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FT-10: Boating to Lake Saint-Pierre Wetlands and Berthier
Sorel Archipelago
Departs Sunday, August
7 at 9 AM from the Viger Bus Depot, Level 1, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Returns Sunday, August
7 at 5 PM to the Viger Bus Depot, Level 1, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Fee:
$70 US Dollars per person – Includes
bus transportation, pre-trip continental breakfast, sack lunch, beverages, boat
rental, one guide and one trip leader on each boat, and life vests.
Minimum:
12
Maximum: 18
Organizer: Christiane Hudon (christiane.hudon@ec.gc.ca)
Description:
A small group of visitors will get the unique
opportunity to visit the Berthier-Sorel Archipelago, a delta of over 50 islands
located upstream of Lake Saint-Pierre, a large (480 km2, 186 sq.
miles), shallow (less than 3 meters or 10 feet deep) widening of the St.
Lawrence River. Encompassing more than 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of high
and low marshes, Lake Saint-Pierre accounts for nearly 80% of Lower St. Lawrence
River marshes. This area supports a large population of nesting blue herons
(more than 1,300 nests), a major resting area for migratory wildfowl (more than
800,000 ducks and geese annually), and 167 species of nesting birds. Permanently
submerged areas and the spring floodplain are home to 13 amphibian and 79 fish
species, many of which are exploited by sports and commercial fisheries alike.
The ecological value of Lake Saint-Pierre has been recognized by its status as a
Ramsar Wetland and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and its inclusion as a protected
site under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture. For more information, visit www.ramsar.org
or www.unesco.org/mab/,
respectively.
The trip will bring
participants to the heart of this archipelago and will show examples of the
natural vegetation gradients from swamps, meadows, and marshes to submerged
vegetation and areas in which water levels are managed for wildfowl. The menaces
to this great ecosystem will also be addressed, with examples of areas subjected
to erosion/sedimentation, nutrient enrichment, and invasion of exotic plant
species. Trip leaders will also outline the actions taken by Environment Canada
scientists to monitor and document the impacts of human activities on the St.
Lawrence River. Depending on water levels, access to secluded areas and short
land stopovers may be possible to afford a closer look at plant and animal
diversity.
Equipment
and Attire: Participants must wear comfortable sports
clothing, running/hiking shoes, and a light rain jacket. Each should also bring
insect repellent, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and binoculars (optional).
Note:
Due
to safety and boat size limitations, person under 18 may not participate
in this trip.
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