MCT acquires lakeside Marsh

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We are pleased to announce that we have acquired a new property to protect in perpetuity and helped Blue Massawippi at the same time by purchasing this property which will give Blue Massawippi an infusion of cash for their important work on the lake. We would like to thank Christine Crowe and Denis Peticlerc along with MCT Trustee Margot Graham Heyerhoff who signed the deed of sale on December 19th, 2023.

Long before the Trust was established, Lake Massawippi Water Protection Inc. (Blue Massawippi) was given this 3-acre lot on the lakefront because the owner wanted to see it protected.  It is zoned ‘white’(developable). Had the MCT existed at the time, the Trust would have been the recipient of the land as Blue Massawippi does not have a mission to conserve and protect land in perpetuity.  Its mission is to protect the health and water quality of the lake. They work on issues such as invasive species such as zebra mussels, the recurring blue-green algae causes, and many other lake issues.  Blue Massawippi needs to focus all of its attention on the lake.

The members of Blue’s Board of Directors were very happy to know that this wetland, a carbon-capture environment close to Lake Massawippi, will, thanks to this transaction, be protected in perpetuity and thus continue forever to play its role as a natural habitat for flora and fauna. In addition, during periods of high water, it will help regulate the water level of Lake Massawippi. 

The Trust protects land adjacent to Lake Massawippi and its tributaries by:

  • Acquiring land through either purchase or donation 

– We purchased the wetland from Blue.

  • Establishing servitudes on land

– We have several properties under servitude and others being added in the near future.

  • Helping landowners understand the ecological and tax benefits of limiting the types of activities permitted on their properties.

– Access to the expertise of Corridor Appalachien as a member organization.

  • Helping landowners understand the potentially disastrous effect of over-development on the overall well-being of the Massawippi watershed. 

– As witnessed by residents and visitors alike, the protected green ridge has had a positive effect on the quality of life on the lake due to the many streams that flow into the lake that will never be disturbed.

How do the two organizations work side by side? 

What are the differences?

See below how we complement each other.

Massawippi Conservation Trust (LAND) Blue Massawippi (WATER)
Est in 2011 as a registered Canadian charity. Est in 1968 as a registered Canadian charity.
Mission : To conserve the natural state of the land adjacent to Lake Massawippi and its tributaries, and to provide stewardship services for that land in perpetuity. Mission : To inform, educate, influence and act on environmental issues that threaten water quality, the health of Lake Massawippi and the quality of life of its residents and users.
Description : The Massawippi Conservation Trust (MCT) was established to conserve land adjacent to Lake Massawippi and its tributaries and provide stewardship services in perpetuity. Starting with the lands on the western ridge of the lake because the government of Quebec identified this particular area as containing old growth forest with a rich biodiversity, including rare and endangered flora and fauna documented by biologists from Appalachian Corridor Association The Trust is now expanding its conservation efforts to include wetlands and agricultural lands in the entire watershed.

It is a registered not-for-profit organization that can issue tax receipts for donations.

 Description : Bleu Massawippi is an organization dedicated to preserving and improving the ecosystem health of Lake Massawippi and its watershed. It works in close collaboration with its various partners, applying its very limited, non-coercive powers to ensure constant vigilance over conditions that threaten water quality, and to raise awareness among users, municipalities and government bodies of best practices based on scientific evidence. With its capacity to mobilize citizens, its credibility with regulatory authorities and the support of its partners, Bleu Massawippi is setting up structuring initiatives for the protection and conservation of Lake Massawippi with the objective of contributing directly and sustainably to the quality of life of users and the community.
Its sister organization, the Fondation Massawippi Foundation (FMF) whose mission is to:

  1. Preserve the Massawippi Valley’s unique ecosystem; 
  2. Fundraise and principally, but not exclusively, financially support the Massawippi Conservation Trust in its operations; 
  3. Support community-based initiatives that are ecologically, socially, culturally and/or educationally valuable to the Massawippi Valley. 
  4. As a fund within the Ottawa Community Foundation, it can also receive charitable donations directly.
  5. The FMF and MCT are focused on the land in the watershed of Lake Massawippi, an area of 586 square kilometers.
 Blue Massawippi was incorporated as the Lake Massawippi Water Protection Inc.

It is a registered not-for-profit organization that can issue tax receipts for donations.

 

It’s mission is:

To inform, educate, influence and act on environmental issues that threaten water quality, the health of Lake Massawippi and the quality of life of its residents and users.

The lake has an area of 18.7 km2 and a perimeter of 38 km.

 
The land contains 2 rivers, countless streams and tributaries as well as underground water that all flow into the lake. By protecting the land in the watershed we are helping to reduce the flow of sediments and pollutants into the lake. The lake is the main source of drinking water for several communities as well as a biodiverse body of water at the center of 5 communities and a major tourist attraction for the region.
The Trust has added 12+ kms of natural trails to our protected properties in order to give the general public free access to the benefits of walking in nature. One trail goes down to the lake via Ethan’s Beach. 

The Foundation sponsors an outdoor education program which takes place at Scowen Park

 With a target of 5 tonnes in 3 years, Bleu Massawippi devotes four weeks a year to removing the waste in the lake with a team of divers. 

A grand total of 4885 pounds (2216kg) of tires, bottles, car parts and concrete blocks and other objects were collected in 2023. It’s primary focus is the removal or reduction of zebra mussels, an invasive species.
The MCT authorizes research activities on its lands, which are part of the 4 tenets of conservation which it follows: Protection, Research, Recreation, Education.   Blue Massawippi runs an education program for boaters in order to help reduce or prevent invasive species from entering the lake, to provide a better control on conserving the riparian strip, and help keep the boaters safe
Current projects of the Massawippi Conservation Trust: 

● Agricultural research project with master’s students from Bishops University 

● 2 scientific studies in progress on our protected properties.

● A nature education program currently for students from grades 3 & 4. 

● Project 27. A targeted conservation project aimed to protect over 785 acres of vital wetlands at the southern end of Lake Massawippi. These lands are the kidneys of the lake.

 Current priorities: Control zebra mussels in the lake and removal of veligers (scientific study ongoing)

  • Developing a scientific diving program 
  • Waste removal in the lake
  • Revegetation of the Tomifobia river
  • A scientific study of the lake currents
  • Water quality surveys

Sometimes people confuse the two organizations, thinking that we are one and the same, or they ask why we don’t merge.

 

The answer is simple. We each have our sphere of influence and focus so that we can accomplish parallel goals. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done to protect the land and the lake for our community.  Each entity is able to focus all of its resources and energy on the mandate established at the time of their founding. Each of us are specialists in our own domains, effectively working to protect the valley we love, be it land or be it water.

 

Burroughs Falls

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What an exciting place to learn about history from a cultural, industrial, environmental and anthropological point of view.

In September, the Massawippi Conservation Trust signed a deed of servitude with the municipality of Stanstead East in order to protect the land immediately adjacent to the falls. This land and the Niger river that flows through it, have been central to our local history for thousands of years. They are in the Appalachian geological corridor of Quebec. 

This is the traditional territory of the Abenaki people. Thanks to recent archaeological digs, we have concrete evidence of their passage and presence along the Niger River. Abenaki archaeologists have studied the land above the falls all the way back to Lake Lyster from where it flows. The flat plains were good for hunting and fishing, a dry place for the semi-nomadic people to move through season after season. The river was the passageway to travel from the south to Lake Massawippi, another rich hunting and fishing ground. 

“We had a cursory archaeological dig done to see what was on the Abenaki territory. We found a striker that dates back thousands of years. We also found quartz from Mount Pinnacle,”  recounted Pamela B. Steen, municipal councilor (now Mayor) in La Tribune April 2021 article. Quartz was a type of mineral that was used for barter. 

Zoom forward past the arrival of the French and English fur traders to the period of colonial settlement. Other people started arriving in the region in the latter half of the 1700s. Some were Europeans, others had official land grants and many arrived on foot, from the northeastern United States, people who were in search of land. Like those before them, the settlers recognised the river as a rich source of food, transportation and power.  We do not know much about the Tatton family, a black family that came here in 1804. But it seems that the river, originally called the Negro River, derived its name from them. The river`s name changed over time from Negro to Nigger and finally to the Niger River. The current name “Niger River” is first reported in 1863 on the Map of the “District of St Francis (Putnam and Gray)”. The word “niger” comes from the Latin form of “black”. The toponym “rivière Niger” was made official on September 14, 2006, at the Commission de toponymie du Québec. 

One man, Stephen Burroughs, famous for his ability to adapt to the times, became the namesake of the falls. His infamy comes from his skills as a counterfeiter. He was born in New Hampshire in 1765 and according to his own memoires was `the worst boy in town`. He was a swindler and prankster. During the American revolution he impersonated a doctor when he shipped out on a Yankee privateer. Later he stole his father`s sermons (his father was a Presbyterian minister) in Massachusetts and he impersonated a preacher performing marriages, baptisms and more. Finally, he saw a potential in counterfeiting coins and paper money. He eventually ended up in Stanstead Township in 1799 with his wife Sally and their children. Like others, he cleared land and built saw and grist mills. He was possibly the first to build a mill on the river. He was well regarded  by his neighbours. The colourful story of his life is well documented in American and Canadian articles (see bibliography below).

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the site passed through several hands as agriculture and forestry formed the basis of the economy in northern Stanstead Township. In 1854, a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, a bridge and farm buildings were located near the site. Just above the falls, a house was built between 1883 and 1906, accompanied by a barn-stable. Evidence of these human activities have been corroborated by archaeologists.

Another important part of the history of Burrough`s Falls is it`s hydro power. The Niger River had many mills along its banks and in 1929 a hydro station was built by Southern Canada Power Ltd (SCP). There was a 2,000 HorsePower mill operating in 1930 according to the SCP annual report. 

The construction of this small power station was of strategic importance to Southern Canada Power Company, which wanted to be closer to the industrial development of Rock Island, which was more than 100 km from the Chute-Hemming power station. What’s more, the new power station would also make it possible to secure the southern grid in the event of a power distribution problem.

With the nationalization of Quebec’s hydroelectric network in 1963, the power station became the property of Hydro-Québec. In the 1980s, several installations were dismantled, including the barn.

In 2010, a major break occurred in the penstock, resulting in the permanent shutdown of electricity production. Between 2014 and 2016, the balance stack and penstock were dismantled.

In 2021 the municipality of Stanstead East acquired the site from Hydro Quebec for future recreational purposes and to protect it from further transformations.  It had the hydro station recognised and registered as a heritage building.

The heritage site is also of interest for its landscape value. The site is marked by the presence of the 55.17 m-high Burroughs Falls, part of the Niger River. The property, which is largely wooded, also features several types of forest stands: cedar, hemlock, maple, and tall pines planted along the access road.  

The newly renamed property, Parc des Chutes-Burroughs, is home to several types of habitat: forest environments; aquatic habitats comprising the Rivière Niger, its waterfalls and certain streams; and treed swamps, some of which are located in flood-prone areas. Some streams are home to a species of salamander likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable in Quebec, the Northern Dusky Salamander.

As for the plant species present, Canada fleabane, two-leaved toothwort and ostrich fern matteuccia are species vulnerable to harvesting, while Provancher’s fleabane is a threatened species in Quebec.

In September 2023 the Massawippi Conservation Trust signed a conservation servitude to protect the 36 acre property in perpetuity. Part of the site will continue to thrive as a park and recreational area. The municipality intends to open the space to visitors with an exhibit at the hydro station and allow walkers to enjoy the forests and river`s edge in late 2024 or early 2025.

 

Bibliography

https://www.latribune.ca/2021/04/10/un-joyau-devient-un-espace-vert-a-stanstead-est-068577b65b9de4f165e35595aa3b9720/

https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/detail.do?methode=consulter&id=233557&type=bien

https://www.latribune.ca/2022/08/18/decouvrir-le-territoire-ancestral-des-abenakis-via-les-chutes-burroughs-7ed7064d9646021869974d41a97bcbab/

https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Forests_and_Clearings_The_History_of_Sta/IFDHswdhWqwC?hl=en&gbpv=1 

https://cantondehatley.ca/en/information/about-hatley-township/

 

Call for animators 2023-2024

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Margot Heyerhoff - Graduation

Dr. Margot Graham Heyerhoff

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We are so proud to announce that Margot Graham Heyerhoff has been awarded an honorary Doctorate for the degree of Doctor of Civil Law, honoris causa, Margot Heyerhoff, in recognition of her tireless, selfless, and impactful advocacy for her community, for art and literacy, and for the environment.

We’d like to share with you the commencement speech given by Kerry Hull, Dean of Science at Bishop’s University. You can also watch the video here.

Mr. Chancellor, Principal Goldbloom, graduates, colleagues, family and friends.  It is my honour to introduce Margot Graham Heyerhoff.  

Margot’s Pinterest page features a quote from Leonard Mlodinow – “The outline of our lives, like a candle’s flame, is continuously coaxed in new directions by a variety of random events that, along with our responses to them, determine our fate.”

So let me briefly recount just a few of the random events that have led to Margot Heyerhoff’s presence with us today.   

She spent time in the Townships as a high school student at King’s Hall, a boarding school in Compton, and also had a brief stint as a Bishop’s student.  Several years later Margot become the first Development Director at Bishop’s College School, just across the river from us.  She left the Townships in 1981, for what she may have thought was the last time.  However, twenty years later, under unexpected and serendipitous circumstances, the Heyerhoff family left Oakville, Ontario to settle in the Canton de Hatley.   

The subsequent twenty five years of Margot’s life could serve as a case study of local actions with dramatic impact.  Her interest in land conservation and sustainability started when her family converted their land into a certified organic farm.  Then, in 2011, Heyerhoff worked with friends and colleagues to establish the Massawippi Foundation and Conservation Trust.  One mandate of this organization is to protect and preserve the ecosystems of the Lake Massawippi watershed – they raised over five million dollars, and now have stewardship over 1200 acres of land.  These forests and fields are not only conserved, they are also used to further the organization’s goals by providing environmentally friendly hiking trails as well as sites for educational and research projects.  To this day she continues to serve as President of the Foundation and Trustee of the Trust.

The foundation’s conservation efforts extend beyond their lands – they also promote sustainable agricultural practices through education and research grants.  In addition, as a key supporter of Bishop’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program as well as the Educational Farm, Margot is a passionate advocate for  agro-environmental farming practices that keep our soil healthy as well as preserve the biodiversity of insects, birds and plants.  

To expand the scope of her work outside the Townships, Margot mentors others across the province of Quebec as they establish conservation trusts in their areas.  As a testament to her reputation, she was invited to share the Massawippi Foundation story at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference.  

Ainsi, Margot Heyerhoff a contribué de manière significative aux efforts de conservation locaux, régionaux et internationaux, non seulement par ses propres actions, mais aussi en fournissant l’éducation, les conseils et les fonds nécessaires pour que d’autres puissent faire de même.  

But there is more.  An accomplished artist and art collector, Margot has converted a dilapidated barn on her farm into a non-profit art gallery and cultural space.  The gallery has been the venue for numerous cultural activities, including historical and architectural exhibitions, fundraising events for local charitable entities, and book launches for local authors.  

In sum, Margot has dedicated herself to her community and to the sustainability of our planet.

Mister Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Civil Law, honoris causa, Margot Heyerhoff, in recognition of her tireless, selfless, and impactful advocacy for her community, for art and literacy, and for the environment.  

 

Open Garden Days - Glen Villa

Open Garden Days at Glen Villa

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Saturday June 17th, July 15th and August 12th

9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

General admission tickets are $25

Choose either the morning or the afternoon.

Children 10  and under are admitted free of charge and do not require a ticket.

New in 2023 – Walks and Talks

Explore a special topic in small groups with an expert for 75-90 minutes. Additional Fee $40

Ornithological Tour of the Glen Villa Gardens,  Jean-Paul Morin and Camille Dufresne (Bilingual)                                                          Identification Walk of Wild and Edible Plants Patrick Garcia (French)
Landscape Photography and the Art of Seeing Karl Forrest Ehrlich (Bilingual)
Art in the Landscape: What, Where and Why? Myke Hodgins or Tracey Hesse (Bilingual)
Discovering Native Trees and their Role in the Ecology of the Site, Alain Carignan (French)
Trees in the Garden: their Identification, Adaptations & their Ecological Roles, Justin Manasc (Bilingual)                                            Discovery Walk of Medicinal Plants in Nature, Marie-Josée Vivier (Bilingual)

FOR TICKETS OR INFORMATION
glenvillaartgarden.org

Glen Villa Art Garden (Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley) is open to the general public only on Open Garden Days.

Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Members

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Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the members of the Fondation Massawippi Foundation will be held on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

The meeting will be held in person at the St. Elizabeth Church, Community Hall, 3115 Capelton Road, North Hatley, Quebec.

  1. To receive the Corporation’s financial statements and the report of the President for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022;
  2. To elect directors for 2023.
  3. To transact such other business of the Corporation as may properly come before the meeting.

Dated at North Hatley this 17th day of April, 2023

Jane Meagher
Secretary
Fondation Massawippi Foundation

 

AGENDA

Annual General Meeting of Members

10:00 am – Saturday, May 6, 2023

St. Elizabeth Community Hall, North Hatley

  1. Opening of meeting by Chair – Jane Meagher
  2. Constitution of Meeting – Quorum
  3. Approval of Previous Minutes – June 18, 2022
  4. Report of the President – Margot Heyerhoff
  5. Presentation & Acceptance of 2022 Financial Statements – Claude Séguin
  6. Election of Directors for 2023
  7. Adjournment

 

Photo de groupe

Nature Education Program : Part 2/3 completed

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The kids are having fun and learning…the two go hand in hand. Jessica, our Nature Nerd educator, is inspiring wonder and curiosity. This winter we received 290 students, spread over 10 days from 6 local schools in cycle 2 (grades 3-4).
The Theme
– Survival
  • Changes in the environment in winter
  • Animal Adaptations to these changes
  • Noticing signs of life in winter

 

As an example of the activities 

– Black-Capped Chickadee

The point: Some animals carry on with their daily activities and have certain adaptations to manage their energy (find food, stay warm, etc.)

Activity: Do you have a chickadee memory?
– Divide the students into 4-5 groups
– Each group gets a specific set of 5 symbols
-They have to remember the symbols and the sequence at the end of the hike

 

 

 

 

A parent said : 

“In summary, Ugo is curious like many children his age and he really enjoys this kind of activity. He is looking forward to going back in the spring.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can help us push this program forward
Click below to make a donation:


Open Garden Days at Glen Villa Gardens

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Open Garden Days at Glen Villa Gardens

We are pleased to announce that Patterson (Pat) Webster will be opening the Glen Villa Art Garden, her private gardens on the shores of Lake Massawippi, for tours on three Saturdays this summer. Pat will donate the proceeds from ticket sales to the Massawippi Foundation. Last year she raised over $50,000. Thank you so much, Pat, for your generosity and time.

This year’s dates are Saturday, June 17, July 15, and August 12. 
Ticket sales will begin next month, and we will announce the date in our April newsletter. Sales will also be announced on Pat’s website, Glen Villa Art Garden.

The cost is still $25 per person. All proceeds benefit the Massawippi Foundation, which works to conserve land, build public trails, and fund projects that benefit communities around Lake Massawippi.

NEW this year! Pat is planning special events, available by reservation for a limited group of visitors: bird walks, garden planning, and design workshops, native plant identification, and more.

Stay tuned!

January 2023 Newsletter

View our January 2023 newsletter on Mailchimp