Science‐informed policy decisions lead to the creation of a protected area for a wide‐ranging species at risk

Protected areas are needed to conserve nature and biodiversity worldwide. The province of Québec (Canada) recently established a large wilderness area affording significant habitat protection for boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), wide-ranging species at risk. We describe decision support framework combining ecological modeling with socioeconomic constraints that ultimately led the creation this protected area. Multiple criteria were used identify candidate caribou. These had be in size (>10,000 km2) located regions where available high-quality was threatened by development pressures. Candidate also contribute substantively maintenance functional connectivity, exempt from major industrial developments recent fires, required evidence use Five emerged exercise. Key regional stakeholders consulted, thereby strengthening advocacy land designation, boundaries refined through their input, which helped further reduce conflicts. This process involved difficult compromises, but eventually legal designation on March 4, 2021 new known as Caribous-Forestiers-de-Manouane-Manicouagan. show how our science-informed instrumental success endeavor, obstacles overcame process, so other jurisdictions may draw experience efforts achieve similar conservation goals.