Meeting: across from 100 Fraser road

Alliance Parc Deschênes has once again planned a mycological excursion  guided by the members of the Mycologues amateurs de l'Outaouais. Young and old are welcome. You can bring a small basket or a bag to collect mushrooms. After collecting, the mushrooms will be identified by the experts! An activity not to be missed!

* In case of bad weather, the festival will be canceled

The Alliance Parc Deschênes hereby invites you to the Deschênes Forest Festival, a family-friendly event that has become an annual tradition. Since the Deschênes Forest was saved from development by the City of Gatineau in 2020, the Alliance has continued its mission to promote the natural area located between the Deschênes Rapids and Fraser Road.

This year, the festival will take place on Sunday, September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The meeting point is across from 100 Fraser Road in the Aylmer sector. In the event of bad weather, the activity will be cancelled.

The festival program: In summary, there will be a few words of welcome and an update on the Alliance’s involvement in the project team preparing a master plan for the park, several guided tours of the forest and its surroundings, and a celebratory cake to share. The Alliance’s information booth will also be on site to highlight the natural and historical heritage of this entire natural area within an urban setting. We hope you can join us.

Alliance Parc Deschênes is inviting you to another walk in Deschênes forest going forward into the fall season, focusing on the individual well-being, connecting mind and body with the natural surrounding environment. This walk, guided by Pam Stellick, is offered in English and French . To note: as there will be some silent moments and breathing exercises during this activity, it may not be of interest to young age children. Don’t forget to bring a mosquito repellent! In the event of bad weather, this activity will be cancelled.

When : Saturday. September 12. The walk will start at 10:00am until 11:30am

Meeting place : across from 100 Fraser Road, sector Aylmer, Gatineau

Alliance Parc Deschênes invites you to an outing focused on using drones to explore the park from the air. You will learn about the various aspects of a drone flight, including planning, operation, and the use of the images captured. You’ll be shown several maps illustrating the rich diversity of habitats found in Deschênes Park. This activity will be led by Jean Poitevin and Christian Prévost, two experts of this technology. 
We look forward to seeing you there!   
When: Sunday, August 30, 2026. The demonstration will begin at 10 a.m. and end around 11:30 a.m. 
Meeting point: parking lot across from 100 Chemin Fraser, Aylmer sector, Gatineau.

In the event of inclement weather, this activity may be postponed. 

Date: Sunday August 23th from 10 am to 11:30 am
Departure: at the south end of Vanier road next to the Ottawa river.

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Come explore the Deschênes Forest and discover the richness of this remarkable natural area. Together, we'll learn about its biodiversity, the many benefits it provides, its ecological history, and the geographical features that have shaped this landscape. Along the way, we'll take time to observe what is growing beneath our feet, beside us, and above our heads. It's a wonderful opportunity to discover the species that call the forest home and to see the natural world from a new perspective!

We look forward to seeing you there!
 

Meeting place: At the end of Vanier Road at the Claudette-Burke parking lot near the Ottawa River

These guided walks, led by Howard Powles of the Alliance and Lynne Rodier, historian, will introduce you to the heritage treasures of the future Deschênes Park: such as the many birds found on Conroy Island and in the Canard Branchu Marsh, the remarkable trees, as well as the area’s rich historical heritage (archaeological discoveries at the portage and the remains of industrial facilities at the Deschênes Rapids).  These hikes are part of the City of Gatineau’s summer heritage program.

Alliance Parc Deschênes is inviting you to a walk in Deschênes forest focusing on the individual well-being, connecting mind and body with the natural surrounding environment. In Japanese, this is called “forest bathing” (shinrin yoku). This walk, guided by Pam Stellick, is offered in English and French . To note: as there will be some silent moments and breathing exercises during this activity, it may not be of interest to young age children. Don’t forget to bring a mosquito repellent !

When: Sunday June 7. The walk will start at 10:00am until 11:30am

Meeting place: across from 100 Fraser Road, sector Aylmer, Gatineau

Meeting place: across from 148 Fraser Street

Alliance Parc Deschênes invites you to a spring outing in Deschênes Forest! Come discover the first flowers of the season in the understory and take time to marvel at the trees as they unfold their young leaves, buds, and blossoms. A wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature, connect with others, and welcome the arrival of spring together.

Meeting point: across from 100 Fraser Road, Gatineau

Alliance Parc Deschênes invites you to come and help clean up the Deschênes forest. This activity is part of Earth Day and is a great opportunity to come together and contribute to the health of our environment. All necessary equipment will be provided.
 

Park Deschênes Alliance is inviting you to its Annual Meeting 2026. We look forward to seeing you there!
Where: Centre communautaire Belmont, 26 Belmont street, Aylmer sector, Gatineau
When: Thursday April 16, 2026
Time: 7pm to 8pm followed by a Wine and cheese allowing to mingle and discuss and to visit the Alliance kiosk of information on site.
Presentation: In addition to the regular report on administration and activities of the Alliance, there will be a presentation on the Priorities for a management plan for the future Deschênes park.

Meeting place for our walk: across from 100 Fraser road, Aylmer sector.
To kick off 2026, the Alliance invites you to take advantage of all this beautiful snow to learn how to identify animal tracks in winter. Carolyn Cahill of Friends of Gatineau Park is a tracker and will be our guide for this activity for everyone, helping us discover which animals are active in winter in the Deschênes Forest and its surroundings.  Dress warmly to enjoy this activity.  We look forward to seeing you there.

The annual funding campaign for Deschênes Park Alliance, including sale of 2026 calendars, is underway.  Sale price is $28 (same as last year) and you can order by writing to: parcdeschenespark@gmail.com

We will be in touch later regarding payment method.  Distribution of the calendars will be in early December.  If you are interested in further supporting the Alliance's work, you can make a donation by writing to our email address.  We would be grateful if you could order by November 25. 

Money raised by our funding campaign serves as counterpart funding for grants, so it can be multiplied several times - very important for our activities.  Thank you so much for your support! 

Help our park to breathe!  Come to our semi-annual cleanup.  Bags, tongs and gloves supplied (and maybe a little treat).

When: Sunday October 19 at 10 AM

Where: starting from the parking lot across from 100 Fraser Road

Alliance Parc Deschênes has once again planned a mycological excursion guided by the members of the Mycologues amateurs de   l'Outaouais. Young and old are welcome. You can bring a small basket or a bag to collect mushrooms. After collecting, the mushrooms will be identified by the experts! An activity not to be missed!

date:  Sunday, October 5th ,9:30 am to 12:00 pm

meeting: across from 100  Fraser road