Thompson Island Provincial Park Management Statement

Interim Management Statement

Regional Director’s approval statement

This Interim Management Statement will provide interim direction for the management of Thompson Island Provincial Nature Reserve until a comprehensive Management Plan is prepared.

This statement will provide the basis for the subsequent preparation of the Management Plan.

I am pleased to approve this Interim Management Statement for Arrow Lake Provincial Park.

Signed by:
G.P. Elliott
Regional Director
North Central Region

Background information

Name:	Thompson Island
Proposed Class:	Nature Reserve
M.N.R. District:	Thunder Bay
M.N.R. Region:	North Central
Total Area (ha):	145
Land:
Water:
Site Region:	4W
Site District:	2
Date in Regulation:

Regional Setting Map

Targets

Life science representation

Site type/landscape unit	Species/communities
Dry upland rock sites with some organic pools	Arctic/Alpine flora not normally associated with this southerly latitude

Earth science representation

Geological theme	Feature
Neohelikian Rift Valley Environmental Theme	Gabbro dikes of the Pine River - Mt. Mollie Gabbro

Cultural resource representation

Theme	Theme segment
Undefined	Single rock structure on raised cobble beach

Recreation opportunities

Day use	Car camping	Wilderness/back country
N/A	N/A	N/A

Inventories

Level/type	Life science	Earth science	Cultural	Recreational	Other
reconnaissance completion date	checksheet	checksheet			I.B.P.
detailed completion date			Newton and Engelbert, '77
required?	detailed inventory	detailed inventory			mining pot'l survey

Date March 3, 1984

Thompson Island Provincial Nature Reserve Interim Management Statement

I land tenure

All land within the Nature Reserve is Crown Land. There is no tenure granted for any land within the Nature Reserve.

Guideline:

Exploratory Licences of Occupation will be granted to allow for mineral exploration.

Granting of tenure will not be considered for any land within the Nature Reserve until a Management Plan has been completed.

II Land acquisition/disposition

There is no patented land within the Nature Reserve area.

Guideline:

No consideration will be given to acquiring additional land or disposing of land within the Nature Reserve until a Management Plan is completed.

III Existing/proposed development

A dock, fire pit, privy, sauna and walking trails have all been developed on the island.

Guideline:

Existing development will be permitted to continue. However, no further development will be permitted. If use of existing development is found to be threatening the resources of the Nature Reserve, appropriate measures and/or restrictions will be implemented.

Development (excluding that related to public health and safety) will not be undertaken prior to completion of a Management Plan.

IV Recreational activities

Thompson Island is classified as a Provincial Nature Reserve. Therefore, the Nature Reserve was not established for recreational purposes.

No water bodies exist within the Nature Reserve area.

Recreation activities that presently take place within the Nature Reserve are camping and hiking.

Guideline:

The above activities will be allowed to continue If unforeseen conflicts develop in the future (between recreational uses and resource protection), necessary restrictions will be implemented.

Hunting will not be permitted within the Nature Reserve.

Wildlife viewing will be permitted.

V Commercial activities

No commercial activity presently occurs on Thompson Island.

The Nature Reserve area has been withdrawn from staking.

Guideline:

Mineral exploration will be allowed via an Exploratory Licence of Occupation, under Section 190 R.S.O. of the Mining Act. Each Exploratory Licence of Occupation will contain conditions controlling exploration and· development work, consistent with environmental values inherent in the Nature Reserve, or portion thereof.

Trapping and forestry will not be permitted within the Nature Reserve.

Other commercial activities will not be permitted.

VI Natural resources

The Nature Reserve has been established to protect significant life and earth science features.

Guideline:

Restrictions on recreational and commercial activities as noted above are expected to provide adequate protection to the life and earth science features. If any unforeseen threats to the preservation of these features arise, appro­priate measures and/or restrictions will be implemented.

Normal forest fire suppression will take place within the Nature Reserve area.

Until appropriate measures are identified in a Management Plan insects and diseases will be controlled as is deemed necessary.

VII Cultural resources

There is one known archaeological site within the Nature Reserve area.

Guideline:

Any disturbance of the archaeological site within the Nature Reserve will be discouraged, and restrictions on activities on or near the site will be implemented if necessary.

VIII Client services

No literature is presently available.

Guideline:

Client services will not be provided until a Management Plan has been completed, except as required by legislation or M.N.R. Policy.

IX Research

An earth science and a life science checksheet, and a detailed cultural inventory have been completed for Thompson Island Provincial Nature Reserve and are on file in the Thunder Bay District Office.

Guideline:

Detailed inventories of both earth and life science resources and a mineral potential survey will be completed prior to preparing a Management Plan.

Additional research inventories will be encouraged to further document .Nature Reserve values. These may be carried out by M.N.R. or by outside interest groups/ individuals. Any research must first be approved by the District Manager.

References/sources

O.M.N.R. (Unpublished Report) .Earth Science Inventory Checksheet.

O.M.N.R. (Unpublished Report) Life Science Inventory Checksheet.

O.M.N.R. 1981 Backgrounder Land Use Guidelines

O.M.N.R. 1981 Thunder Bay District Land Use Guidelines.

Figure 1: Thompson Provincial Nature Reserve map

Enlarge Figure 1: Thompson Provincial Nature Reserve map