Evaluate the development potential of a new natural park

The MRC Pontiac is mobilizing for the creation of a natural park for recreational tourism on the Lafontaine Islands site, a territory that is still underdeveloped in the Outaouais region. The site has innumerable aesthetic and biodiversity qualities that justify the park project. This raises several hopes, including the protection and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage, as well as the economic revitalization of the MRC. The project faces many challenges, which is why the committee has mandated Touriscope and its partners to support them in its approach.

To meet the requirements of the mandate and the principles of sustainable development, Touriscope worked jointly with the cooperative The Thousand Places And the Bureau of Applied Ecology. This collaboration made it possible to set up a multidisciplinary team including experts in environment and landscape characterization. In order to assess the attractiveness potential of the planned park, the following steps were carried out:

- An analysis of trends in the outdoor sector and the complementary activities envisaged
- A diagnosis of the market readiness of the actors in place at the destination
- A survey of the population living less than 130km away
- The identification of activities with high potential
- A strategy for managing stakeholders who need to be involved or consulted.

In order to assess technical feasibility, a field visit was carried out to produce specialized studies:

- A cartographic study of the territory including the identification of landscape environments
- An inventory of biodiversity and ecosystems of interest or subject to constraints.

Despite the challenges posed by the remoteness of the site, our study confirms a real potential to go further in the project of creating a national or regional park.

The study made it possible in particular to confirm the interest of the target markets for the park and to identify the sectors that could accommodate infrastructures and the practice of outdoor activities. The analysis carried out also made it possible to document the sensitive and interesting elements associated with the preservation of biodiversity or that could serve as relevant attractions for the target clientels.The committee in place is now well equipped to continue its approach.