Historic Indigenous canoe portage route near Timmins revitalized by conservationists and EACOM
Laurent Robichaud--a member of the ' Friends of the Grassy River'--is a protector of rivers and watersheds in Timmins and its surrounding region.
A goal has been to work with others to revitalize a historic Indigenous canoe route.
When they learned that EACOM Timber Corporation would be building a road and harvesting trees near 'Little Hawk Portage,' located between Mattagami First Nation and Matachewan, they worked with the company to preserve it.
“This was a route over a heights of land, basically connecting the Arctic and Atlantic watershed so before the rails came through it was a route well travelled at least one-hundred years in the fur trade period from Fort Mattagami to Fort Matachewan," said Laurent Robichaud, member of 'Friends of the Grassy River.'
EACOM officials said trees from the area (Timiskaming Forest Management Plan) will feed its sawmill in Elk Lake, and as a result of public input and Robichaud's efforts, the company's made some accommodations regarding 'Little Hawk Portage.'
“Including a one-hundred and twenty metre area of concern around the intersection between the road and the trail," said Christine Leduc, a woodlands supervisor with EACOM Timber Corporation. 'We also committed not to having any grubbing which is where you remove vegetation in that area. We did also narrow down the right of way for the road that would be crossing the portage to fifteen metres. It will also be slope-friendly for portages at the trail.”
It's Robichaud's and the hope of others that people will travel this route again. This summer, he and a teacher from Keewaytinook Internet High School brought some youths from Mattagami First Nation on a visit to the portage site.
“Mattagami in Ojibway literally means meeting of the waters so the name of their community ... refers to the fact that Mattagami is at the connection of these two major watersheds ... so it’s completely relevant to where they live and a lot of them had never been there," said Ian Vaithilingam, teacher with Keewaytinook Internet High School.
Robichaud said the comforts we enjoy today are a result of travel and battles in the past and it's places like 'Little Hawk Portage' that help us remember why we are here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleads guilty in sports betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud Wednesday in a sports betting case where prosecutors allege he stole US$16 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.