Expedition blog
sunday June 30, 2013
My first great expedition of the year and not just anywhere, on the big Baskatong Reservoir. Located north of Mont-Laurier, straddling the northern boundary of the Outaouais and Laurentians regions, this huge lake of 413 km2 has 2800 km of shoreline usually sandy.
Despite the fact that to reach our lodge we had passed through the La Verendrye park and then travel 60 km forest road, the forest, contrary to what can be found at the same latitude to the east, is mixed, maples, oak, birch, red, white and jack pines with some spruce, form the forest cover.
Our outfitter, Auberge de la Gatineau was offering all the services and comforts with propane and solar panels, not to mention the friendly welcome and enchanting surroundings.
For plants, many native species were in bloom, like the Sheep Laurel, the Pink corydalis, the Common Labrador tea and the Bunchberry.
During boat rides we navigate thru a few rivers that flow into the reservoir, we have spotted three other native species,the Harlequin blue flag, the Pink lady's-slipper at the end of blomming period and the Twinflower.
Curiously, despite the remoteness of the place and the distance from any agglomaration, we could find along the roads and on some beaches, some introduced plants in large numbers, the Orange Hawkweed, the Meadow hawkweed, and new for me, the Deptford pink.
Although located in a public forest, Baskatong Reservoir is governed under an AFC (Communal wildlife area) allowing management of sport fishing in the principle of user pays, thanks to that fish populations are controlled, sometimes through fish stocking and resources are protected.
There are only four A.F.C. Quebec, in addition to the Baskatong Reservoir there is one for the St. Jean lake, one for the St-Pierre lake and one for the Gouin Reservoir.
In my opinion many other bodies of water in Quebec should benefit from such an initiative, for example, to name two that I know, the beautiful lake Mekinac in Mauricie resembling a fjord with its mountainous steep banks, or the Quinzes reservoir in Témincamingue, hunting and fishing paradise almost unknown from Quebecois but very appreciate by Americans.
Tourist is a good thing, but we can share our natural treasures without selling at a discount price without any control.
monday March 25, 2013
Even though I considered myself a person close to nature, I thought that before the end of May only dandelion was blooming. Of course that was before I decided to try to identify plants that I met.
But I realized that I was not an exception to think that, even though this perception seems to be the norm.
I really became aware of this fact when several people have reported to me that my site was certainly not up to date as at the end of April my section "Flowering now" posted over 6 species, which for these people was not possible. Well yes it is possible! Firstly, not only the dandelion blooms early near populated areas, there is also the Colstfoot. This plant shows his flowers first and then once the flowers and fruit disappeared, its large leaves, it is one of the "secrets" of our spring.
The best example of these "secret" blooms is the Yellow trout lily, this plant that grows in our rich woods has to complete its life cycle between the ground thaws and deployment of trees leaves, which leaves less than 50 days to grow, flourish and fructified. Once the undergrowth obscured by the leaves of maples, elms and oaks, nothing of the Yellow trout lily remains above ground.
Several other plants with showy flowers have roughly the same life cycle: The Red Trillium and the Painted trillium, the Bloodroot and the Dutchman's breeches among others.
So if you want to know the "secrets" of our spring, do not hesitate to browse our woods from the beginning of April to the end of May, you will not be disappointed!