Just 20 minutes from the historic district of Old Quebec is an oasis known as the Domaine de la Sagamité Project.
Covering 378 acres (153 hectares), the area boasts a complex of wetlands that is positively contributing to the lives of some 300,000 residents every time they turn on their taps.
The Domaine de la Sagamité Project is a shining example of natural green infrastructure. Its wetlands naturally filter harmful nutrients and sediments from water in the surrounding watershed, helping to maintain water quality for Quebec City’s drinking water intake.
DUC partnered with the City of Quebec to acquire the property. It is one of the few remaining natural areas of this size near the city and was at high risk of development.
The protection of this green infrastructure allows us to actively fight climate change and to offer ecological goods and services to present and future generations. The area also provides homes for a variety of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds and plants. It’s an important nesting area for black ducks, ring-necked ducks and mallards.
Following DUC’s acquisition of Domaine de la Sagamité, a conservation easement was placed on the land to protect it from any future development. The property was then transferred to the City of Quebec. In the future, the Domaine de la Sagamité Project will be open to the public where residents can hike, birdwatch and explore nature.
DUC is proud of this major acquisition that will have a positive impact, in perpetuity, on the quality of Quebec City’s drinking water.
Collaborating for conservation
This impressive conservation project, costing just over $2.6 million, was made possible thanks to the financial participation of the City of Quebec. It was also supported by investments from the Nature Conservancy of Canada through the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels, a financial contribution from the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques and funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
