New provincial park established in Manitoba

Little Limestone Lake has been established as Manitoba's newest provincial park, protecting more than 4,800 hectares and a uniquewater bodythat changes colour as it warms up in summer.

Little Limestone Lake is a marl lake, the water of whichturns from clear to an opaque turquoise or even a milky blue-white in warm summer weather when the amount of calcite increases.

"This lake is true sign of mother nature's beauty, and experts consider it to be the largest and most outstanding example of a marl lake in the world," said Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie, whoannounced the park's creation on Friday.

"By designating it part of a provincial park we are taking the step that will protect it for generations to come."

Little Limestone is located in north-central Manitoba adjacent to Highway 6, approximately 450 kilometres north of Winnipeg and 65 kilometres north of the community of Grand Rapids.

This is the fourth new park to be established this year and adds to Manitoba's total protected areas network of 6.5 million hectares, Blaikie added.

A memorandum of understanding has also been reached withthe Mosakahiken Cree Nation (MCN), outlininga co-operative approach to managing the lake's ecological integrity, according to a provincial government news release.

First Nations and other aboriginal people's rights to access this area for hunting, trapping, fishing and other traditional pursuits will be respected, Blaikie said, adding that commercial fishing as presently conducted by members of MCN will also continue in the new park.

MCN is working with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) on managing the area.