The Station is co-owned and co-managed by the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO) and the First Nation Innu Band Council of Pessamit and is located in Québec, Canada, region 09 (North-Shore-Manicouagan). Provincial protected Area (IUCN Category II). The station is located on the shore of one of the largest lake-reservoirs of Québec and at the foot of the Uapishka mountain range (thirty peaks over 1000 meters). Positioned north of the 51st parallel, Uapishka Station provides a framework for Northern Studies, from the point of view of both basic and applied research. Opening access to part of this previously little explored Nordic territory, the station is located in the heart of three protected areas, including the Uapishka Biodiversity Reserve.

The availability of duly equipped scientific facilities and adjacent housing infrastructure makes this the only research station of its type in operation on the North Shore. Our organization aims to facilitate the presence of researchers in the region.

	Name	Email	Phone Number
Primary Contact	Jean-Philippe L. Messier	info@uapishka.com	(418) 296-3873

Download Station Uapishka profile as a PDF document

Membership
Associate Member

Owner
Conseil des Innus de Pessamit et la Réserve mondiale de la biosphère Manicouagan-Uapishka

Institution in Charge
Station Uapishka SENC

Website
http://stationuapishka.com/

Latitude
51.46944

Longitude
68.23431

Location
Km 336, Route 389, TNO Rivière-aux-Outardes, QC

Address
4 Metsheteu, Pessamit, QC, G0H 1B0

Opening Year
2016

Operational Period
All season

Station Networks
UQAR, Institut nordique du Québec, INTERACT (International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic)

Environment

Keywords:
Spruce-moss forest, Arctic tundra, Monts Groulx

Climate:
Spruce-moss forest

Mean Annual Temperature:
– 2.9°C

Precipitation:
2.44 mm/day; (890 mm/year)

Ice Breakup:
Réservoir Manicouagan: May/June

Permafrost:
None

Altitude:
Station: 365 m Highest peak, Monts Groulx: 1104 m Minimum altitude within study area: 350 m

Natural Environment:
Spruce-moss forest, Arctic tundra – Monts Groulx

Human Dimension:
The Station Uapishka is located within the Biosphere Reserve Manicouagan-Uapishka, which as been designated by UNESCO in 2007. It is also located within the Nitassinan (traditional territory) of the Innu community of Pessamit.

Research

Disciplines:
Climate change; ecological integrity of Nordic ecosystems; traditional and contemporary Indigenous occupation; boreal forest: social and Indigenous forestry; energy supply in isolated environments; land planning, social acceptability and Northern governance.

Current Research:
This new research station was established in 2016 and is still at a planning stage for research platforms with the associate university, Université de Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and with the group Institut Nordique du Québec (INQ).

Scientific Services:
Safe storage of scientific equipment; laboratory and classroom; internet connection; Zodiac availability; provisions logistics service

Total Area of Station
1200 m2

Number or Rooms (beds)
The research station is composed of 9 single rooms, 4 double rooms and 2 triple rooms in the main building that can accommodate a total of 23 people. On site, there are also 2 dormitories, 3 prospectors’ camps and 2 small cabins. The whole site can accommodate up to 58 people.

Staff
6 to 10 people

Capacity
58 people

Commodities
Dining hall, meal service, rest area, conference room, reception room, television, accessible for people with reduced mobility, infirmary

Communication
Telephone, wireless internet

Vehicles
Snowmobiles (on demand), shuttle services (on demand) Zodiacks (on demand)

Local resources
Réserve mondiale de la biosphère Manicouagan-Uapishka (www.rmbmu.com); Conseil des Innus de Pessamit (www.pessamit.org)

How to Get There

Access:
The Station Uapishka is accessible in all seasons from Baie-Comeau by Route 389 (336 km – 4.5 hours drive), followed by a two-kilometer managed forest road. There is an airport in Baie-Comeau, connecting to Montreal and therefore, any world desitnation.

Landing facilities:
Hellipad

Safety, Medical Services and Insurance

Safety equipment:
SPOT GPS tracking device, Radio VHF

Medical services:
Infirmary available on site

Last Updated
2019-05-27