On October 10th, Mathieu Régnier, president of Ruisseau Jackson: Protected Natural Area (RJPNA), shared his vision for the initiative at a public meeting held at Morin Heights City Hall. Here are some of the highlights of his presentation.
Visitors and shoreline owners are especially struck by the fact that increasingly visible signs of human presence—especially to the north and east—surround the area of interest. “This enhances the sense of being in a peaceful paradise,” he explained. In fact, the changes in the landscape around Ruisseau Jackson are a clear sign of the extensive development that is currently underway. RJPNA aims to become a natural stronghold amidst this transformation.
During his presentation, Mathieu Régnier explained his firm belief in the vision set out by RJPNA: “I’ve been coming here since I was a child. I’m very fond of Lac Écho and Ruisseau Jackson, and I always imagined this beautiful area as a vast protected forest. My personal experience has taught me that places that are meaningful to us can suddenly disappear. As an environmental consultant, I’m familiar with the most recent participative methods for integrated watershed management and I decided to make the vision a reality. Instead of creating an area defined on a map in green, our team’s goal is to colour in different shades.”
RJNAP can facilitate the implementation of actions, measures, decisions and interventions by landowners and project partners to preserve and protect the territory. The organization will first work to foster a concerted and supported movement and then ensure that landowners are aware of the ways in which they can contribute to the broader vision.
At the meeting, Mathieu Régnier described a series of initiatives that could be undertaken in the years to come, including:
- statements of intention by landowners that morally bind them to respect the environmental features of the territory on which their properties are located to the greatest extent possible
- land management, development and planning agreements with partners
- zoning changes in the Ruisseau Jackson flood plain
- property donations to the municipality
- conservation easements
- nature reserves on private land
- land sales to conservation organizations
These actions could serve to create what Mathieu Régnier described as a mosaic of protected statuses for the region: “For instance, here, in light green, are statements of intention by landowners. There, in dark green, may be property donated to municipalities.” And in between are shades of green. Time will tell which colours we’ll need!