Unique forest in the municipality of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil now protected
Home to a butterfly species considered vulnerable on a global scale
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is announcing the protection of the Boisé Carillon, 202 hectares of forest and wetlands in the municipality of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil.
NCC plans to provide public access to this exceptional site within next year. Visitors will be able to enjoy nature and walk in a setting lush with vegetation, unique forest, ponds and wetlands, a home to a variety of wildlife species — all just an hour’s drive from Montreal.
Conserving Boisé Carillon ensures the long-term conservation of this natural gem, protecting its ecosystems from any threat of development. NCC will collaborate with the local community, notably the municipality of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil and the regional county municipality of Argenteuil, to plan public access to the area and restore ecosystems on the property.
NCC will also set up a local consultative committee to manage the forest and study the property's ecosystems to determine how best to protect them in the coming years
Two at-risk tree species in Quebec — black maple (vulnerable) and rock elm (threatened) — both protected by the Act respecting threatened or vulnerable species, cover much of the site. As a result, the area has been designated an Exceptional Forest Ecosystem. Seventeen other plant species at risk have been confirmed on the site, which also has great potential for wildlife, such as West Virginia white, a butterfly species considered vulnerable on a global scale, recently discovered on the property.
The Boisé Carillon also includes approximately 55 hectares of wetlands. These ecosystems play an important role in maintaining water quality in the region and preventing floods and offer critical habitat to a range of species.
This project showcases how NCC is accelerating the pace of conservation in Canada. In the past two years alone, NCC has influenced the protection of more than 1 million hectares (almost twice the size of Prince Edward Island), coast to coast to coast. Over the next few years, the organization will double its impact by mobilizing Canadians and delivering permanent, large-scale conservation.
In the face of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, nature is our ally. There is no solution to either without nature conservation. When nature thrives, we all thrive.
Acknowledgements
NCC recognizes the generous contributions of its funders, whose participation is essential: the Government of Quebec, which provided a grant of $53 million over four years, through its Partenariat pour les milieux naturels project; MapleCross Fund; Echo Foundation; Age of Union Alliance; TD Bank Group; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act; the Government of Canada, through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, and Natural Resources Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Program; the North American Waterfowl Management Plan; the Fondation de la faune du Québec, through the Programme Hydro-Québec pour la mise en valeur de milieux naturels to restore the site and make it accessible to the public; and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. NCC also thanks Cogeco, the City of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil and the Potvin family for supporting this project.
Quotes
“This magnificent forest, now in the care of NCC, can evolve naturally, offering a place for visitors to recharge their batteries and a healthy environment for a multitude of species with which we share our planet.” – Annie Ferland, Project Manager, Nature Conservancy of Canada
“I am delighted that the Government of Québec is granting financial support for the conservation of the Boisé Carillon through the Partenariat pour les milieux naturels project. It is a rich forest ecosystem with many wetlands that, in addition to providing countless ecological services, is home to several vulnerable or threatened species. It is also an ideal setting for enjoying the beauty and benefits of nature, which is a source of pride for the people here. I want to thank all the partners that have collaborated on this initiative. This will make it possible to increase the protection of natural settings that are remarkable for their richness within our protected area network that will stretch across all regions of Québec by 2030.” – Agnès Grondin, MNA for Argenteuil and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (protection of water and biodiversity)
"Age of Union is honoured to be a part of the preservation of Boisé Carillon, a pristine sanctuary that holds immeasurable ecological value. Together with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and the dedicated municipality of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil we'll be able to safeguard this natural gem. Our joint efforts will not only protect the forest and wetlands but also provide the public with access to this rich ecosystem. – Dax Dasilva, Founder of Age of Union
"At TD, we're committed to focusing on and investing in projects that help build a more sustainable future. That's why we're proud to continue supporting Nature Conservancy of Canada through the TD Ready Commitment to advance lasting park-based community projects. This important work will elevate the quality of the environment while providing a place for community members to connect with nature and with each other." - Joshua Cayer, Manager, Philanthropy, Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group
“Trees are essential to our lives - they capture carbon, improve air quality and support wildlife - and they are important allies in our fight against climate change. That's why Canada has committed to planting two billion trees. Through this investment with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, we are collaborating to expand protected forest cover by planting over 50,000 trees at the Boisé Carillon. This is how we ensure the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time, while contributing to our climate and biodiversity goals.” – The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“Canada’s wetlands and forests in areas such as Boisé Carillon are essential for absorbing and storing carbon, while also providing habitat for at-risk plant and animal species. Supporting the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s initiative is an important step toward ensuring the health of these sensitive and critical ecological areas. By making investments through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, we are making progress toward Canada’s efforts to transition to a net-zero economy by 2050, while benefitting biodiversity and contributing to job creation in the green economy.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“The Fondation de la faune du Québec, in partnership with Hydro-Québec, is proud to provide financial support to this project, which will allow us to conserve and protect quality habitats for wildlife and encourage visitors to take advantage of the exceptional natural environment.” – Raphaël Dubé, Program Manager, Fondation de la faune du Québec
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country’s unifying force for nature. We seek solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale, permanent land conservation. As a trusted partner, we work with people, communities, businesses and government to protect and care for our most important natural areas. Since 1962, we have brought Canadians together to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares, including nearly 50,000 hectares in Quebec. NCC is a registered charity. With nature, we build a thriving world.
The Partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN) project is 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 Quebec’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 goals
Age of Union is a non-profit environmental alliance that supports and makes visible a global community of changemakers working on the ground to protect the planet’s threatened species and ecosystems. Launched in October 2021 by tech leader and environmental activist Dax Dasilva in Montreal, Canada, Age of Union seeks to ignite a flame within every person through conservation efforts that solve critical environmental challenges around the world and inspire high-impact change by showing the positive impact that every individual can make.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is a program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $1.4 billion, ten-year fund (2021–2031) administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada to help conserve, restore, and enhance the management of ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, and grasslands, in order to help tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The NSCSF will focus on three main objectives: (1) conserving carbon-rich ecosystems at high risk of conversion to other uses that would release their stored carbon; (2) improving land management practices to reduce their greenhouse gas emission-causing impacts on Canada’s ecosystems; and (3) restoring degraded ecosystems. Overall, these projects will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased carbon sequestration, while also providing benefits for biodiversity and human well-being.
The 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program supports new tree planting projects. Over a decade, over $3 billion is being invested in tree planting efforts to support provinces, territories, third-party organizations (for profit and not-for-profit) and Indigenous organizations to contribute to the Government of Canada's commitment to plant two billion trees.
The mission of the Fondation de la faune du Québec is to promote the conservation and enhancement of wildlife and its habitats. Thanks to the contribution of more than one million hunters, fishermen and trappers in Quebec, thousands of donors, and numerous private companies, the Foundation has supported more than 2,000 organizations throughout Quebec since 1987.
The Programme Hydro-Québec pour la mise en valeur des milieux naturels is a funding program offered by the Fondation de la faune du Québec in collaboration with its financial partner Hydro-Québec. It aims to support initiatives for the enhancement, development and implementation of infrastructures that facilitate public access to natural environments while ensuring the protection of biodiversity
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