The Friends of Gatineau Park can achieve its goals because of the work of its Board of Directors, its Coordinator and a motivated team of volunteers and interpreters of the natural and cultural heritage.

Our Board of Directors

The Board oversees the operations of the organization.  It is made up of a maximum of twelve members including a representative from the National Capital Commission (NCC).  The directors are elected during the Annual General Assembly for two year terms.  The Board normally meets for two hour meetings which are held eleven times a year.  The Executive Committee (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer) meets monthly. On average, directors dedicate at least five to six hours per month to their respective responsibilities.

Jacques R. Forget
President

+ a little about Jacques

Jacques joined the Board of the Friends of Gatineau Park at the end of 2018 upon encouragement from one of its officers, in the hope of contributing to the organisation’s development. To do so, he relies on his experience as an agronomist and as city councillor for the old City of Gatineau, his love of the outdoors (boating, fishing, camping, hiking) as well as his motivation to make his family (the grand kids are a-growing) and all of the Outaouais discover the treasures of Gatineau Park. One of his objectives is to help promote the programs and activities offered by our organisation.
 
He loves the Park even more since his son Eric offered him the remarkable book Gatineau Park: An Intimate Portrait, by J. David Andrews. It is always a great pleasure for him to find himself in the Park with his grand-son Jacob. “Let’s make people discover and love Gatineau Park and the fun activities that take place there throughout the year,” says our President, Jacques R Forget.

Graeme Roderick
Treasurer

+ A little about Graeme

Graeme is a founding member of the Friends of Gatineau Park.  He has been a member of the Board since 2001.  He has occupied all the officer positions, and is currently the treasurer, and the chair of the fundraising committee.   The Roderick Award, given annually in recognition of an exceptional volunteer has been named in his honour.    

Barbara Shaw
Director

+ A little about Barbara

Barbara Shaw spent her twenties roaming around the mountain national parks in the west of Canada, before attending the University of Alberta in Edmonton for an undergraduate degree in Geography.  She came down to Ottawa to pursue Masters studies in Geography and discovered Gatineau Park at that time. Since then, she has skied and hiked in many parts of the park.  She began volunteering with the Friends in 2018, as well as participating in the Citizen Scientist program.  She also volunteers with Bird Studies Canada.

Paul Heintzman
Secretary

+ A little about Paul

Paul is a University of Ottawa professor and he loves to ski in Gatineau Park.

Gershon Rother
Director

+ A little about Gershon

Gershon has been a Park user for the past 40 years or so - hiking, skiing, biking, camping, paddling, etc. He has a biology degree from McGill University and a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University.
 
Aside from short jobs with the Conservation Authorities and Parks Canada, his working career has been mainly with the NCC - alternating a few times between the Greenbelt and Gatineau Park. In the Park he has worked in the Conservation Section as a biologist and then in the Planning and Development Section. His last position at the NCC was as manager of the Greenbelt.
 
After retiring he joined the Friends of Gatineau Park where he sits on the Board of Directors and is the chair of our Program Committee.

Cédric Williams
NCC liaison

+ A little about Cédric

Cedric Williams is the National Capital Commission’s representative on the Friends of Gatineau Park Board. He has been working in communications, public relations and policy for over 13 years.

Gillian Shields
Director

+ A little about gillian

Gillian has been visiting Gatineau Park since she took hikes in the fall with her parents when she was young. She has continued to use the park since, to hike, camp and snowshoe. She has been a member of the Friends of Gatineau Park for over 15 years. 
 
She first became a member when she started taking her two young children to the Dusk Series that we offer.  She soon found herself part of the Program committee, arranging the speakers for that series.  She won the Roderick award for her volunteer work with us. 
 
She is a member of the Ottawa Field Naturalists and also does volunteer work with the Innis Point Bird Observatory and Bird Studies Canada.
 
She has a lifelong passion for nature and spends as much time outdoors as she can.  She has made a point of seeing as much of Canada as she can and has taken many memorable camping trips, including: six weeks exploring all over Newfoundland and Labrador; P.E.I, Grand Manan, in New Brunswick, and the Gaspé peninsula; the shores of Lake Superior; and, 5 weeks in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, driving the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean, visiting Dawson City and exploring glaciers of Kluane National Park.
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir

Sandra Moore
Director

+ A little about Sandra

Sandra is passionate about the outdoors; especially hiking. In one year she climbed all of the Adirondacks’ 46 mountains. For the past few years, she has been organising outdoor activities of all sorts, such as: roller skate outings and hikes in Gatineau Park.

Sandra has a degree in administration, communications and management. She has been a member of the Friends since 2014. She wants to do her part to encourage and motivate people to know the information sessions and activities offered by the Friends.

Aware of the benefits of time spent in nature and of being prepared for the unexpected she commits herself to secure a radiant future and a quiet place for future generations. She lives in Gatineau and has 2 grown children.

Our Nature and Heritage Interpreters

To offer the majority of our programs, we rely on passionate interpreters who put heart and soul in their work to help visitors discover the marvels of nature and our historical heritage. It is thanks to them that we can offer quality activities about the Park. Since the list of interpreters we call upon changes slightly each season, we cannot introduce them to you here, but, come meet them by ordering a private group activity!

Our Volunteers

Many of our projects could not see the light of day without our fantastic volunteers team. Whether it be our events, NCC-Friends trail maintenance workbees, our general public activities, our programs, and more, the volunteers who contribute leave their mark by making these activities work and providing great experiences to the visitors.

Our Coordinator

Simon Landry

Simon has been coordinating the Friends of Gatineau Park since May 2017. He loves nature and escaping into forests. Generalist to the bone he loves pretty much everything in the natural world. His involvement with the Friends of the Park started as a freelance nature interpreter. He then migrated toward administration, where he relies on his experience with other non-profit organizations and with his own nature education business.

Work Committees and Volunteer Coordination

Work stemming from Board decisions is taken on by the Coordinator and committees. 
Committee chairs:  

• Program Committee : Gershon Rother
• Fundraising Committee : Graeme Roderick
• Citizen Science Program Management Committee : Catherine Dumouchel
  
• Volunteer Coordinator : Erin Roberts
  

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