The mandate of the Johnville Bog & Forest Park is to protect and promote the long-term ecological and cultural heritage of the 180-hectare Johnville Woodland located in the new Town of Cookshire-Eaton (Haut Saint-François region).

Lennoxville owned the property from 1919 to 2001, and with the merger of Sherbrooke and Lennoxville in January 2002, the new City of Sherbrooke became owner of the Park. The Park is managed by the Johnville Woodland Conservation Corporation.

This ecologically diverse site houses ecosystems rare in this region, such as its peat-bog and ombrotrophic ponds, as well as a brook, a variety of forest stands, rich flora and fauna and visible signs of the last ice age. The creation of an interpretative centre, for which the first development phase has been completed, highlights these natural assets.

This development will ensure preservation of the fragile surroundings while promoting access to the public and local educational institutions. Interpretative activities and recreational pursuits with a low environmental impact will benefit the communities of Sherbrooke, Cookshire-Eaton and the Eastern Townships.

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• To preserve the integrity of the structure and functioning of ecosystems in the Park and, thus, the continuity of a source of drinking water;

• To maintain the ecosystems' biological diversity as well as favourable habitats for flora and fauna;

• To protect vascular plants and vertebrate fauna on the site that are likely to become threatened or vulnerable (white-fringed orchid, Wolffia columbiana, shield-fern, southern bog-lemming, rock vole, hoary bat and silver-haired bat);

• To make the site easily accessible to the public for recreational purposes;

• To develop the educational and scientific potential of this site;

• To help Sherbrooke and Cookshire-Eaton benefit economically from the Park's development.

• Performing flora and fauna inventories to complete the information about the Johnville Bog & Forest Park ecosystems

• Regulating activities on the site

• Constructing an interpretative centre

• Encouraging recreational activities with a low environmental impact by developing more than 4.1 km of walking trails and, over the medium term, cross-country ski and snowshoe trails

• Developing an educational program for elementary and high school students

• Promoting the establishment of a research station for the Université de Sherbrooke and Bishop's University

The development plan will be carried out over two or three phases, depending on the amount of financing JWCC is able to secure over the next few years. The priority is on the development of a network of interpretative trails that will channel visitors and protect the most fragile areas. The interpretative program will focus on the ecology of peat-bogs, the close link between wetlands conservation and available drinking water, wildlife, and the last ice age. The first phase of walking trails development is completed (2.4 kilometers), as well as 4,8 km of ski and snowhoe trails.

The second development phase will complete the network of 4.4 km of trail (almost 2 km of which will be boardwalks). An educational program for each cycle at the elementary and high school levels will also be prepared.

The third phase will be devoted to constructing a welcome centre and a research and teaching station for environmental studies.