Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

Aylmer will host a celebration to mark five years since residents secured the protection of the
Deschênes Forest, a small but ecologically rich woodland along the Ottawa River, with events
taking place on September 7. The public is invited to gather at 10 am across from 100 Fraser
Road for guided walks, information kiosks, and birthday cake in recognition of a community-led
victory.

In 2020, news that the forested land was to be sold for residential development sparked
immediate resistance. Aylmer residents organized, protested and called on the city to intervene.
The campaign worked. Gatineau city council voted to cancel the sale, preserving the site and
setting the stage for a broader movement.

That movement soon became formalized through the creation of Alliance Parc Deschênes, a
non-profit dedicated to conserving the forest and promoting its long-term protection. Since its
founding, the group has worked to deepen public engagement with the land, offering guided
nature walks, birdwatching outings, community cleanups and educational programming. Its
broader mission includes securing a permanent conservation status for the area, which
stretches between Fraser Road and the Deschênes Rapids and includes nearby Conroy Island.

The forest itself is home to a surprising variety of plant and animal life, particularly for a site so
close to residential streets. Volunteer-led ecological surveys have documented over 200 species
of flora across mixed habitats, from silver maple stands to red oak groves. The forest also
provides meaningful climate benefits, including carbon storage and flood mitigation.

September’s celebration is free and open to all, and the organizers hope it will serve as both a
thank-you and a reminder. The Deschênes Forest was not saved by chance but by the
determination of residents who saw its value and acted. That legacy, they argue, belongs to
everyone who continues to care for it.

More information is available at parcdeschenes.ca and on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/AllianceParcDeschenesParkAlliance.

Photo: Aylmer residents will gather on September 7 to celebrate five years since community
action stopped development in the Deschênes Forest, preserving it as a vital natural space
along the Ottawa River. (TF) Photo: Courtesy