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DESCRIPTION:

The Miniss Enhanced Management Area together with the St. Raphael Provincial Park combine to form one of nine Featured Areas (Signature Sites) described in the Ontario's Living Legacy Land Use Strategy (July 1999). The enhanced management area is surrounded by or is adjacent to St. Raphael Provincial Park and has potential for future tourism and backcountry recreational activities. It will also help maintain the remote character of the park while enhancing woodland caribou habitat.

The Miniss Enhanced Management Area is within the Caribou Forest.

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 St. Raphael Signature Site Strategy was completed in January 2007. The strategy provides the
overall vision for the signature site, and land use and resource management direction for the component
land use designations (St. Raphael Provincial Park and Miniss Enhanced Management Area). The Miniss
Enhanced Management Area Resource Management Plan was completed in June 2007. The
management focus is to provide economic resource utilization opportunities (e.g. forestry and mining)
while maintaining remote characteristics.
The following land use and resource management direction has been developed considering government
mandate and policy, scientific information, and data collected in the signature site. Further guidance was
provided from public comment on the preceding planning documents (i.e. background document, issues
and options document for the signature site, final strategy, and the preliminary Miniss EMA plan).

MANAGEMENT DIRECTION:

Remote access enhanced management areas are intended to maintain the remote character of selected areas. Typically, these are relatively large areas which provide the public and tourism operators with high-quality remote recreational experiences including hunting, fishing, canoeing, and camping. Given the large size, remoteness, and relative absence of roads, these areas will play a significant role in protecting wilderness values outside the parks and protected areas system.

Commercial Activities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
Aggregate Extraction	Maybe	Aggregate extraction will be permitted where essential for exploration and mining activities and for forest industry road construction and maintenance. Aggregate for the purpose of sale is not permitted.
Bait Fishing	Yes	Motorized use of authorized trails and traditional use of waterways to access bait harvest areas is permitted. Motorized use of forestry, mineral exploration or mining roads is not permitted.
Commercial Fishing	No	Commercial fish harvesting operations will not be authorized in the EMA.
Commercial Fur Harvesting	Yes	Active fur harvesting license holders will have continued traditional access and use of the EMA. Motorized use of forestry or mining roads is not permitted unless a trapper is hired to assist in road maintenance. Trail relocation proposals, construction of cabins and boat caches will be considered by the MNR on an individual basis.
Commercial Hydro Development	No	Commercial water power, wind power and solar power development is not permitted in the EMA.
Commercial Power Generation Development	No	Commercial water power, wind power and solar power development is not permitted in the EMA.
Commercial Timber Harvest	Yes	Timber harvesting is permitted. Direction in the Miniss Enhanced Management Area Resource Management Plan must be adhered to.
Mineral Exploration and Development	Yes	Mineral exploration and development carried out in a manner that considers signature site values is permitted in the EMA.
Peat Extraction	No	Commercial use of roads for other than mining and forestry is not permitted.
Wild Rice Harvesting	No

Land and Resource Management Activities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
Crown Land Disposition	Maybe	Commercial Crown land dispositions for new operations may be authorized if proposed activities are compatible with the management intent of the EMA. Construction of utility corridors for energy transmission and communication lines is discouraged but may be considered.
Crown Land Disposition, Agriculture	No
Crown Land Disposition, Cottaging	No	Land disposition for private recreation purposes including recreation camps (i.e. cottages) and recreation boat caches is not permitted.
Crown Land Disposition, Rural Residential	No
Crown Land Disposition, Urban Development	No
Road Development and Maintenance, Existing	No	There are no existing roads in the Miniss Enhanced Management Area.
Road Development and Maintenance, New	Yes	Direction for roads is found in the Miniss Enhanced Management Area Resource Management Plan.

Recreation Activities and Facilities

Activity	Permitted	Guidelines
Crown Land Recreation	Yes	The use of ATVs and snowmachines is permitted on commercial trails for authorized purposes only (e.g. fur harvesting, bait harvesting operations, and bear hunting services). General public motorized use of commercial trails is not permitted.
Hunting	Yes	Hunting is permitted in accordance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and regulations. 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.
Road Use (public), Existing	No	There are no existing roads within the Enhanced Management Area. Existing authorized off-road access (trails) will continue. Public motorized use of forestry, mineral exploration or mining roads is not permitted.
Road Use (public), New	No	Public motorized use of forestry, mineral exploration or mining roads is not permitted. See the Miniss Enhanced Management Area Resource Management Plan for more detail.
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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

SOURCE OF DIRECTION:
Range Management Policy in Support of Woodland Caribou Conservation and Recovery (2014)
Amendment to Area-specific Crown Land Use Policy #2014-007 (2014)
Forest Management plan for the Caribou Forest (1997)
Interim Road Use Strategy for the Miniss Recreation Enhanced Management Area (2001)
Ontario's Living Legacy Land Use Strategy (1999)

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