Ducks Unlimited Canada announces purchase of properties in l’Île-du-Grand-Calumet and l’Isle-aux-Allumettes
Ducks Unlimited Canada announces purchase of properties in l’Île-du-Grand-Calumet and l’Isle-aux-Allumettes
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) announced in a press release that they have recently purchased six properties in the Pontiac area totaling more than 80 hectares of wetland. The properties in question are located in l’Île-du-Grand-Calumet and l’Isle-aux-Allumettes. DUC is a non-profit group founded in 1938 that works to conserve wetlands across the country.
“The different lands have great ecological value, in particular because of their strategic positioning on the edge of the Ottawa River, one of the priority areas of intervention for the conservation of waterfowl and their habitats,” the release states (translated). “The Outaouais is home to some of the greatest biodiversity in the province. This is why the protection of habitats by private owners is crucial there. Several conservation models are possible, but they all depend on the will of the owners to intervene in a sustainable way. For many of them, it is a personal connection with wildlife and the environment that inspires them to take action to protect their lands.”
The release states that wetlands contain breeding and foraging sites for migratory birds as well as several other varieties of birds, insects and small mammals.
“These acquisitions adjacent to conservation areas will make it possible to consolidate the ecosystems on the territory in order to preserve the connectivity essential for maintaining regional biodiversity. They will also be made accessible to the public for the practice of outdoor activities such as wildlife observation and hiking.”
The statement doesn’t fully reveal the identities of the sellers, referring to them as Ms. LaSalle and Mr. Von Witzleben.
“Last spring, Ms. La Salle was contacted by DUC to validate her interest in selling her family land located on Île-du-Grand-Calumet. The idea of conserving the site’s natural heritage for future generations quickly appealed to her.”
“For me, ensuring the sustainability and accessibility of this jewel of the Pontiac region, now frequented by visitors from all over the world, is a great way to honor the memory of my late father who initially acquired the land with the aim of preserving rafting activities in the region,” LaSalle states in the release (translated).
Located in the municipality of Isle-aux-Allumettes, the relationship between Von Witzleben and DUC dates back to the 1980s when he began to install nesting boxes on his land to promote duck breeding.
“Over the years, I have seen the bird population grow, I have been the privileged witness of natural evolution, I have observed several small families grow. When DUC contacted me to buy my land, I could not have hoped for a better future for my charges. It is also the consecration of the efforts made by my family to preserve the richness of the site not only for the practice of hunting, but above all to preserve its authenticity ,” he said (translated).
