The conservation group Ambioterra is holding a free public conference entitled “Nos Forêts et Nos Arbres: Comment les Aménager et les Protéger?” on March 5 at the Salle Culturelle de Saint-Chrysostome.
“As deforestation accelerates in western Montérégie under pressure from urban, agricultural, and infrastructure development, it is becoming essential to better plan land use in order to preserve the remaining forest environments,” said Ambioterra’s president, Karel Ménard.
According to the community-based organization, land-use planning and development choices have a direct impact on habitat fragmentation, ecological connectivity, and our ecosystem’s resilience to climate change. It is essential to maintain existing forests, but also to promote consistent development practices, responsible forest management in the private sector, and reforestation initiatives that are integrated into land-use planning.
With financial support from the Fonds de Solidarité FTQ and the Echo Foundation, the conference will feature guest speakers Stéphane Gingras of Ambioterra, as well as Isabelle Lapierre and Claudine Lajeunesse of the Agence Forestière de la Montérégie. Discussions will focus on tools for protecting forests, different projects, and regional issues related to climate change, forest environments, and management decisions.
The conference takes place at 7 p.m. Space is limited and reservations are recommended: contact Ambioterra by email at info@ambioterra.org, or by phone at 450-637-8585. (SR)