The Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion was pleased to support ultramarathoner Anthony Battah in his mission to draw public attention to the vulnerability of the monarch butterfly. This support took the form of his welcome to the municipal territory on Saturday, July 29. 

The athlete reached Vaudreuil-Dorion in the late afternoon, where he stopped off after the first leg of his journey at Le 405 park, to present to the public his Ultra-Trail Monarque project, a 4,500 km ultramarathon following the same migratory path as the monarch butterflies. In all, some forty people turned out to support him in his mission. 

Taking advantage of Mr. Battah's visit, the Town held environmental activities at Parc Le 405 from 3 p.m. onwards: insect observation with the company Insectambulant, a seed bomb creation workshop, seed distribution, an information booth on pollinators and much more. The ultramarathoner's arrival was scheduled for around 4:45 pm. Local runners were also invited to join Mr. Battah on his final kilometers to Le 405 Park. Those interested were invited to meet at 4:30 p.m. at Sabourin Park (next to the Taschereau Bridge), at the entrance to Vaudreuil-Dorion.

"We can only salute Anthony Battah's determination, and I encourage everyone to join us in welcoming him on July 29. In addition to the physical challenge that awaits him over the coming months, he is undertaking this ultra-trail to defend his convictions and promote the cause he holds dear to his heart. Hats off to Mr. Battah," declared Mayor Guy Pilon a few days before the athlete's arrival in Vaudreuil-Dorion. 

"The monarch butterfly is an emblematic species of North America. Like all pollinators, it plays an essential role in biodiversity. Unfortunately, its population has fallen by over 90% in the last 20 years. When Mr. Battah approached us, the municipal council did not hesitate to support his Ultra-Trail Monarque project by adopting a resolution to this effect," explained Oriana Farina, head of the environment section at the Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion has been certified a Monarch-Friendly City by the David Suzuki Foundation since 2021. It has adopted an action plan to protect pollinators, which includes, among other things, the creation of gardens conducive to the monarch butterfly, ecological control of vegetation on city property, reforestation of public spaces and the organization of events such as the horticultural fair.

Mr. Battah's goal is to raise $1 per metre walked, i.e. $4.5 million, to be donated to organizations recognized for their mission to protect the monarch butterfly and its habitat. Full details of Anthony Battah's Ultra-Trail Monarque and his fundraising campaign can be found at ultratrailmonarque.com.

During his visit to Vaudreuil-Dorion, 21 monarch butterflies were released into the wild on Saturday. Anthony Battah plans to arrive at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico on November 1, 2023. 

For more information on monarch butterflies and pollinators, residents are invited to visit the Environment section of the Town's website, or contact the Environment Section at [email protected] or 450-455-3371, option 1.