food Harvest (Commercial), New	No
Mineral Exploration and Development	No
Peat Extraction	No
Wild Rice Harvesting, Existing	Yes
Wild Rice Harvesting, New	Maybe

Land and Resource Management Activities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
Crown Land Disposition, Commercial or Public Use	Maybe	Sale of lands is not permitted, except for minor dispositions in support of existing uses (e.g., reconstruction of a septic system). Crown land disposition in the form of leases, land use permits, or licences of occupation for lodges, outpost camps or recreation camps will not be permitted. Existing structures on Crown land within the conservation reserve, including trap cabins, recreation camps and commercial fish cabins, that are authorized (letter of authority, land use permit, licence of occupation) and being used for their intended purpose will be permitted to remain. Requests for transfer of tenure will be considered in the context of the Resource Management Plan.
Crown Land Disposition, Private Use	Maybe	Sale of lands is not permitted, except for minor dispositions in support of existing uses (e.g., reconstruction of a septic system). Crown land disposition in the form of leases, land use permits, or licences of occupation for lodges, outpost camps or recreation camps will not be permitted. Existing structures on Crown land within the conservation reserve, including trap cabins, recreation camps and commercial fish cabins, that are authorized (letter of authority, land use permit, licence of occupation) and being used for their intended purpose will be permitted to remain. Requests for transfer of tenure will be considered in the context of the Resource Management Plan.
Fire Suppression	Yes	Fire will be used and managed to achieve positive ecological benefits in disturbance dependent ecosystems. Fire and resource managers will identify those areas in the conservation reserve where fire will be used to maintain, restore or enhance ecological diversity. To promote the renewal of ecosystems, natural fires will be allowed to burn on the islands where no human or structural values exist. Consult the Interim Fire Response Plan for the Lake Nipigon Islands and Peninsulas (2005) for further direction on fire supression.
Fish Habitat Management	Maybe
Fish Stocking, Native Species	No
Insect/disease Suppression	Maybe
Inventory/Monitoring	Yes
Prescribed Burning	Maybe	The use of prescribed burning on select islands and peninsulas as a means of ensuring continued caribou habitat through time and a diversity of vegetative communities will be investigated.
Private Recreation Camp, Existing	Yes	Existing camps permitted to continue, and may be eligible for enhanced tenure, but not purchase of land.
Private Recreation Camp, New	No
Road Development and Maintenance, Existing	Yes	The access road to the New South Bay Access Point will be maintained. The New South Bay Access Point will be maintained and if possible, improved through partnerships. The access road to the Old South Bay Access Point will be ditched and signed and the
Road Development and Maintenance, New	No	No new access to Lake Nipigon will be permitted. Forest access roads close to the boundary of the conservation reserve and old forest access roads within the conservation reserve will be monitored to ensure no new access is created to Lake Nipigon. Any new access discovered will be physically removed and signed immediately.
Vegetation Management	Yes	Fire and silviculture within and adjacent to the conservation reserve will be used to ensure a diversity of vegetative communities are maintained to meet wildlife habitat needs with particular emphasis on caribou.
Wildlife Population Management	No

Recreation Activities and Facilities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
All Terrain Vehicle Use, Off Trails	No	ATV off trails is not permitted except for direct retrieval of game.
All Terrain Vehicle Use, On Trails	Yes	Existing use permitted to continue, except in restricted use zones, where it does not adversely affect the values being protected.
Campgrounds	No	In cooperation with local partners, a picnic table, fire pit and box privy will be provided at select remote Crown land campsites within the conservation reserve to reduce the likelihood of environmental degradation.
Food Gathering	Yes
Horseback Riding (trail)	Maybe	No known use. Future use on existing trails may be permitted subject to the test of compatibility.
Hunting	Yes	Hunting is permitted in accordance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and regulations with the exception of the portion of this land use area that is located within the Geikie Island Crown Game Preserve. Hunting is not permitted in Crown Game Preserves. For more information, visit https://www.ontario.ca/hunting. Some municipalities have by-laws that apply to hunting including restricting the discharge of firearms. Check with the local municipal office for details.
Motor Boat Use, Commercial	Yes
Motor Boat Use, Private	Yes
Mountain Bike Use	Yes	Existing use on trails permitted.
Non-motorized Recreation Travel	Yes
Rock Climbing	Maybe
Snowmobiling, Off Trails	No	Snowmobile use off trails is not permitted, except for the direct retrieval of game.
Snowmobiling, On Trails	Yes	Existing use permitted to continue, except in restricted use zones, where it does not adversely affect values being protected.
Sport Fishing	Yes	Recreational fishing is permitted in accordance with the Ontario Fishery Regulations. For more information, visit https://www.ontario.ca/fishing and review the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary or Fish ON-Line to determine the seasons, catch limits and other restrictions that apply in this area including the location of fish sanctuaries.
Trail Development, Existing	Yes	Existing authorized trails (e.g. hiking, skiing, snowmobiling) can continue unless there are significant demonstrated conflicts.
Trail Development, New	Maybe	The potential for developing a canoe route, hiking trails/portages and look outs in the Castle Lake Area will be investigated. No other trail development is permitted.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Management of this conservation reserve is carried out under the provisions of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and within the context of conservation reserve policy.

SOURCE OF DIRECTION:
Amendment to Area specific Crown Land Use Policy #2007-025 (2009)
Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act (2006)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2008-010 (2009)
Approved Management Direction for Conservation Reserves (2013)
Range Management Policy in Support of Woodland Caribou Conservation and Recovery (2014)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2014-007 (2014)
Lake Nipigon Basin Signature Site Ecological Land Use and Resource Management Strategy (2004)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2004-028 (2004)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2003-014 (2003)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2003-017 (2003)
Conservation Reserve Policy (1997)
Ontario's Living Legacy Land Use Strategy (policies for new Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves) (1999)

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