HAMPDEN, QC, June 12, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Today the multipurpose path of the future Parc du Marécage des Scots regional park was inaugurated by the Haut-Saint-François MRC and its partners. The 3-km path connects to a 4.5-km multipurpose path already in use in the Franceville sector of Mont Mégantic Provincial Park, adjacent to the marsh.
Built at a cost of $180,000, this path is open to cyclists and hikers seeking a winding path in pleasant surroundings, crossing various ecosystems and offering rest areas with panoramic views of the mountain, brook and marsh. The Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement contributed $43,000 to this project, primarily to create awareness-building tools for the ecosystem bordering the marsh, its wildlife, its flora and how it all works.
"Once we have completed the next development phases, which will allow users to reach Parc Walter-MacKenzie in Scotstown, we believe that this cycling path will be one of the most beautiful in southern Quebec," proudly stated Nicole Robert, Prefect of the Haut-Saint-François MRC. The MRC is the promoter of the project, in partnership with the municipalities of Scotstown and Hampden.
The project's goal is to protect the Marécage des Scots marsh, its surroundings, and its wildlife habitats, while monitoring the increased use of the site, and raising awareness among visitors of best practices to minimize their impact on ecosystems. "The Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement decided to support this project because it seeks to protect fragile ecosystems and reflects the community's desire to manage its environment responsibly," noted Catherine Leconte, Executive Director of the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement.
"This family-friendly path will position us as a region that offers an exceptional quality of life, with outdoor activities, fabulous landscapes, and an enhanced awareness of the need to understand and the protect the environment," said Prefect Nicole Robert.
This project was made possible thanks to a broad partnership that includes the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement, the Conférence Régionale des Élus de l'Estrie, the Ministère des Affaires Municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du Territoire, the Ministère des Ressources Naturelles, Ducks Unlimited, and the centre local de développement du Haut-Saint-François.
About…
The Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement supports organizations taking practical steps to protect, restore and enhance natural areas and educate communities about local environmental issues. Between 2001 and 2012, the Foundation granted $11.1 million to 194 projects, carried out in all of Québec's administrative regions, with a total value of about $37 million.
SOURCE: FONDATION HYDRO-QUEBEC POUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT
MRC du Haut-Saint-François
Dominic Provost, executive director
Tel.: 819 560-8400, extension 2103
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: mrchsf.com
Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l'environnement
Tel.: 514 289-5384
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.hydroquebec.com/fondation-environnement
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