This splendid territory has belonged over the years to various owners including:
- Compagnie du chemin de fer de Québec Central
- Monsieur Edward Lacroix
- La famille de Monsieur André Lacroix
- La Compagnie Internationale de Papier (C.I.P.)
- La Compagnie Avenor Inc.
- La Compagnie Bowater
- La Société Générale de Financement (SGF) (2006) which establishes the Compagnie Gestion Forestière Lacroix Inc. (GFL inc.) to manage the forestry aspect.
The Territory of La Dunière, a heritage of Matapédia
Since 1911, this territory has been a priority for Matapedia. This territory has always been considered in the socio-economic development efforts of Matapedia policymakers.
The Matapedia County Council was acting concretely and responsibly in supporting the development of this territory even before it became the subject of a pilot project on planning and urban development. The County Council has always shown dynamism and interest in the Dunière territory by taking concrete actions:
- In 1976: taking charge of development management
- In 1977: providing a property assessment service
- In 1988: taking charge of town planning and municipal engineering management
In 1982, during the creation of regional county municipalities (RCM), the annexation of the Dunière territory was carried out. Since then, the RCM of La Matapédia has implemented several measures to support the development of this territory:
- adoption of zoning, urban planning, and property assessment regulations
- adoption and implementation of the first development plan in 1988 and its revision in 1999.
Wildlife Management
Wildlife management has been requested by the community from various owners, except from the family of Mr. André Lacroix, for over 26 years.
The Corporation for the Exploitation of Wildlife Resources (C.E.R.F.) Vallée de la Matapédia has long advocated for the total management of wildlife in this area but could only obtain the management of the hunting period until 2003 through subcontracts. From 2004 to 2007, it was the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec that assumed full management.
Around 1994, the Ministry of Environment and Wildlife, Matane Reserve, published a new map of the Dunière territory and the Dunière Reserve lost its identity to be called "Matane Sud." The development of the Matane Reserve would then be ensured by the Dunière Reserve, a private territory where it was impossible to build infrastructure to respect the owner's wishes. The community then rose up and demanded autonomous status for the wildlife management of this area, which was ensured by the SEPAQ from 2004.
In 2006, a representative group of the M.R.C. of Matapédia showed interest in acquiring the Dunière territory in hopes of managing it for forestry and wildlife purposes. However, it was the Société générale de financement that took possession to prevent foreign interests from taking over and partially solve the lack of forest supply among regional industries.
In 2007, the Corporation for the Management of the Matapédia and Patapédia Rivers, manager of the Matapédia and Patapédia Rivers Wildlife Reserve, was granted wildlife management of the Dunière Reserve after twenty-six (26) long years of tenacity and efforts by the community:
- November 22, 2007:
signing of an agreement with Gestion forestière Lacroix inc. - And on December 20, 2007:
signing of the management authorization with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife of Quebec.
Board of Directors
The board of directors of CGRMP is composed of eleven (11) members belonging to the following categories: 6 regular members come from designated sectors (1,2,3), and two (2) corporate members come respectively from the Regional County Municipalities of Matapedia and Avignon, one (1) from the Listuguj Native community, and two (2) from outside sectors.
Starting from January 2008, the board of directors will be composed of 12 members since one seat will be held by a delegate member from Lacroix Forest Management.