Québec National Parks, one of the three magnificent Sépaq Networks

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	Conservation Mission

History

The area now called Parc national de la Gaspésie was long very difficult to reach. The imposing mountains limited the construction of roads, thus discouraging settlement and the harvesting of natural resources.

The Micmac Indians, attracted by the abundance of salmon, used to venture along Rivière Sainte-Anne, but no trace of them has ever been found in the mountains. To the Micmacs, these mountains were the "Sigshogs"-the impassable wall. Before Route 299 was built, it was not easy for seaside villagers to penetrate inland. Some were occasionally hired to guide prestigious salmon fishermen through the mountains, an activity that helped establish a human presence in this almost inaccessible land.

In the mid-19th century, various scientists led expeditions to the area. Accompanied by local guides, botanists and geologists came to acquire new knowledge about this isolated area of the Great North, located in the heart of the Gaspé region.

In 1844, the geologist Sir W.E. Logan became one of the first to explore the park. Mont Logan is named in his honour. The following year, the geologist A. Murray explored Mont Albert, naming it in honour of the prince. In 1934, on the 400th anniversary of the discovery of Canada, Mont Jacques-Cartier, previously referred to as "Botanist's Dome", was given its current name.

Created on April 14, 1937, the park has four objectives: to protect the beautiful sites of Mont Albert and the Table (Mont McGerrigle) for posterity; to protect the salmon of the Rivière Sainte-Anne; to preserve and ensure the permanent presence of the caribou; and to promote the park's development. The third park to be established in Québec, today it is one of the oldest.

With World War II and the Quiet Revolution came the development of natural resources. Evidence of this is still visible throughout the park. Logging and mining roads thread their way over several mountainsides.

Initially, the park covered an area of 1,285.8 sq.km. In 1977, the Parks Act gave all parks an official vocation, which marked the beginning of a network of parks. The park's limits were then redefined to cover an area of 802 sq. km. Parc national de la Gaspésie was established in its current form in 1981. More than ever, conserving the natural environment is at the heart of the park's mission.