Temagami | Earthroots

Wilderness & Watersheds

At Earthroots, we work to protect Ontario's most significant ecosystems — conducting rigorous assessments and advocating for science-based conservation.

Temagami

Temagami: A Living Legacy Worth Defending

Temagami represents a rare convergence of ecological, geological, and cultural significance. It is one of the last places in Ontario where old-growth pine forests, healthy watersheds, endangered species, and Indigenous knowledge systems coexist in an unbroken landscape. Yet its future remains uncertain.

Temagami

Old-Growth

A Living Landscape of Ancient Forests, Rich Biodiversity, and Cultural Heritage

The Temagami region in Northeastern Ontario is one of the most ecologically and culturally significant wilderness areas in Canada. Spanning 16,000 square kilometres, it lies within the Lake Temagami Ecoregion, an ecological transition zone between the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence and Boreal Forest ecosystems. This area encompasses 4.1% of Ontario's total land base and is a rare meeting point of diverse ecological communities.

Temagami is globally renowned for its vast old-growth red and white pine forests. Nearly 50% of all remaining old-growth pine forests in the world are found here. At the north end of Obabika Lake lies the largest continuous stand of old-growth red and white pine on the planet, a forest landscape virtually unchanged for centuries. Today, these ancient pine forests exist in just 1% of their pre-colonial range, making Temagami one of the last strongholds for this globally imperiled ecosystem.

A Cultural Landscape with Deep Indigenous Roots

Temagami, meaning "Deep Water by the Shore," is not just an ecological wonder—it is also a sacred homeland. The region is part of N'daki Menan, the traditional territory of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai, whose ancestors have lived on and stewarded these lands for thousands of years. N'Daki Menan spans more than 10,000 square kilometers and includes vast old-growth forests, canoe routes, and sacred sites. Temagami is not just wilderness, it is a cultural landscape woven with Indigenous knowledge, history, and rights.

Temagami holds one of the highest concentrations of Indigenous rock art sites in Ontario. The pictographs of Diamond Lake, Obabika Lake, and Lady Evelyn Lake were among the first recorded in the province. The rock art depicts canoes, moose, bear, thunderbirds, abstract symbols, and sacred motifs found nowhere else.

The region's 3,500 km of interconnected canoe routes form the oldest known, continuously used Indigenous water trail system in the world, actively used for over 5,000 years. Sites such as Maple Mountain (Chee-bay-jing, "the place where the soul lives"), Ishpatina Ridge (Ishpadina, "the high hill"), and Spirit Rock (Chee-skon-abikong, "place of the huge rock") are spiritual anchors still revered by the Anishinaabe people.

With only 10% of the area archaeologically surveyed, vast cultural heritage remains undocumented.

Old-Growth Forests

The Temagami region is home to some of the last remaining stands of old-growth red and white pine forests in the world. These ancient forests, some trees over 300 years old, are critical carbon sinks, biodiversity havens, and part of an unbroken ecological corridor stretching from Algonquin Park to Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. They also support an interconnected network of lakes, wetlands, and headwater rivers that sustain entire ecosystems.

Old-growth forests, like those in Temagami are irreplaceable. They are biodiversity hotspots that provide multilayered canopies, nutrient-rich deadwood, and microhabitats for fungi, mosses, lichens, insects, and birds. Over millennia, species have evolved to occupy distinct niches within these forests, making them critical for maintaining Ontario's native species diversity.

Old-growth ecosystems also play a vital role in preserving genetic diversity, a key component of ecological resilience. Trees that have withstood centuries of environmental stress have developed adaptive traits that protect against disease, drought, and pests. The loss of these genetic lineages through logging,

places many native species at greater risk.

Temagami's ancient forests are also powerful carbon sinks, storing centuries' worth of atmospheric carbon in their biomass and soils. As the world confronts accelerating climate change, the protection of primary forests like those in Temagami has emerged as a global priority.

A Geological and Hydrological Marvel

The Temagami core region is a unique geo-fluvial anomaly in Ontario. It lies atop some of the oldest rock formations on Earth, part of the ancient Canadian Shield known as the "rock knob uplands." These hills and ridges include Ontario's highest elevations, such as Ishpatina Ridge (693 m) and Maple Mountain (642 m), both located within Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. Temagami's dome-like geography is the source of ten distinct river systems, supporting diverse wetlands and aquatic habitats.

The landscape is sculpted by glacial history and includes rare esker formations, kettle lakes, dry riverbeds, and spectacular cliffs. These features create a mosaic of habitats that sustain rich biodiversity and provide critical ecological functions such as water filtration, carbon storage, and climate resilience.

A Sanctuary for Wildlife

Temagami's forests, lakes, and wetlands support a wealth of wildlife, including large mammals such as moose, black bears, lynx, martens, otters, and fishers. Temagami is also a haven for birdlife, with sightings of warblers, bald eagles, ospreys, loons, and sandhill cranes.

One of Canada's most endangered fish species, the Aurora Trout, is found only in a few high-country lakes within Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. Temagami is also home to species at risk such as the Little Brown Myotis (a bat species), Blanding's Turtle, and Snapping Turtle.

A History of Resistance and Advocacy

Temagami's wilderness has long been under threat. Industrial logging, mining exploration, and poorly managed land-use planning have repeatedly targeted Temagami's forests. Earthroots has been at the heart of the fight to protect Temagami for nearly four decades, standing with Indigenous communities, scientists, artists, and wilderness lovers to defend one of Canada's most iconic wild places.

Earthroots was born from the fierce defense of Temagami's ancient red and white pine forests. In 1986, the Temagami Wilderness Society, later to become Earthroots, emerged to stop the expansion of Red Squirrel Road through old-growth stands. Founders Hap Wilson, Brian Back, and Terry Graves quickly turned a local issue into a national movement, culminating in the historic 1987–1989 blockades led by environmental activists and the Teme-Augama Anishnabai. With national figures like Margaret Atwood and Farley Mowat amplifying the cause, and more than 300 arrests including political leaders, the conflict forced Ontario to confront the reality of its remaining old-growth and brought Indigenous land rights and forest policy to the forefront of public debate.

As activism surged on the ground, scientific research and visionary land-use planning strengthened the movement. Projects such as the Tall Pines Project, led by Dr. Peter Quinby, helped formally define the ecological significance of old-growth pine ecosystems, while the Shadow Project proposed an alternative land-use strategy grounded in both science and Indigenous knowledge. International bodies, artists, and musicians rallied behind Temagami, reaffirming the global importance of its forests. Earthroots continued this momentum through the 1990s with major actions like the 1996 Rabbit Lake blockade, which reignited national attention and underscored the need for lasting protection.

Despite decades of advocacy, Temagami's forests remained under threat into the 2000s and beyond. Earthroots fought new logging plans, mining pressures, and policy rollbacks, leading campaigns to protect areas such as the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve, the world's largest remaining ancient red pine forest. The organization continued to push for accountability, challenging weak forest management plans and, in 2020, joining a legal case with Ecojustice to hold Ontario to its own environmental laws. Though the province eliminated key public oversight tools, Earthroots' persistent advocacy, scientific engagement, and partnerships have ensured Temagami remains a symbol of resistance and a reminder of the urgent need to defend Ontario's last old-growth forests.

IUCN Recognition (1988)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park as a Threatened Protected Area, citing risks from logging and roadbuilding. The IUCN urged Ontario to develop a sustainable management strategy that protected roadless areas and old-growth ecosystems.

World Conservation Congress (1996)

The Congress reiterated these calls, emphasizing that it is not in the long-term public interest to sacrifice biologically valuable old-growth forests for short-term industrial gain. IUCN President H.K. Eidsvik noted that "the natural resources of the region have achieved a level of public recognition which warrant strong conservation value."

The Fight Continues

Temagami is more than a forest. It is a living reminder of what's possible when people stand together to defend the places they love.

At Earthroots we believe that this globally significant wilderness deserves full legal protection, not just for its trees and species, but for its stories, songs, and sacred places. Through research, resistance, and respect for Indigenous sovereignty, Earthroots continues to work for a future where Temagami's ancient pines stand tall for generations to come.

Protecting Temagami is not just about preserving a landscape, it is about honouring a legacy, upholding international responsibilities, and ensuring that future generations inherit one of the last great wildernesses of the world.