Let's take care of our land of plenty!

The Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group's (GDDPC) mission is to engage citizen participation towards the sustainability of communities of Beausoleil, Maple Hills and Champdoré located in the Cocagne watershed.
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Let's protect our wetlands!

Encourage and collect observations of plants, birds, mammals and all other forms of life in the Cocagne river watershed (Pays de Cocagne).
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Let's count on ecology

Ecological planning deals primarily with restoring natural habitats and introducing native plants suitable for the area.
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Community action

Citizens of Cocagne recognize the importance of community mitigation and adaptation measures in the face of climate change.
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By taking care of the environment, we take care of ourselves

Developing activities and partnerships in the Cocagne watershed to promote an understanding of sustainable development respectful of nature, food, culture, economy and social justice.
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Youth

The GDDPC has developed an environmental education program through outdoor learning for youth in Southeastern New Brunswick.
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Let's take care of our land of plenty!

The Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group's (GDDPC) mission is to engage citizen participation towards the sustainability of communities of Beausoleil, Maple Hills and Champdoré located in the Cocagne watershed.
Read more
By developing an ecological landscaping project of the schoolyard at the Grande-Digue school, we have shown landscaping methods which are suitable for the conversion of grass into a nature area.

The majority of students and teachers of the Grande-Digue school were involved since 2011 in the project. A nature area with over fifty trees is being transformed back into an Acadian Forest. We run activities with teachers and students to teach ecological landscaping practices. Work sesssions are organized to maintain the various natural areas that exist in the schoolyard. In the fall of 2018, several students helped plant 15 trees during Wellness Week.

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School Tree Nursery

In the fall of 2017, the PCSDG worked with community development officer Rémi Robichaud, as well as 6th-grade teachers Caroline LeBlanc and Noëlla Cormier, as part of its School Tree Nursery project. At the end of September, the installation of new gardening bins, from the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) – Dieppe, was accomplished. In October, around fifty 6th-grade students planted a hundred trees : 20 balsam firs, 10 white pines, 15 black spruces, 25 red oaks and 25 yellow birches. In 2018, grade 6 students planted 50 trees in the nursery - 10 cedar, 10 hemlock, 10 white pine, 10 red oak and 10 red maple - as part of the Branch Out program. In the fall of 2019, the PCSDG worked with approximately 20 students and the 5th grade teacher, 25 students and the 7th grade teacher, and about 10 students in the 3rd grade. The students planted 84 trees: 19 balsam fir, 15 white pine, 14 spruce, 9 cedar, 21 red oak and 6 red maple. The 84 trees planted will absorb around 840 kg of CO2 per year. Planting activities are part of the Young Stewards for Sustainability project.

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Composting and vegetable garden

Grade 7 students planted, maintained and harvested kale, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, garlic and pumpkins from the vegetable garden. A group of parents and students watered and weeded on a regular basis during the summer. At the end of the season, students set up a composter near the garden.

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Exploratory walk

In October 2023, we undertook an exploratory walk of the watershed with the 7th-grade class. We began the walk upstream of the watershed to reach the coast downstream, all while explaining the various characteristics of the terrain that can influence water quality.

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Rain garden

In November 2023, we began work to establish a rain garden on the grounds of Grande-Digue School. With the help of students, we spread soil, compost, and mulch. This rain garden will be entirely made up of indigenous plants that will improve water quality and enhance water infiltration into the soil to reduce the risk of flooding. Planting of these plants will take place in spring 2024.

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Acknowledgements

The project is made possible thanks to funding from Environment Canada’s Eco-Action Community Fund, the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund and Evergreen Canada. The PCSDG would like to thank Ecole Blanche-Bourgeois for providing native trees from their nursery, as well as the District scolaire francophone Sud for supporting the project.

Upcoming activities

April 9 2024 - Seed Saving Presentation

The Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group (PCSDG) and the Grande-Digue Gardening Club invite you to participate in the presentation on how to save your seeds.

When: Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 7 p.m. (in English only)
Where: At the Shédiac Multifunctional Center, 58 Festival Street, Shediac, NB E4P 1S4
Your registration is required by March 31, 2024. To participate, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 506-576-8247.

https://www.facebook.com/events/3837927709784958/

Latest News

Louis-Émile Cormier - The Man Who Makes Spring

On October 27, 2023,

Cocagne - One of our most active volunteers within our group, Louis-Émile Cormier, was featured in a Radio-Canada newspaper article last week. The article highlights the various actions that Louis-Émile has taken to improve the health of tree swallows, ospreys, and monarch butterflies.

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Educational program

Action and education in Southeastern New-Brunswick
Educational program

Living shorelines

Natural protection of coastal and riparian lands
Living shorelines

Seeds for life

Directory of organic, non-GMO, heritage or heirloom seed suppliers
Seeds for life

Cocagne Country Colors

Cultivate, responsibly harvest and transform natural dyes in the Cocagne watershed
Cocagne Country Colors

Tree swallow nest boxes

Tips for building and maintaining your own nest box
Tree swallow nest boxes

Natural burial

A question and answer guide to planning a natural funeral and burial.
Natural burial

What is the Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group

In 2024, the Pays de Cocagne Sustainable Development Group (GDDPC) celebrates 25 years of community engagement. We celebrate the richness of biodiversity and abundance in Pays de Cocagne, where every individual action
contributes to a healthy environment in which people can thrive. Over the years, our community projects have cultivated values of self-sufficiency and ecological responsibility. Many volunteers are actively involved in the well-being of the region. Taking care of the environment means taking care of ourselves!

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The key to community ownership of development is the participation of all its members. We want your input, your feedback and above all your participation!
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