Foleys Spy RockThe Rideau Valley is a hotbed of active, committed environmental volunteers working quietly and consistently to maintain the health of our valuable local water resources. The number of volunteer groups is large ranging from Environmental Clubs at several local schools to the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, one of the oldest and most respected natural science groups in Canada. In between are a host of others from families to community associations, lake associations, municipalities, the business and farming community, colleges and universities who all have active people and volunteer projects in the valley many in cooperation with established government agencies like the Conservation Authorities, the provincial Ministries and the City of Ottawa.

Conservation AreasMany of the communities along the Mississippi River boast of good, year-round recreational activities including white water (spring) and flat water canoeing, boating on the larger lakes, and lake trout, pickerel, bass and pike fishing on over 200 lakes and streams, as well as snowmobiling and skiing opportunities in the winter.

Mazinaw Lake, one of the deepest lakes (145 m or 476 ft) in Ontario, is the location of the Bon Echo Provincial Park and Mazinaw Rock. The rock is a 1.5-kilometre sheer rock face, rising 100 metres above the lake and features over 260 native pictographs – the largest visible collection in Canada. The park annually attracts more than 175,000 visitors (Bon Echo Provincial Park website, 2005).

Gatineau SkylineThe watershed of the Gatineau River has an enormous recreational and tourist potential which lends itself at the same time to the nautical and outdoor activities, cottaging, hunting, fishing, not-with-standing all other related activities. The biggest centers of attraction are Gatineau Park, the Forêt de l’Aigle, La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve (including the Cabonga Reservoir), the Community Wildlife Area of the Baskatong Reservoir as well as the many ZECs and outfitters.

Lièvre WatershedCanoeing and Kayaking

In 1993, the practice of floating logs down the Lièvre River gave way to boating activities, which had formerly been extremely limited due to the danger of collision with the floating logs. The upstream portion of the river allows boaters to enjoy wilderness areas that are still virtually untouched. Némiscachingue Lake and the Mitchinamecus reservoir, two major tributaries of the Lièvre River, are highly popular with pleasure craft operators.

From Némiscachingue Lake to Iveteaux Lake, via Toulouse, Culotte, Adonis and Orthès lakes, close to 100 km of the river has been mapped for canoeing and kayaking. The Cent-Lacs, Lounan and Menjo outfitters are located along this section of the river, which also winds through the Normandie and Mazana ZECs (controlled harvesting zones).