Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada

The Nature Bookstore

Les Amis du Plein Air (Friends of the Outdoors)

Visit the Les Amis du Plein Air bookstore and browse the large selection of books, gift items and audiovisual products.
© Cape Breton Highlands National Park / C. Robbins

Les Amis du Plein Air is a non-profit association working in co-operation with Cape Breton Highlands National Park. They are an independent association governed by an elected board of directors from local communities.

History

They were first established in 1974 as an outdoor club promoting many kinds of wilderness recreational activities. In 1981, they began their co-operating association with the Park, thus becoming the first National Park Co-operating Association. They are now one of 39 plus such co-ops affiliated with National Parks and Historic Sites across Canada.

Goals

The goals of Les Amis du Plein Air are to promote outdoor recreational and educational experiences and to be involved in the development and promotion of the Park's recreational activities.

Les Amis currently operates a nature bookstore in the Chéticamp Information Centre from mid- May to mid- October. They publish material related to the Park and the local area, such as maps, a checklist of birds, a booklet about hiking trails and cassette tour tapes of the Cabot Trail. The bookstore sells a wide variety of nature books like the Audubon and Peterson Field Guides, local cultural history, children's books and gift items.

Profits from the bookstore are used to fund major projects. The first project was a new bookstore, which was cost-shared with Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Other Projects include helping to fund work on Park hiking trails or redoing our topographical map.