Algonquin - Dumoine River area hike

Join us for a very special excursion to discover our newest conservation initiative – the Gap!
Saturday, May 27 beginning at 10:30 AM.
Only 18 km separate the Ottawa Valley’s two largest protected areas – Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario at 7653 km² and the Dumoine River Aquatic Reserve in Quebec at 1776 km² - both protected areas provide vital and critical habitat for countless species of plants and animals, including moose, black bear and wolves – species requiring large ranges to survive.
It is widely known that climate change will force many species to migrate toward the north to adapt to changing conditions.
Earlier this year, we officially launched a new campaign to encourage the province of Ontario to work with us to establish a new protected area between the boundary of Algonquin Park and the Ottawa River just south of the Dumoine River Aquatic Reserve. While much work remains to be done to catalogue the ecological, cultural and recreational values of the “Gap” and we have only just began to engage Indigenous and local communities as well as a wider group of stakeholders in the project, we would nonetheless like to invite you to join us for a very special tour of the “Gap” to see for yourself the potential which exists for a new protected area in our region – one focused on connectivity, climate mitigation and adaptation and designed to preserve current recreational uses for the land, while excluding heavy industrial activities such as graphite mining.
During our tour, we will take you to several locations along Bissett Creek and Grant Creek, including the Grant Creek Marsh and a series of impressive waterfalls on Bissett Creek and to the Shingle Creek Marsh which provide a snapshot of the conservation potential of the area. Our vision is to expand current protected areas (along Bissett and Grant Creek) to create a viable connection between Algonquin Park and the Dumoine River, possibly up to 350 km² in size. The current protected areas are simply too small.
Following our tour of areas in Ontario, you are invited to join us for a tour of a new trail north of Rapides-des-Joachims (Swisha) offering sweeping views across the Ottawa River to Algonquin Park, giving you a sense of the significance of the “Gap” area. You are invited to join us for dinner at a private cabin in the area following the hike (please bring something to share).
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2023
Meeting time: 10:30 AM
Meeting place: Rolphton, Ontario. The precise meeting place will be shared with registrants by email.
Admission: As usual, our hikes are free of charge to attend, but donations toward our Gap campaign would be appreciated.
Duration: It is expected that this excursion will last several hours, ending in the late afternoon - between 3:30 and 5:00 PM.
What else should you know? We will be driving to these various locations and hiking for short periods of time. We recommend leaving cars at the meeting place and carpooling to the destinations. If you are joining us for the hike north of Rapides-des-Joachims, you will need to register your car at ZEC Rapides-des-Joachims and pay the road fee of $12.00 per vehicle (not per person).
What to bring: Bring your lunch, snacks, plenty of water. Dress for the weather. This is a rain or shine event. We recommend wearing light coloured clothing, long pants, and long sleeves. You should also pack insect repellant, sunscreen, a hat, good hiking shoes suitable for varied terrain. Some areas may be rocky and possibly wet, the hike planned for the trail north of Rapides-des-Joachims does involve a significant gain in elevation. Hiking poles could be helpful. Pack your camera and binoculars!
Registration is required for this event, please email Johanna at [ov-outreach@cpaws.org](mailto:ov-outreach@cpaws.org) to register. Spaces are limited.