Poplar River (Manitoba)
Encyclopedia
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
, in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This river, which flows west into Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
, has a watershed beginning near the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
border. The river is located in one of the last, large, and intact boreal forests in the world.
Poplar River's Ojibwe name is Negginan meaning "my home." Poplar River lies near the Asatiwisipe River. It is a protected river with pristine forests and many undeveloped lakes and creeks along it. This watershed is the traditional land use area for Poplar River First Nation
Poplar River First Nation
Poplar River First Nation is an Ojibwa First Nation in Manitoba, Canada. Its landbase is the Poplar River 16 First Nation Reserve, located approximately on the east side of Lake Winnipeg at the mouth of the Poplar River. Geographically, it is located at latitude 52°59′46″ north and longitude...
. The Ojibwe still use the land and waters for hunting, fishing, and gathering wild foods and medicines. The First Nation community has designated their traditional lands as a protected area with the support of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
's government.
Poplar River is a part of a proposed United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
to protect the large intact area of wilderness along Lake Winnipeg and in northwestern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. This wilderness river is one of the few rivers in southern Canada that is still very pristine and clean, with little or no development along the shoreline and in the entire watershed. There are no major mines, roads, hydro, or logging areas in the region. The area provides an essential habitat for a segment of the threatened woodland caribou, and also protects habitat for the chestnut lamprey
Chestnut lamprey
The chestnut lamprey is a species of lamprey.-Abstract:The following is a management plan description for the Chestnut Lamprey . This lamprey is one of the North American native parasitic species of lamprey, and can be found in rivers along the eastern United States and Canada...
, a species of special concern. Numerous archaeological sites and pictographs exist, helping to demonstrate that the area has long been of special significance to First Nations.
The river is a popular destination for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, canoeing, ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
, and sightseeing. The water is very warm in the summer and fall for swimming, unlike glacier and mountain fed waters. There are many cliffs, rapids, and waterfalls along the river. The area has woodland caribou, wolves, black bears, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, bobcats, and remote beaches. Many species of birds nest in the region, including the bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
and the great grey owl
Great Grey Owl
The Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl is a very large owl, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. In some areas it is also called the Great Gray Ghost, Phantom of the north, Cinereous Owl, Spectral Owl, Lapland Owl, Spruce Owl, Bearded Owl and Sooty Owl.-Description:Adults have a big, rounded...
.