Montreal, September 29th, 2005 - The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is organising a canoe trip on the Dumoine River from September 30 to October 2, to increase awareness among the public and the government about the need to protect Southern Québec's last wild watershed.

Joining the CPAWS expedition are distinguished writer and journalist Georges-Hébert Germain, actor Henri Chassé, Algonquin First Nations representatives and regional organisations, who will have a first-hand opportunity to appreciate the wild landscape and integrity of the proposed protected area.

Located at the border between Outaouais and Abitibi-Témiscamigue, the Dumoine River is one of the Southern Québec's last undammed rivers. Mostly spared large clear cuts throughout its history, the Dumoine River Valley is at the heart of the largest undisturbed mixed forest in Québec. The magnificent landscapes and mature forests, home to centennial white pines, represent a unique ecotourism opportunity for the area and are prized as one of the premier canoeing destinations in western Québec.

The southern regions of Québec are greatly under-represented within the existing network of protected areas. To rectify this gap, CPAWS is proposing the Dumoine watershed, an area of 4,400 Km2, as a potential protected area to contribute to the goals of the Quebec Protected Areas strategy (QPAS). "It is time to protect our natural heritage in Quebec and to diversify regional economies so that we may ensure sustainable development for future generations," says Jean-Francois Gagnon, of CPAWS.

The protection of the Dumoine River watershed has significant implications beyond the immediate region. "This is a natural corridor of continental importance linking the LaVerendrye Wildlife Reserve and the Algonquin Park which is in turn linked to the Appalachian Mountains of Adirondack Park in the United States," says Mr Gagnon.

CPAWS invites all Québécois to become informed and to get involved by visiting the new website dedicated to protecting the last wild watershed in southern Quebec: www. DUMOINE.ca

- 30 -

For more information, contact:
Jean-François Gagnon
Executive Director
CPAWS- Montréal
(514) 278-7627