ABOUT US
THE ORGANIZATION
Action Saint-François is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of watercourses in the St. Francis River watershed, located in the Eastern Townships. The organization was established on August 5, 1992 (see our History page) by citizens who deeply valued the quality of our environment, as well as the health of our watercourses.
Action Saint-François was founded to involve citizens and empower them to care for their waters, therefore fostering a greater sense of belonging to their region. By actively participating in Action Saint-François’ field activities, citizens also become aware of the state of natural areas in the Townships.
WATERCOURSE CLEANUPS
Since its creation, Action Saint-François has invited citizens to take part in cleanup activities each Saturday morning. These activities involve cleaning up several rubbish dumps found along watercourses. Volunteers are essential not only to constitute the cleanup crew, but also to raise awareness among participants.
PLANTING ACTIVITIES
In 2006, Action Saint-François began planting trees and shrubbery. Many bare shorelines can be found in the Eastern Townships. This situation causes several issues for riparian ecosystems. Planting vegetation helps stabilize riverbanks and prevents significant erosion. Furthermore, trees and shrubbery provide a home to numerous animal species that live near watercourses. (See the Plantation section to find out more.)
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
Citizen education and awareness has always been a part of Action Saint François’s core mission. Throughout the organization’s history, members have met with citizens through door-to-door outreach and invited them to educational activities such as conferences, workshops and shows, which the organization regularly holds. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”