By Lawrence Belanger
Local Journalism Initiative
For the last few years, a group of citizens in the Lennoxville and Ascot regions of Sherbrooke have been coalescing around a goal: preserve the woodland between their neighbourhoods from development and pollution. Mathieu Vinette, President of the Citizens Association for the Protection and Enhancement of the Boisé Ascot-Lennox (APVBAL), presented the group’s achievements in 2022 to a room full of citizens from the nearby properties, users of the forest, and other interested locals at the Lennoxville Golf Club.
After first forming in 2021, the group’s organizational structure and specific vision beyond “stopping development” came into focus over the last year. Last January, the group was introduced to the concept of a “Social Utility Trust”. The following March, APVBAL officially registered as a Non-profit Organization (NPO), as they formed a more stable organizational structure with official roles and positions, enabling them to apply for various grants. Additionally, that same month, the group held discussions with the Waban-Aki nation regarding their stake in the forest and expressed interest in working together. The group held their first NPO assembly in May and developed a portfolio of potential funding streams for the purchase of land.
In April, the association launched its first crowdfunding campaign on Gofund.me, which is still live online. In October, an application to the Quebec Wildlife Foundation’s (FFQ) “Acting for Wildlife” program was submitted. The group is seeking $30,000 from the FFQ for the development of a detailed conservation plan for the woods. Finally, in November, the group purchased its first plot of land in the forest.
