the
Main
River


Like a hidden jewel, not yet tarnished by harvesting or habitation, western Newfoundland's Main River sparkles its way 57 kilometres from its headwaters in the tundra of the Long Range Mountains to its mouth at the coastal community of Sop's Arm. Short but swift, the Main is recognized as one of Canada's top whitewater canoeing rivers. The river's unique old-growth forests of spruce and fir shelter moose, caribou and the endangered pine marten. Trophy-sized Atlantic salmon spawn on its gravel-cobble river bed, and dozens of species of birds nest in its lush Big Steady floodplain. In the bedrock canyon of its lower valley, the Main displays its ancient geological history, and in the secluded corners of its riverbanks, artefacts of early aboriginal days hint at a cultural heritage of resourcefulness and perseverance. Nominated as a Canadian Heritage River, the Main faces an uncertain future as the economic value of its rich forests is measured against the natural worth of its unspoiled wilderness.