Éco-Nature announces a change in general direction

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Éco-Nature announces a change in general direction

Laval, October 6, 2023 - It is with great emotion that Éco-Nature | Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles today announces the departure of its General Manager, Christine Métayer.

Over the past few years, Christine has brought her audacity and visionary qualities to bear on Éco-Nature's mission to protect, conserve and enhance the Rivière des Mille-Îles and its tributaries. As general director, she worked tirelessly to ensure the launch of the first phase of the ERRE écomobilité project, offering a unique program for discovering the natural environments of the Rivière des Mille Îles and the history of its banks. Her leadership has also propelled the expansion of the Refuge faunique de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, making it one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in Quebec.

More recently, Christine rallied and mobilized elected officials from 10 riverside municipalities to sign a joint declaration and create the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Concertation Table for the future of the river. We thank her for the quality of her work, her dedication and her personality, which have made the Rivière des Mille Îles and the environmental cause shine. The Laval community will continue to benefit from her expertise, this time within Tourisme Laval. The team is proud of her achievements and wishes her every success in her future role!

In the interim, Éco-Nature is proud to announce the appointment of Anaïs Boutin as General Director. The organization looks to the future with confidence. "We salute Christine's rich contribution and are delighted to be able to ensure continuity thanks to Anaïs Boutin. The current team is mobilized to pursue major projects, including the Parc de conservation métropolitain!" says David Maréchal, Chairman of the Board of Éco-Nature.

Anaïs Boutin, who has been with Éco-Nature for more than 15 years, is the ideal person to take over as interim general director. With a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's in molecular ecology, Anaïs has been involved in the recovery of species at risk and the conservation of natural environments since 2006. As Director of Éco-Nature for almost 10 years, she has carried out numerous projects to conserve the 86 species at risk and the natural environments of the Mille Îles River. In this capacity, she oversaw the expansion of the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife refuge, which will soon grow from 26 to potentially over 970 hectares. Over the years, she has also developed new approaches to involving citizens, and multiplied partnerships with federal and provincial governments, as well as educational institutions and local organizations, making her the best person to ensure a smooth transition to the appointment of a new general manager, while continuing to advance these promising projects for the organization.

Anaïs Boutin will continue to rely on the support of her management team, which includes Francis Martineau, Director of Operations and Land Management for the past 23 years, and Catherine Angehrn, Director of Communications and Marketing for the past five years. Together, they will work alongside the existing passionate team to bring the organization's projects to fruition.

About Éco-Nature | Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

Éco-Nature works to protect, conserve and enhance the Rivière des Mille Îles and its tributaries, with the support and for the benefit of the community. Founded in 1987 and managed from the outset by Éco-Nature, the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles offers a superior ecotourism experience that respects the natural environment and benefits more than 130,000 visitors annually.

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Source:
Catherine Angehrn
Director of Communications and Marketing
Éco-Nature / Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
450 622-1020 ext. 236
[email protected]

Jessie Poirier
Communications Advisor
Éco-Nature / Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
450 622-1020 ext. 236
[email protected]