Appalachian Corridor, a non-profit conservation organization, is marking its 20 year milestone.<\/p>\n
The organization was founded in 2002 by Francine Hone, Louise Gratton, and Terri Monahan all of whom shared a vision to preserve, in perpetuity, the natural landscape of the Appalachian region in southern Quebec. Appalachian Corridor works alongside various other conservation organizations, private land owners and municipalities in the Eastern Townships to ensure that the ecology, biodiversity, the ecosystem, and the species that thrive on the region\u2019s natural landscape are protected. With two decades under its belt, the group hopes to carry out its mission for another 20 years to come.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe World Wildlife Foundation launched a report (2002) highlighting the crucial importance of the Sutton Range. So, things were starting to move in conservation and this report was available saying that the Sutton Range was very critical to the ecosystem in the region,\u201d explained M\u00e9lanie Leli\u00e8vre, executive director of Appalachian Corridor. \u201cThree women with leadership, with a vision, got together (\u2026) and they were looking at what was happening with this scientific report and decided to put in place this organization.\"<\/p>\n With a large landscape conservation strategy, Leli\u00e8vre explained that the initial objective was to link the Sutton Range with Orford National Park.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt was very innovative when it started, but it worked. They gathered people around this vision and this project and the organization was officially launched,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 20 years later, the organization\u2019s mission hasn\u2019t changed and working with private landowners remains at its core.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means the vision was good at that time, it was effective, and still very pertinent. Our mission is really to protect land. 95 per cent of the territory is mainly on private land and the nature is exceptional. The biodiversity is very rich, we have large forest cores, wide ranging mammals, a lot of plant species that at risk,\u201d said Leli\u00e8vre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to Leli\u00e8vre, Appalachian Corridor is now focusing on strengthening their partnerships with municipalities, towns, and cities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven though we are having good results in conservation and creating protected areas in perpetuity, most of the land will not be protected forever. If we work closely with municipalities to enhance and have better by-laws that take into account the ecosystem, the importance of the ecology, critical areas, we will have better results in protecting the biodiversity,\u201d noted Leli\u00e8vre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Describing Townshippers\u2019 attachment to the region\u2019s landscape and nature as \u201cvibrant,\u201d Leli\u00e8vre mentioned that most landowners are open to the idea of playing their part.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen we have this discussion with landowners, it\u2019s like a little seed in the dirt and over time this seed might come up and become a concrete project,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With many achievements over the last 20 years, it was hard for Leli\u00e8vre to highlight just a few, but she was excited to announce a special event taking place at the end of the summer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn 2019, we achieved a very nice success in conservation with the protection of Mount Foster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That project, the housing development, was at a dead-end for seven years and the citizens were torn with this project. (\u2026) It was very, very difficult. It took two years and in 2019 we were able to reach an agreement and do fundraising in the region,\u201d recounted Leli\u00e8vre. \u201cWe concluded the protection of 215 hectares on that property for a total value $2 million with the help of the community. We are just about to launch the trails on this property by the end of the summer or early September.\u201d<\/p>\n With a growing network of partnerships and new projects, Appalachian Corridor looks forward to the future and is always seeking to collaborate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think in 20 years, what we really want is people to realize how much local conservation groups create value by protecting those areas and we want this to still be very present in the community to have this culture of conservation in the region,\u201d she emphasized.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n