Montréal's Nature Museums Take the First Symbolic Action to Launch the Life
District

MONTREAL, May 21 /CNW Telbec/ - On the day before the International Day for Biological Diversity, Montréal's Nature Museums took the first symbolic action to launch the Life District, at a ceremony attended by Montréal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, Jean Lemire, honorary ambassador for The Green Wave of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Valérie Desbiens, a teacher representing the Quebec network of alternative public schools (RÉPAQ) and Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Executive Director of Montréal's Nature Museums. Over 4,200 young people and staff from RÉPAQ schools tossed thousands of "seed bombs" onto the path linking the Insectarium and Biodôme, to fill it with colourful flowers.

"On this International Day for Biological Diversity, I want to reiterate the city of Montréal's conviction and commitment to continue growing as a green city, focused on sustainable development and respectful of its biodiversity. Our administration is working hard every day to protect and enhance urban biodiversity. Today we are proud to support the Life District, a vibrant area that will help to revitalize a whole neighbourhood, by and for residents," said Mayor Tremblay.

"Montréal's Nature Museums help people enjoy nature to the fullest, and the first action to launch the Life District is in keeping with a series of strategic projects that we will be cultivating with different partners and the community over the next several years. It's an opportunity for people looking to change not only east-end Montréal but the whole world!" concluded Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Executive Director of the Nature Museums.

A commitment to humankind

Tossing "seed bombs" is a concept inspired by the "guerrilla gardening" movement, aimed at greening vacant or abandoned downtown lots. The movement was born 25 years ago in New York, and gained new popularity when Richard Reynolds, of London, started the guerrillagardening.org blog four years ago and wrote On Guerrilla Gardening. It's an original way to bring plants and biodiversity back where they belong.

The seed bombs were made by young members of the Écolo-boulot project, a social and vocational reinsertion firm. Tossing them today was a symbolic action made with the help, ingenuity and expertise of many other partners: the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie boroughs, the Direction des grands parcs et de la nature en ville, the Olympic Park, the different friends' organizations from the Nature Museums, the Montréal Nature Museums Foundation and Tourisme Montréal. It is also in keeping with the goals of The Green Wave, a worldwide movement initiated by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

For further information: Karine Jalbert, Communications Co-ordinator, Montréal's Nature Museums, [phone]; Nadine Fortin, Communications Co-ordinator, Montréal's Nature Museums, [phone]