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OUR MISSION

We’re on a mission to preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem integrity of an area of ecological importance and natural beauty within the Hudson escarpment and the Creek 53 watershed.

Creek 53 territory - Territoire du ruisseau 53

The territory

The western portion of the municipality of Hudson is host to an area of tremendous ecological value. The 250-hectare area defined by the Hudson escarpment and its surrounding watershed is a mosaic of wetlands, fields, meadows, forests and woodlands. These diverse natural habitats are essential to the flora and fauna that depend on them. 

Great Egrets - Ardea alba - Grandes aigrettes

Wetlands

Wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet by performing a number of ecological functions, including carbon storage, water purification, and flood prevention. Over 80% of the wetlands in the greater Montreal area have disappeared due to agricultural purposes and residential and industrial development.

Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus - Goglu des prés

Fields and Meadows

The evolution of agriculture in recent decades has had an important impact on species associated with open-country environments. Open-country birds are showing the greatest and most consistent declines of all groups of birds around the world. More than 60% of the species in this group are showing a significant decline.

Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus - Le Grand-duc d'Amérique

Forests and Woodlands

Forests and woodlands perform valuable services for us. They store large quantities of carbon, regulate air and water quality, reduce heat islands, contribute to biological control and crop pollination. A significant decrease in biodiversity is observed when the forest cover of a region drops below 30% of its land area. In the greater Montreal region, the forest cover now represents 17% of the land area.

Our Values

  • COLLABORATION

    We’re all in this together. Protecting and preserving the natural world is a team effort for the benefit of present and future generations. We value working with like-minded individuals, organizations, institutions, landowners, and other stakeholders to share knowledge, skills, and expertise. We leverage our collective strengths and resources to find solutions to conservation challenges.

  • RESPONSIBILITY

    We take our mission very seriously. We are committed to the ethical and responsible stewardship of the lands under our protection. Nature is our only client and we recognize our responsibility to pursue our mission in a manner that is sustainable, economically viable and socially just.

  • LEARNING

    We value learning, whether through outreach activities, education, or research. We create opportunities and resources to share knowledge. By fostering widespread appreciation and understanding for the natural world within our community, we build strong support for land conservation. Our research activities and partnerships ensure our conservation efforts are evidence-based.

  • INNOVATION

    An innovative and adaptive mindset is critical in our rapidly changing world. We eagerly explore new ideas and approaches to address the existing and emerging challenges of land conservation. We use new approaches, technologies and techniques to improve mapping, monitoring, and data analysis to ensure effective conservation planning.

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Ways to support us

From our notebook

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  • Snowy Egret on the day of its arrival. Already finding food

    Rare Southern Wanderer Visits Creek 53

    On August 20th of this year Creek 53 welcomed a rare visitor to its marshy areas as a Snowy Egret descended out of an overcast sky for an extended stay.

    Rare Southern Wanderer Visits Creek 53

    On August 20th of this year Creek 53 welcomed a rare visitor to its marshy areas as a Snowy Egret descended out of an overcast sky for an extended stay.

  • Mapping

    Mapping our future

    This summer one of our research projects is about data and mapping. The project is foundational to future projects, and paves the way to tackling other kinds of research.

    Mapping our future

    This summer one of our research projects is about data and mapping. The project is foundational to future projects, and paves the way to tackling other kinds of research.

  • Chelydra serpentina

    An ancient creature

    Have you ever seen a large turtle lumbering across a road near a wetlands area? It was probably a snapping turtle! These creatures, known scientifically as Chelydra serpentina...

    An ancient creature

    Have you ever seen a large turtle lumbering across a road near a wetlands area? It was probably a snapping turtle! These creatures, known scientifically as Chelydra serpentina...

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