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Results of the 21st Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up, 2012 edition

More than 700 Montrealers participated in the Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up on May 6!

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Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up, Sunday, May 6
Under the theme “Is cohabitation with wildlife in the city possible?”

Photos : Andrew Dobrowolskyj

Montreal, May 6, 2012 – More than 700 Montrealers participated in the Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up today, under the radiant sunshine of a glorious spring day!

This 21st clean-up was again organized by Les amis de la montagne, in collaboration with the Ville de Montréal and other partners, including the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

L to R: Alan DeSousa, vice-chairman of the Executive Committee of the Ville de Montréal, responsible for sustainable development, the environment and parks; Amélie Picher, regional director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation; and Sylvie Guilbault, Executive Director, Les amis de la montagne

The tremendous turn-out by the community allowed for the success of a variety of conservation activities in Mount Royal Park, as well as three sites on the mountain outside the park, with the following results:

• More than 110 bags of trash were collected, as well as about 30 bags of recyclable materials, from the wooded areas of Mount Royal Park, as well as the from the St-Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal property, the wooded areas of the Royal Victoria Hospital property and the woods along Boulevard Édouard-Montpetit on the Université de Montréal campus.

• In Mount Royal Park, 9 camp sites and 48 campfire sites were dismantled.

• Also in the park, a small domestic parrot was found in the woods. Organizers will try to find a home for the animal.

• About 100 participants planted 300 indigenous trees and shrubs in the summit area of the park, including Red Oak, Sugar Maple, White Pine, Choke Cherry, Flowering Raspberries and Red-berried Elder.

• Another 40 or so participants cut down an area overtaken by common buckthorn, an exotic invasive species on the mountain, also near the summit of the park.

• More than 50 participants evaluated previous tree plantings for their growth rate in the area surrounding Beaver Lake.

The afternoon was dedicated to activities under the theme of human and wildlife cohabitation in an urban environment. Information stands by a variety of environmental groups on display at the Chalet, including Services environnementaux faucon, Faucon-éduc, Le Nichoir, representatives from the entomology lab of the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale de l’Université de Montréal, the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Les amis de la montagne provided animation at their kiosk on the animals of Mount Royal, where participants of all ages were able to learn more about the mountain’s fauna through interactive games and tactile displays.

Participants enjoyed a slice of delicious cake decorated along a wildlife theme prepared specially by students of the École Hôtelière de Centre Calixa-Lavallée and served by the Rouge 107,3 FM and CJAD 800 AM Street Teams.

Finally, Le Dixieband provided a toe-tapping musical performance to visitors on the lookout, adding to the event’s festive ambiance.
 
About the Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up

The Corvée du Mont-Royal clean-up, which kicks off the “May 2012: Mount Royal Month” calendar of events, is an initiative of Les amis de la montagne created to provide Montrealers of all ages the occasion to re(discover) their mountain. Les amis de la montagne thank the Ville de Montréal for its important technical and logistical support in the coordination of activities, as well as the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation as principal partner of the month.

The activities are also made possible thanks to the participation of Silver partner, STM; Bronze partners, Fontaine Santé, C4 Communications, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Résolu Produits forestiers; and Media partners Rouge 107,3 FM, CJAD 800 AM, La Presse and The Gazette.