Nadia
Coordonnatrice au développement régional, Conseil Sport Loisir de l’Estrie
Written in collaboration with the Outdoor Council of Canada
In addition to a unique culture, art scene, food options and architecture, Québec boasts some of Canada’s most well stewarded nature destinations. Next time you plan a trip to Québec, in any season, consider hiring a provider to go in nature, or use the local trail systems for visitors.
For example, In the Eastern Townships, you can hike on an extensive network of trails in the heart of the Réserve naturelle des Montagnes-Vertes. The area offers stunning panoramas and is rich in biodiversity. The Singer and Glen mountains are among the peaks accessible to the public. The Reserve plays a vital role as a connection to the natural environments of the Appalachian mountain range.
The Réserve naturelle J-Armand Bombardier, created thanks to the generosity of the descendants of the famous inventor of the snowmobile! The area’s extensive wetlands are home to over a hundred species of waterfowl.
Long-distance hiking on the Sentiers Frontaliers is nothing ordinary. It’s possible to make it a one- or multi-day trip. A wild, mountainous adventure, dotted with three-sided shelters for overnight shelter. Running along the Canada-U.S. border, the trails offer spectacular views of the vast, almost uninhabited territory that surrounds it.
Doing these activities in Estrie is not only fun and good for the mind and soul, it is also using your money to support a community that takes the sustainability of outdoor activities seriously, by ensuring that outdoor ethics are respected.
The region stands out for its ability to mobilize and coordinate the various players involved in outdoor activities. For example, in Estrie, two major projects are currently underway, bringing together elected officials and municipal leaders, site managers and conservation organizations.
The first is the elaboration of a regional hiking policy, in which the entire territory is converging to adopt orientations and actions that will guarantee the presence and maintenance of a harmonious network of sustainable hiking trails. The process involved over 12 months of consultation workshops and the involvement of more than 75 organizations with a shared vision of the importance of access to nature for all.
The second is the development of a regional plan based on Leave No Trace principles, to minimize the environmental impact of everyone visiting the region. By summer 2024, more than 20 awareness-raising workshops will be offered throughout the region. Thanks to a team of dynamic instructors based throughout the region, employees and volunteers at the various outdoor sites are aware of and equipped to apply and pass on the right gestures to minimize their impact and that of users.
Discovering Québec through outdoor activities is not only fun; it is also good for the planet.
For up-to-date information, visit the website of the organization responsible for each hiking network mentioned:
Réserve naturelle des Montagnes Vertes
Les Sentiers de l’Estrie (Réserve J-A Bombardier trail network manager)
