By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Sherbrooke has taken a major step toward preserving its last large urban woodland with the purchase of a critical 34.44-hectare lot in the Ascot-Lennox area. The $1.25-million acquisition, finalized on March 11, is being hailed as a strategic move to safeguard biodiversity while also ensuring future public access to green space.
Mayor Évelyne Beaudin emphasized the significance of the purchase in a recent interview, calling it “a huge progress in our goal of protecting the woodland.” She noted that while the city had been considering acquisitions in the area, this specific lot was not originally planned for purchase. “It all happened quickly because the land suddenly went up for sale,” she said. The city acted fast, making an independent evaluation and negotiating a price before finalizing the deal behind closed doors to prevent speculation. The transaction was only made public after council approval.
The newly acquired land, the largest single lot in the woodland, accounts for roughly 12.5 per cent of the total 275-hectare area. Beaudin explained that this purchase brings municipal ownership of the woodland close to 30 per cent, a crucial step in the city’s broader conservation strategy. “If we don’t own the land, we can’t make it publicly accessible,” she said. “Even if it remains privately owned and protected from development, we wouldn’t be able to open trails or make it available for activities like hiking or birdwatching.”
The purchase aligns with Sherbrooke’s broader environmental objectives under its Plan Nature, a long-term strategy to protect ecologically significant areas across the city. The Ascot-Lennox woodland, in particular, has been identified as a key environmental asset due to its biodiversity and role in connecting natural corridors between the St. Francis River and Mont Bellevue. According to Beaudin, “This is the last big woodland in Sherbrooke’s urban area. It plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystems and supporting species that rely on large, uninterrupted green spaces.”
The city has been working closely with local conservation groups, including Nature Cantons-de-l’Est and the Association pour le Boisé Ascot-Lennox (ABAL), to develop a long-term approach to land protection. While purchasing key lots is a major part of the strategy, the focus remains on collaboration with private landowners.
Stéphane Tanguay, director of Nature Cantons-de-l’Est, explained March 12 that outright land purchases are just one tool in their conservation efforts. “Some lots, like this one, we will buy because they are strategically important,” he said. “But we’re also working to encourage landowners to voluntarily protect their property. We want to secure at least 200 hectares to maintain biodiversity, and that means finding different solutions based on each owner’s situation.”
Tanguay emphasized that conservation extends beyond land ownership. “We’re actively removing garbage, dismantling illegal structures, and tackling invasive species,” he said. “Last year, we started these efforts late in the season. This year, we’re beginning much earlier and will continue throughout the summer. There are many ways to protect a woodland.”
As for the future of the Ascot-Lennox area, Beaudin acknowledged that the city is exploring different legal protections, including the possibility of designating parts of the land as a nature reserve, similar to what was done with Mont Bellevue. However, she noted that such a designation comes with bureaucratic delays. “It takes seven years just for the government to process the application,” she said. “Right now, there are faster ways to ensure protection. We may use different tools for different sections of the woodland. Some areas could be a nature reserve, while others could be managed as a park with public access.”
For now, the city and its partners are focused on securing additional funding and working with more landowners. Beaudin hinted at future acquisitions if the opportunity arises. “Sometimes it’s better to wait, and sometimes we have to move quickly,” she said. “It depends on the willingness of the sellers, available subsidies, and our long-term vision for the site.”
With this latest acquisition, Sherbrooke is making good on its campaign promise to protect Ascot-Lennox. “We can check this off as a major achievement,” Beaudin said. “This is a big step forward, and we’re not done yet.”