Canada supports community in conserving habitat of species at risk in southern Quebec

Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced an investment of $1.07 million over four years to conserve species at risk in the Northern Green Mountains region of southern Quebec.

Protecting nature is an essential part of addressing biodiversity loss and fighting climate change. Here in Canada and around the world, we need immediate action to protect our nature now and into the future.

Today, the Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, Lyne Bessette, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced an investment of $1.07 million over four years to conserve species at risk in the Northern Green Mountains region of southern Quebec.

This funding will go to Appalachian Corridor and eight of its partners, under the Canada Nature Fund's Community-Nominated Priority Places initiative. The Northern Green Mountains natural area is part of one of the largest tracts of relatively undisturbed temperate forest in the world. The area is home to 42 Canadian species at risk such as the Bicknell's thrush, the eastern pipistrelle, the wood turtle, the spring salamander, the monarch butterfly, and the butternut.

The Northern Green Mountains region is part of a critical ecological area and is considered one of the last regions in southern Quebec where large tracts of relatively undisturbed wilderness still remain. Its vast, minimally or completely unfragmented forest areas support a wealth of biological diversity in an environment that remains threatened by increasing population density and human activities.

The project, led by Appalachian Corridor, aims to protect and enhance the habitat and reduce threats to species at risk and involve community members who care for these habitats. The project also aims to improve knowledge of the territory and the presence of certain species at risk. Appalachian Corridor will work with organizations, municipal authorities, and citizens so that they become stakeholders in the protection of species at risk and natural environments.

"The Northern Green Mountains region supports a wealth of biodiversity and is home to 42 species at risk, including the monarch butterfly. Conserving this environment ensures the survival of these species and helps fight climate change. The fieldwork carried out by Appalachian Corridor and its partners is essential. More than ever, protecting the environment is at the heart of our priorities. By working with local organizations, we can achieve Canada's goal of protecting a quarter of our land and a quarter of our oceans by 2025."

- Lyne Bessette, Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, Quebec

"On behalf of Appalachian Corridor and our partners, we thank Environment and Climate Change Canada for not only supporting our project but also for recognizing the potential of the Northern Green Mountains as an area that can make a difference for species at risk through the quality of its ecosystems and through community action. With the federal government's generous support and the expertise and tireless commitment of our partners, landowners, and municipalities, we are able to take concrete actions that improve the quality and sustainability of our ecosystems. Ultimately, all citizens benefit from these actions."

- Mélanie Lelièvre, Executive Director, Appalachian Corridor

"The Zoo de Granby is recognized as an important player in the protection of exotic species, such as elephants and gorillas in Cameroon. Our biologists are also leading several projects in Quebec on turtles, bats, and aerial insectivorous birds. It is very rewarding to work on the preservation of endangered species with Appalachian Corridor, through this conservation initiative in the Northern Green Mountains, on projects where one really feels the appreciation of the population."

- Patrick Paré, Director of Conservation and Research, Zoo de Granby

• Adjacent to the Canada-U.S. border, the Northern Green Mountains natural area includes large forested areas and is characterized by numerous wetlands and by a concentration of lakes unmatched in the Appalachian Mountains.

• The main threats to critical habitat of the species concerned in the Northern Green Mountains natural area are the destruction, fragmentation, and degradation of natural environments; the increase of recreational activities; the expansion of the road network; the overexploitation of resources; the increased presence of invasive alien species and certain problematic native species; agricultural activities; and climate change.

• The project includes the following partners: Appalachian Corridor, the Zoo de Granby, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Réseau de milieux naturels protégés, the Conseil de gouvernance de l'eau des bassins versants de la rivière Saint-François, the Organisme de bassin versant de la Yamaska, the Fondation pour la sauvegarde des écosystèmes du territoire de la Haute-Yamaska, QuébecOiseaux, and the Bat Conservation of the Eastern Townships.

• The Canada Nature Fund's Community-Nominated Priority Places for Species at Risk initiative is a four-year, $15.6 million funding initiative administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

• In Budget 2018, the Government announced $1.35 billion for the Nature Legacy initiative, the largest investment in nature conservation in Canadian history.