The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Ottawa Valley Chapter (CPAWS-OV) has organized an art camp in the area of ZEC Dumoine and Grand Chute in southwestern Quebec. This wilderness area, which is managed by local communities, is attractive in any season of the year due to the beauty of natural landscapes and the richness of pristine biodiversity typical for Canadian boreal forests. If you are interested to explore Dumoine, please, contact us for details. The event will take place between August 2 and 8, but you can come for a day or several days to know more about CPAWS-OV activities and visit several amazing places.

We will organize excursions to various places for nature enthusiasts, including canoe trips, birdwatching and nature exploration excursions as well as mushroom identification tours. This place is very rich in both the variety of mushroom species and their abundance. If you are interested in the trip and would like to join, please communicate with us in advance.

Place and Subject of the Excursion:

The ZEC Dumoine is a controlled harvesting zone (Zone d’exploitation controlee – ZEC). It is located in the administrative region of the Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. You have the opportunity to come for a week or just for one or two nights as preferred.  We’ll have a number of various excursions including trips to Grand Chute – a picturesque waterfall with exciting rapids, we’ll visit also a place near Robertson Lake, Stevens Pond, and other interesting areas that to see the scenic landscapes and pristine nature.

After arrival to Swisha, you need to register at ZEC Dumoine Visitor Center for ZEC Rapides-des-Joachims Registration fees are 12$ per car. If you want to do the hike at Grande Chute, you will have to pay a second $12.00 car fee for that ZEC, but we can take you up there in the truck on Saturday or Sunday, so perhaps just have one of the cars capable of driving that road (to Robinson Lake) register at both ZECs.

There is an opportunity for carpooling from Ottawa on August 3 (evening) or 4 -morning (2 places).

Dress:

Watch for the weather forecast and be prepared accordingly. For the trip you will need a sleeping bag and a tent, as well as warm clothes, and a pair of changeable shoes – shoes should be good for hiking on the trails. In addition, you need to bring sunscreen and insect repellent. If you are planning to join the canoe trip, it is advisable to bring your own life jacket. We have a few vests there, but not enough. We also need to know the number of people who will join in order to organize food, hiking, and leisure activities. It will be good to have swimming suites. You need also to have headlamps for the evening.