Sutton and Potton Township, November 26, 2024 – Appalachian Corridor launching a public fundraising campaign for one of the most significant conservation projects in recent years: the preservation of Brière Forest. Spanning 542 hectares (almost 1,340 acres) in the heart of the Northern Green Mountains, this ecological gem is crucial for biodiversity and plays a key role in maintaining regional connectivity.

This vital fundraising campaign will enable Appalachian Corridor to protect a forest of significant ecological value. To complete the $16.3 million funding goal, including $1,3 million in private donations, Appalachian Corridor is partnering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). These funds must be raised by the end of winter 2025. Your support is crucial to securing the future of this exceptional natural site.

A TURNAROUND FOR NATURE

When an imminent real estate development threatened to transform this pristine land into a residential area, Appalachian Corridor stepped in to engage with the landowner, Mr. Guy Brière, and highlight the long-term ecological value of preserving the land. In a remarkable turn of events, Mr. Brière not only agreed to postpone his development plans but also committed to an extraordinary ecological gift, contributing $7.4 million toward the conservation of this vast forest block. Now, it is crucial to raise the remaining funds to ensure the success of this transformative mission and secure the future of the irreplaceable habitats it features.

A LOCATION OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE ENTIRE REGION

Brière Forest is situated at the heart of one of the region’s most vital and strategically significant ecological cores, in the Brock and Brulé Mountains area, south of the Missisquoi River and near the Canada-U.S. border. Its central location makes Brière Forest essential to maintaining ecological connectivity between the vast forest landscapes of northern Vermont and the Sutton Mountains in Quebec.

These parcels also border several protected areas, including the Green Mountains Nature

Reserve and connecting to thousands of hectares of forest to the south in Vermont. The significance of this project has been recognized by our conservation partners across the border, including Wildlands Network and US Fish and Wildlife Service, who have pledged moral and financial support to the initiative.

The Northern Green Mountains ecoregion, encompassing the Brière Forest, holds global ecological importance, akin to the Amazon rainforest and Kenyan grasslands, due to its role in climate change adaptation and biodiversity protection. It is one of the most intact temperate hardwood forests in the world, providing crucial habitats and migration corridors for many species, many of which are at risk. This project also directly contributes to international conservation goals, including the global target of protecting 30% of the world’s terrestrial areas by 2030.

A RICH TAPESTRY OF EXTRAORDINARY BIODIVERSITY

Out team of biologists confirmed that Brière Forest is a sanctuary of exceptional biodiversity, home to a rich mosaic of ecosystems, from mature forests at higher altitude to aquatic and wetland habitats lower down. This diverse landscape supports a wide range of plant and wildlife species, many of which are rare or at risk. Here are just a few highlights from the property:

• Over 250 plant species including at least six species at risk, such as the Butternut and Northern Maidenhair Fern
• Ten wildlife species at risk, including the Wood Turtle, Silver-haired Bat, Hoary Bat, Little Brown Bat, and Tricolored Bat
• Fifty-three bird species, including the Wood Thrush, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Canada Warbler, and the rare Louisiana Waterthrush.
• Moose, Black Bear and Coyote are among the wide-ranging mammals whose presence confirms the presence of vast habitats on this land, and its capacity to safeguard them.

COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO FINANCE A MAJOR CONSERVATION PROJECT

Appalachian Corridor and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) are joining forces for their first-ever acquisition and fundraising campaign. Through their combined efforts, the two organizations aim to drive effective fundraising and engage all potential donors in support of this vital conservation project.

Thanks to the goodwill, creativity and efforts of all the parties involved in the negotiations, a realistic financing plan has been drawn up, involving, among others, donations from the landowner Mr. Brière, the Governments of Quebec and Canada, the US government, as well as private companies, several foundations and the general public.

Today marks the launch of a public and business-focused socio-financing campaign, i.e., the final phase of the funding plan and a last opportunity to preserve this invaluable natural site. We invite individuals and companies to demonstrate their solidarity and generosity in protecting this forest, a biodiversity haven to preserve for current and future generations.

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION?

1. By credit card: corridorappalachien.ca/en/make-a-donation
2. By eTransfer: (question: conservation, answer: nature)
3. By cheque mailed or hand delivered: 466, rue principale, Eastman, Québec, Canada, J0E 1P0, to: Forêt Brière
4. For an in-kind donation (over $2,000 only) write to to obtain your form.

A tax credit receipt will be issued for the full value of each donation. To receive your donation receipt (transfer or cheque), please send an email withfull name, address, date, amount of donation and campaign: Briere. Every dollar donated to this project will generate more than $8 of investment in environmental protection, thanks to the leverage effect of all our financial partners.

Videos in French only:

https://youtu.be/wAWuVPVggTI

https://youtu.be/jYlL8QHESvI

Highlights:

• 542-hectare (over 1,340 acres) of ecologically significant land
• Strategically located in a key region for biodiversity and ecological connectivity
• A rightly ambitious conservation project valued at $16.3 million
• Generous ecological donation from the landowner, contributing nearly half of the project’s value—$7.4 million
• Home to rare or endangered wildlife and plant species

QUOTES

“I’m proud of the audacity we showed in initiating this ambitious project, but we’ll only reach the finish line through a collective effort. That’s why we’ve chosen to join forces with NCC to maximize our chances of success. It will be a great source of pride and an important legacy for the whole community and for generations to come,” says Mélanie Lelièvre, Executive Manager of Appalachian Corridor.

“The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is thrilled to collaborate with Appalachian Corridor on this pivotal project for the region. This exemplary partnership highlights our shared commitment to advancing conservation efforts in southern Quebec,”  says Claire Ducharme, Vice-President, Quebec Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada.