Ann Paquet honoured for safeguarding wildlife habitat
After a lengthy process involving many organizations and individuals, Appalachian Corridor (ACA) and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine (CVS) announced last Friday the recent acquisition of over 70 hectares of forest owned by Ann Paquet in East Bolton. This property is now in the hands of CVS and will be protected in perpetuity. This acquisition falls in harmony with ACA’S trans-border conservation strategy
Established in 2006 and named after the stream called Le Serpentine, CVS is a charitable conservation organization with members who are like-minded landowners along Bellevue Road in East Bolton drawing on each others’ knowledge and expertise and wanting to make a lasting impact on their community. To demonstrate their commitment some of them offered CVS a portion of their properties to be place in conservation servitudes in perpetuity.
Marie-josé Auclair, president of the ACA’S board of directors, says that this dramatic expansion of protected territory that lies between Orford and Place mountains inside the municipality of Eastman can be attributed to the collaboration and support from the Federal Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Open Space Institute, Echo Foundation, the Municipality of East Bolton, along with the ACA, CVS and especially Paquet.
ACA’S Executive Director Mélanie Leliève claims that this gift fits perfectly with ACA’S conservation strategy to protect the natural corridors of the wildlife. Owing to its location, it contributes to connectivity efforts for wildlife protection in the Green Mountains linkage from Vermont to Quebec. The protection of this property will ensure that quality habitats are safeguarded for various species that are indigenous to Quebec including the northern dusky salamander that is considered at risk in this province.
According to Gilles Gagnon, vice-president of CVS, this is the third eco-gift from Paquet. All told, her generosity represents over 23 per cent of the 340-hectare network of natural areas protected by his organization since its establishment in 2009. Paquet has had a strong relationship with CVS since its beginning and he says that the group has inspired confidence in her to leave the land that is known to have high ecological value in its hands. She is revered for taking the leading role 10 years ago in conservation actions in the Chagnon Mountain area, the source of the Serpentine Brook. Expressing his gratitude on behalf of CVS, Gagnon said that it has been a great privilege to work with Paquet to protect the biodiversity of her land and safeguard connectivity within the Appalachian Corridor, a trans-border geographic feature.
Some of the funding for this project was procured from a special program called “Transborder Land Trust Fund” that is administered by the Open Space Institute
(OSI), a New York-based land trust. Kevin Webb of OSI says that the Transborder Land Trust Fund seeks to protect wildlife habitat and to advance the conservation of ecologically significant forest landscapes in southeastern Canada and the northeastern US. He said the animals that roam these forests know no political boundaries. “We share them and several years ago we came to realize that we needed to extend our support to areas on the Canadian side of the international border.” About the impact of climate change, he said that Open Space Institute wants to make sure that the animals in the United States will be moving farther north and that they have a responsibility to see that their existence is protected. “As our climate shifts, these plants and animals will depend on us doing our best to connect core habitats on both sides of the Us-canadian border — in a warmer world, more and more Americans will be seeking refuge in Canada, but they may not be human.” To date OSI has approved or distributed nearly $3 million in grants to partner organizations, contributing to the protection of nearly 90,000 acres.
While congratulating the successful acquisition of the large tract of forest at the north end of the municipality, Mayor Joan Westland-eby of East Bolton spoke about how proud she is of her municipality’s commitment promoting sustainable development for over 20 years and its progress in protecting the natural habitat. As recently as two years ago, the municipality put a moratorium on the construction of new roads and has since established a consultation committee for sustainable development of the territory. “The mandate of this committee includes the identification of areas that, in our territory, can support development and those that must be protected,” Eby said. “We have also partnered with local conservation organizations such as CVS, ACA, and Nature Conservancy of Canada. It also has an environmental committee.”
Speaking on behalf of Katherine Mckenna, the minister of Environment and Climate Change, Denis Paradis, the M.P. for the federal riding of Brome-missisquoi lauded the collaboration of everyone involved in making this gift a reality. He said that, “through the Natural Areas Conservation Program and the Ecological Gifts Program our government is working with partners to protect and conserve species at risk, and preserve Canada’s biodiversity for future generations,” adding, “the past, present, and future engagement of Brome-missisquoi citizens and organizations is the foundation of our beautiful county’s development. People like Ann Pâquet and Noël Lamontagne’s passion for their region is a legacy of paramount importance. Let us take to heart accessibility for all, and the protection of and proximity with, nature.”
Leliève is hoping that the mutual trust highlighted in this most recent donation will inspire new donors and initiate other projects. She says that protecting properties will allow for quality habitats for indigenous living beings. She reminds everyone that the Canadian government’s Ecological Gifts Program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or corporations donating ecologically significant land.