The Gault Nature Reserve of McGill University has completed work aimed at protecting and enhancing the shoreline of Lake Hertel.
This project, with an estimated value of $67,520, received financial support of $49,300 from the Fondation pour la biodiversité et la faune du Québec and its financial partner, Hydro-Québec, through the Programme Hydro-Québec pour la mise en valeur des milieux naturels.
Image by Alex Tran
The work focused on improving and managing access to the shoreline of Lake Hertel while protecting sensitive natural habitats. A 300-metre segment of trail was stabilized and delineated using posts and rope, allowing for safer and more sustainable use. A new observation pier was also constructed to offer an outstanding view of Lake Hertel, an inflowing stream and the shoreline, enhancing the visitor experience while promoting conservation awareness through observation of local flora and fauna.
Infrastructure serving conservation and the public
These improvements:
- Reduce the impacts of visitor traffic on natural environments
- Enhance and improve visitor safety and experience
- Create a prime location for observation and environmental education
This project reflects a commitment to balancing public access with biodiversity protection by guiding reserve visitors toward appropriate infrastructure.
"This project allows us to provide the public with improved access to an exceptional natural environment while ensuring its long-term protection. The new observation platform invites visitors to discover and appreciate the richness of this ecosystem," said David Maneli, Associate Director of the Gault Nature Reserve.
"We are proud to support this enhancement project, which will help preserve the shoreline ecosystem of Lake Hertel, the true heart of the Gault Reserve. Visitors will be able to observe nature through infrastructure that is both accessible and sustainable, while minimizing their impact on the environment," said Jeanne Dudemaine, Conservation Advisor at the Fondation pour la biodiversité et la faune du Québec.
The Programme Hydro-Québec pour la mise en valeur des milieux naturels is a financial assistance program administered by the Fondation pour la biodiversité et la faune du Québec in collaboration with its financial partner, Hydro-Québec. It supports initiatives that enhance, develop, and implement infrastructure to facilitate public access to natural environments while ensuring the protection of biodiversity.
Gault Nature Reserve
The Gault Nature Reserve is a research station of McGill University's Faculty of Science. Dedicated to research, teaching, and the preservation of natural environments, it welcomes hundreds of students each year from various Quebec universities. Open to the public, it also receives more than 300,000 visitors annually, who explore its 26 km of hiking trails in the heart of an exceptional natural setting.
Fondation de la faune du Québec
The Fondation pour la biodiversité et la faune du Québec works to promote the conservation and enhancement of wildlife and its habitats. Thanks to the contributions of more than one million hunters, fishers, and trappers in Quebec, as well as thousands of donors and numerous private companies, the Foundation has supported over 2,000 organizations across Quebec since 1987, creating a true province-wide conservation movement.
