A CONCEPT INTEGRATED TO RURALITY:
AN INTERNATIONAL ASSET
News
First recognition of this concept by eight experts from the Countryside Institute/Glynwood Center happened early in 1999.
It is important here to refer to the report titled Charlevoix International Exchange in the 3rd millenium, prosperity=preservation and development, presented by eight experts of the Countryside Institute/Glynwood Center, following their Charlevoix immersion during the fall of 1998.
On the subject of forests, the members proposed the following strategy: further develop the idea that an inhabited forest should return the products of the forest to its inhabitants. Global reach of the pilot projects offers a unique opportunity to reflect and show an unprecedented mobilisation to develop a new appropriation of the forest by the inhabitants, especially in Charlevoix. On the subject of tourism, the experts recommended, in part, to use the image of the Marine Park and the World Biosphere Reserve in better and more inventive ways, to present a well-preserved and living nature, i.e. to put in place nature products above and beyond what already exists. Such products should focus on the discovery of the forest. Also, to rely on the inhabitants' know-how to extend the tourist season and offer during winter a host of complementary products to ski activities. To plan the development of new tourist excursions and tours in conjunction with what is already in existence...such as discovery themes tours, offering other ways to discover, to stay and to participate and enrich the local economy. The experts’ opinions and comments are quite valuable today and they have given the powers-that-be for the last three years, a neutral reference to evaluate the territory’s evolution and to stay within the right perspective.