It was recently announced that Ambioterra, an environmental not-for-profit, launched an initiative called “Nature Accessible to all in Monterégie-Ouest!” The plan is to develop ecotourism in the region and help make the area more enticing for visitors and locals alike.
The idea came from Priscillia Gareau, the general manager of Ambioterra. Gabrielle Roy, who is the leader of this project, says they want to make more people aware of our region, but also to provide access to the outdoors to people who don’t experience nature as frequently as they’d like. At the same time, it will help to stimulate the local economy.
The project itself is called an “ecotourism circuit,” Roy says, adding “Initially, we’ll be visiting eight locations to give city dwellers a little more access to nature.” Each of these locations will allow visitors to get to know a new aspect of the Valley, from maple production to nature exploration to blueberry fields and more. “There will be descriptions of everything that can be found at each location that people can visit. Depending on the location, some places will have a forest trail. Some of the others will have a workshop, depending on the place.” Each location will also have a poster with a QR code which will take visitors to the Ambioterra website.
Roy hopes to see this project grow and develop to be even bigger. Due to funding, they have capped their partnerships at eight; however, she hopes to see that expand. Ultimately, the goal of the project is twofold: “We get to promote our local farmers, and then on top of that, they can educate people,” she says. Her hope is that this is an experience that promotes “Eco-responsibility, educates people, has good practices and highlights people who have good ecological practices at heart, who protect nature well.”
Projects like this are important to Roy because they help us work towards a more environmentally conscious future. Having people see how agriculture works firsthand leads to a better comprehension overall. “If we admire these practices, and if people are more educated, then we can take better care of the waterways, and make people aware of why it’s important not to use pesticides,” she says. There are places in the world that are uninhabitable because of pollution and destructive practices. Showcasing local producers that are putting in the work to take care of the land demonstrates what is possible for the future.
Eventually, there will be an interactive map on the Ambioterra website that guests will have access to before their trip. They are also working on small video vignettes in partnership with a local filmmaker, André Desrochers, to highlight these locations. Roy says that the partners on this project are excited for it to start and are thrilled to welcome visitors.
For more information on this project and Ambioterra’s work in other areas, the organization will be holding a kiosk during the Earth Day Forum on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School in Ormstown.