NCC and RESAM join forces to protect natural environments

Combining conservation and forest management

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Regroupement des sociétés d'aménagement forestier du Québec (RESAM) are pooling their expertise to inform, engage and support woodlot owners in sustainable forest management, and as a result address climate change.

Woodlot owners comprise farmers, workers, professionals and retirees who use their properties for leisure activities but also potentially as a source of employment or investment. They play an essential role in maintaining Quebec's biodiversity.

As part of this two-year renewable partnership, NCC and RESAM will promote the importance of private woodlots in maintaining major forest corridors that connect the Appalachians Mountains to the boreal forest.

With the help of a series of tools, woodlot owners will have the opportunity to better understand their critical role in the conservation of animals and plants. They will learn about the importance of maintaining connectivity between natural environments for the survival of wildlife and humans alike, as these natural areas provide countless ecological services, such as the purification of air and water.

Promoting connectivity projects

Forests are important major corridors for maintaining the connectivity of natural environments. These corridors allow animals to move freely and plants to disperse to habitats where they can meet their vital needs.

Due to climate change, it is estimated that wildlife species in Quebec will migrate northward by an average of 45 km per decade. Major corridors are an essential way for them to adapt to these disruptions, allowing them to travel and spread throughout the area.

The partnership between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and RESAM is part of a larger province-wide connectivity project led by NCC since 2017 and implemented in collaboration with its partners: The “Ecological corridors: a climate change adaptation strategy”.

In addition to woodlot owners, this project aims to engage municipalities, local stakeholder networks and citizens to protect connectivity areas and counter the effects of climate change on biodiversity.

Acknowledgements

The “Ecological corridors: a climate change adaptation strategy” project is funded by the Fonds vert, as part of Action-Climat Québec, a program of the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques stemming from the 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan.

The Fondation de la faune du Québec, the Echo Foundation and the Woodcock Foundation are also financial partners in this project.  

Quotes

“We are very pleased with this collaboration with RESAM. Together, we will highlight the role that woodlot owners already play in the conservation of our forest heritage by maintaining the forestry vocation of their lands and by promoting concrete actions to maintain the natural services provided by these lands.” - Kateri Monticone, science and conservation planning manager at NCC’s Quebec Region

“I am delighted with the realization of this partnership between NCC and RESAM. It will help strengthen the idea that management work carried out by forest owners and conservation are not only compatible, but above all complementary. This is a huge step in the right direction.”  - Rénald Bernier, president of RESAM

"Climate change regularly reminds us of the importance of protecting our forests. As woodlot owners, we are at the forefront of preserving these natural environments. This partnership will, I hope, encourage as many owners as possible to participate in their own way in the protection of our natural treasures. We owe it to our children." - Roland Charbonneau, woodlot owner in Saint-Colomban, in the Laurentians

RESAM by the numbers

• 28,700 woodlot owners;
• 3.78 million acres (1.53 million hectares) under management;
• 39 forest management groups;
• 181 million dollars in revenue.

About

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the nation’s leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres), coast to coast to coast, including 45,000 hectares (111,197 acres) in Quebec.

Visit our story map for an overview of our connectivity projects across the province.
 
The mission of the forestry groups of Quebec represented by RESAM is to manage forest resources on private lands intensively with a view to sustainable development. They also contribute to regional socioeconomic development by creating jobs and enriching the forest heritage. They represent more than 80% of active and engaged forest producers. The business model of forestry groups is recognized by the Quebec government.

Media contact

Elizabeth Sbaglia, communications manager, NCC
Tel.: 514 996-4440 | Email: elizabeth.sbaglia@natureconservancy.ca  

Marc Beaudoin, managing director, RESAM
Tel. 418 877-1344 ext. 551 | Email: marc.beaudoin@resam.org

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