The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Kenauk Institute (KI) have teamed up to create a permanent open-air research and education laboratory dedicated to studying the impacts of climate change on the territory.
CNC and IK have joined forces in an exceptional campaign to ensure the long-term protection of Kenauk, this natural jewel of over 25,000 hectares, the study of nature sciences and the education of future generations. By collaborating with universities and the public sector, we are creating a vast laboratory in a temperate forest dedicated to research. This project was made possible thanks to major financial contributions from the Age of Union Alliance and Inovia Capital.
Last December, the families of Doug Harper, Dominic Monaco, Patrick Pichette and Mike Wilson, co-founders of IK, donated 645 hectares - half of their waterfront property - to NCC to become a protected area. They have pledged to donate the other half of their land to protect this area. The 645-hectare donation was completed as part of NCC's Natural Environment Partnership Project, for which the Quebec government provided financial assistance, and as part of the Natural Heritage Conservation Program of the Government of Canada's Canadian Nature Fund.
Located between Montreal and Gatineau, and easily accessible by highways, this area is particularly sensitive to development. That's why the families saw the need to protect this region, which lies in an ecological corridor linking the natural areas of Parc national de Plaisance and Parc national du Mont-Tremblant. In addition to conservation, research and education for future generations, Kenauk is open to the general public year-round through Kenauk Nature Outfitters.
Kenauk's undisturbed forests and wetlands are home to exceptional biodiversity, including rare and endangered plant and animal species, such as the black maple, designated vulnerable in Quebec under the Loi sur les espèces menacées ou vulnérables , and the eastern woodpecker, a bird of special concern according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada(COSEWIC 2012a), due to population decline. Lac Papineau, located on this territory, feeds the Rivière Saumon (or Kinonge), whose pure water provides essential habitat for various fish species and helps maintain water quality.
CNC and IK are therefore jointly launching a private fundraising campaign for the remaining $20 million, to contribute to their efforts to protect and steward the 25,000-hectare Kenauk territory. Patrick Pichette, co-founder of IK, partner at Inovia Capital and former CFO of Google, is chairing the fundraising effort.
More than 75% of the $20 million goal has already been reached, thanks to the contributions of several key partners, including the 4 owner families, Age of Union and Inovia Capital. CNC and IK are now looking to raise the remaining $5 million through individual and corporate donations.
To get involved, find out more, or make a donation to the Kenauk Institute, visit: https: //institutkenauk.org/fr/donate/
The expansion of Kenauk Nature Reserve is an example of the scale at which NCC is now working to achieve conservation results. Born of partnerships with government and organizations, and benefiting from significant support from individuals, this success is a testament to the whole-of-society approach essential to conserving the natural areas on which our survival depends. Protecting nature on a large scale is a concrete solution to counter biodiversity loss and climate change, and to ensure a positive future for nature.
Quotes
"We recognize the unique and extraordinary ecological value of Papineau Lake and the surrounding area, which unfortunately makes it a prime target for development projects. By handing over our respective properties to CNC, the region can now remain intact for the benefit of the community, and for generations to come. And we can only do this together. - Doug Harpur, Dominic Monaco, Patrick Pichette, Mike Wilson and their families, donors of the land surrounding Lake Papineau, and co-founders of the Kenauk Institute.
"Thanks to the generosity of these four families and the entire community of Papineau Lake, the centerpiece of Kenauk, is now protected. This is very exciting news, given the rich biodiversity that populates its waters, shores and surrounding forests. We are extremely grateful to our donors for making it possible for us to protect a growing area of land in Kenauk." - Claire Ducharme, Vice-President, Quebec Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada
"We are honoured to help the Kenauk Institute and the Nature Conservancy of Canada move closer to their goals of protecting, restoring and conserving Kenauk. With the combined funds to conserve this land and build the new research laboratory, we can restore one of the world's few undisturbed temperate forests and wetlands that are home to rare and endangered plant and animal species." - Dax Dasilva, Age of Union founder
"These major land donations will enable us to protect areas of interest to numerous plant and animal species. These acquisitions make a difference both to the improvement of the network of protected areas and to the conservation of Quebec's biodiversity. The setting up of the laboratory is also excellent news, and will undoubtedly generate relevant data for the Quebec scientific community. Congratulations to all the partners involved in this project, which was made possible thanks to the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels!" - Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister responsible for the Laurentides region
"Climate change and biodiversity loss are two inseparable crises that must be tackled simultaneously. By working with partners such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Kenauk Institute, we are helping to protect the natural environment in Quebec and across the country. Land protection plays an essential role in halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity, as well as promoting the recovery of species at risk. Through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, the Government of Canada is moving closer to its goal of conserving one-quarter of Canada's land and oceans by 2025, with the means to reach 30% by 2030." - The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
"The Université du Québec en Outaouais is very proud to be a partner in this magnificent project. It will give professors, researchers and students in the natural sciences programs access to the largest open-air laboratory in a temperate forest in Quebec. UQO's Institut des sciences de la forêt tempérée (ISFORT), located in Ripon, is an asset for this teaching and research concept. The agreement will enable us to carry out numerous activities related to conservation and the adaptation of ecosystems to climate and global change." - Murielle Laberge, Rector, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Thanks
This project was made possible thanks to the contribution of several partners. CNC would like to extend its gratitude and thanks to :
- The families of Doug Harpur, Dominic Monaco, Patrick Pichette and Mike Wilson for their land donations
- Inovia Capital
- Age of Union, for a substantial contribution of $3 million over 3 years
- The Quebec government, through a grant of $53 million over 4 years to CNC for its Natural Environment Partnership Project.
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act)
- The Government of Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
- Université du Québec en Outaouais
About us
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country's unifying force for nature conservation. Through the permanent conservation of vast territories, we provide solutions to the twin crises of rapidly declining biodiversity and climate change. As a trusted partner, NCC works alongside individuals, communities, businesses and governments to protect and care for our most important natural areas. Since 1962, NCC has mobilized Canadians to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares. In Quebec, nearly 50,000 hectares have been protected. With nature, we create a prosperous world. For more information: conservationdelanature.ca.
The Kenauk Institute (KI ) is a non-profit organization based in Montebello, Quebec, Canada, whose mission is to support, coordinate and supervise scientific research on the property and surrounding area, and to promote environmental education. The abundance and diversity of flora and fauna, combined with the property's unique history as a pristine watershed and wildlife corridor, offer endless opportunities for research, education and conservation. The combination of research and environmental education plays a key role in society's evolution towards a sustainable future. Our goal is to give young people the opportunity to connect with nature, so that they become leaders with the understanding and motivation to take responsible action that incorporates conservation and sustainability.
Inovia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs to build global, sustainable businesses. With an entrepreneurial mindset, the team supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey, providing mentoring and access to an international network. Inovia has over US$2.2 billion under management and operates in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, San Francisco and London. For more information, visit inovia.vc/en.
Age of Union is a non-profit environmental alliance that supports and makes visible a global community of change-makers working on the ground to protect the planet's endangered species and ecosystems. Launched in October 2021 by technology leader and environmental activist Dax Dasilva in Montreal, Canada, Age of Union seeks to ignite a flame in every person through conservation efforts that address critical environmental challenges around the world and inspire high-impact change by showing the positive impact each person can have.
The Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN) is a four-year grant of over $53 million awarded to NCC by the Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. By establishing financial partnerships with the province's conservation organizations, it provides support for voluntary conservation initiatives to ensure the protection of natural environments of interest. The PPMN aims to develop and consolidate Quebec's network of protected areas on private land. It follows on from the Ensemble pour la nature project, which ended on March 31, 2020, and had similar objectives.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is a program administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
The Government of Canada's Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique public-private partnership designed to support the creation of new protected and conservation areas through the acquisition of private lands and rights. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) administers the program. The federal government's investment in the program is matched by contributions from NCC and its partners, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Canadian conservation community.
The Quebec Ecological Corridors Initiative proposes a collective approach to land use planning to increase the conservation of natural environments connected by ecological corridors. The Initiative aims to consolidate the commitment of municipal players, woodlot owners, farmers and other key land-use stakeholders. To this end, mobilization, capacity-building, recognition and action support activities are being carried out across the province and in 11 regions of Quebec. The Initiative is coordinated by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, implemented by 10 organizations and supported by some 100 experts.
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