Ottawa Valley Section: Annual General Meeting July 14, 2022

On a beautiful summer day, the Ottawa Valley Section hosted its members to a memorable AGM at The Moore Farm in Gatineau, Quebec just south of the Gatineau Park. Carefully preserved and restored by the National Capital Commission (NCC) the main barn is a well-regarded example of lavish Queen Anne Revival Style architecture and was a very impressive location for our meeting. After a very stimulating business session and lively discussion, this being the first face to face meeting in over 2 years, we were treated to a highly interactive session on the NCC Forest Strategy led by NCC Chief Forester, Bruno Chicoine. Over lunch there was much discussion of new and creative ways to broaden the Section engagement, which will be discussed in more detail at upcoming Section Council calls.

After lunch we were treated to a more in-depth closer look at the restored buildings on the farm, their history and the carefully managed property that surrounds them. Led by former NCC manager, Mario Fournier, who knows the site intimately, we got a closer look at some spectacular trees that have occupied the farm for well over a century. Actually, a number of these are featured in a recently published book which was spearheaded by Mario, Remarkable Trees of Canada’s Capital, a very enjoyable read. 

An excellent day and one that will most assuredly be repeated in future AGMs.

Submitted by: Jim Farrell, Director, CIF-IFC Ottawa Valley Section