WOLASTOKUK (ANCESTRAL TERRITORY)
In Quebec, the ancestral territory of the Wolastoqjyik, the Wolastokuk, extends from the periphery of the Etchemin River watershed, in the Lévis area, in the west to the edge of the Métis River watershed in the east and the St. Lawrence River in the north to the Maine and New Brunswick borders in the south. Wolastokuk is the core of Wolastoqey cultural identity and political assertion, and the foundation for the economic and social development of the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation.
Consisting of 77,3% forest, 36,6% of which is public land, Wolastokuk has significant economic development potential for the Wolastoqiyik thanks to its floral and wildlife resources as well as its exceptional recreational and tourism potential.
Since 2019, the WWFN has created a Department of Natural Resources and Territory in order to accentuate its vigilance as guardian of the ancestral territory and to better ensure the protection and sustainability of its natural resources and ancestral heritage. In order for the WWFN to exercise its self-government and develop according to its own needs and values, the strengthening of its territorial governance structure was necessary in its organizational development.
In order to accentuate its affirmation and contemporary occupation of the territory, the WWFN now has different professional resources to continue to improve its services to its members and ensure the defence of their interests.