For the past three decades, Les Amis de la montagne has been inviting Montrealers to help keep Mount Royal clean and green. Our clean-ups are organized in partnership with the City of Montreal and supervised by biologists and other Conservation professionals to avoid negative impacts on the mountain’s natural spaces and ecosystems.

By venturing off the marked paths and trails to collect litter, you could inadvertently have a negative impact on the mountain’s biodiversity. For example, by walking around in a particularly sensitive area, you might trample on rare or fragile vegetation.You may also disturb, or even cause the death of, the many species of  small animals that move around and shelter under leaf litter, rocks or branches.

The timing of a clean-up is also important. Do it too early, when the soil is still unstable, and you may cause severe damage to the soil structure and the bulbs, roots and rhizomes that lie beneath it, waiting to come up in the spring. Do it too late, and you might trample on and destroy young saplings and budding vegetation.

Furthermore, we discourage people from conducting clean-ups on their own, as these activities often violate park rules such as the requirement to stay on the official paths and trails. 

Lastly, if you still want to do your part to leave the mountain cleaner than you found it, please only pick up the litter you find on the paths and trails. Make sure you have the necessary equipment to protect yourself such as gloves and grabbers (long tongs). Make sure you place the litter in closed bags and dispose of them properly and safely in the garbage bins along Olmsted Road. And at the risk of repeating ourselves once again, please stay on the designated paths and trails to avoid putting the mountain’s flora and fauna at risk. Even better, sign up for our spring Mount Royal Clean-up or Environmental Stewardship Program as a volunteer; that way, you’ll help take care of our beautiful mountain, enjoy nature, make new friends and have fun with Les Amis de la montagne!

^{Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin}

These activities are presented with the support of the City of Montréal.