Green Mountains
Mount Burnt property, Northern Green Mountains, QC (Photo by Appalachian Corridor)
The Green Mountains, running from Vermont to Quebec, are part of the Appalachian chain. Protection of the Quebec segment of these mountains was initiated by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Appalachian Corridor and their partners.
The northern part of the Green Mountains is one of the last regions of southern Quebec where extensive wilderness tracks remain relatively intact. The area’s large, unfragmented forest blocks support incredible wildlife diversity. The region provides habitat for close to 90 species at risk, including little brown myotis, butternut, peregrine falcon and spring salamander.
Thanks to the dedication and generosity of hundreds of donors, NCC and our partners have been able to protect several kilometres in Quebec’s Green Mountains.
Ecological importance
The ecosystems found in the Green Mountains host a wealth of biological diversity, the significance of which we are only beginning to discover.
The jagged topography — rocky cliffs and outcrops, caves, gorges, waterfalls and a multitude of streams — all contribute to the area’s richness. Among others, the interesting serpentine outcrops, areas where the bedrock is uncovered, have attracted scientists to the region.
The area is also treasured for its concentration of lakes and wetlands. It is prime habitat for at-risk reptiles and amphibians. The clean, fresh mountain streams are critical habitat for salamanders. Wood turtles, which have been in decline over the past decade, find suitable habitat along the Missisquoi and Sutton rivers.
A place for wandering wildlife
The vast areas of unfragmented forests in the region play an important role in supporting species that depend on large wilderness areas for their survival, such as black bear, bobcat and moose. The interior forest habitat provides a safe haven for numerous forest bird species, including wood thrush, black-throated blue warbler, golden-winged warbler, American redstart, Cape May warbler, chestnut-sided warbler and olive-sided flycatcher.
The Green Mountains Nature Reserve, a place of discovery
The Green Mountains Nature Reserve, QC (Photo by Appalachian Corridor)
Nestled in the heart of the Green Mountains is the Green Mountains Nature Reserve, an area of 78 square kilometres (7,800 hectares). Accessible to the public through a 200-plus-kilometre trail system, the reserve offers hikers the opportunity to discover this great cross-border forest corridor of global ecological importance. In fact, the Green Mountains Nature Reserve is accessible to the public through three networks of hiking trails: the Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton, the Sentiers de l’Estrie and the Appalachian Corridor.
The Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC), in collaboration with the Parc d’environnement naturel de Sutton (PENS) and the Town of Sutton, is intensifying efforts to prohibit walking dogs off-leash on trails managed by PENS within the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Informational signs have recently been installed, and park rangers have been recruited to ensure compliance with municipal regulations. To learn more about the current rules, please visit the PENS website.
Dogs are strictly prohibited, even on a leash, on the trails at the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Leashed dogs are allowed only PENS-managed trails outside of the Green Mountains Nature Reserve. Please inquire before planning your visit. Thank you for your cooperation in protecting the integrity of this exceptional natural environment.
Access is through three points of entry, with each parking lot providing trail access to one of the three peaks.
Thank you to our generous donors!
Thank you to the individuals, families, businesses, foundations and governments who have contributed to the protection of the Green Mountains since 2000. As we walk these trails, let us pay tribute to the people who gave so generously.
Each of these actions is one more step toward protecting our region's remarkable landscapes. You too can contribute!
Some projects have been funded by the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN), a four-year grant of more than $53 million from the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques to NCC. It provides support for voluntary conservation initiatives to ensure the protection of natural areas of interest by establishing financial partnerships with conservation organizations in the province. The PPMN thus aims to develop and consolidate Québec's network of protected areas located on private land. It follows the Ensemble pour la nature project, which ended on March 31, 2020, and had similar objectives.
