From our experts

What do Mount Royal’s fauna and flora do to survive the cold and snow? Ariane Bernier, Environmental Conservation Patrol Lead at Les Amis de la montagne, gives us a few examples of the strategies our mountain’s plants and wildlife use to make sure they can get through the winter.

Les Amis de la montagne is one of the 94 organizations that make up the Collectif COP15, whose mission is to encourage governments to take ambitious, concrete action in terms of nature conservation. For over 35 years, Les Amis and its partners have been working together to maintain the integrity of Mount Royal’s natural ecosystems by improving the condition of the mountain’s ecological network, raising awareness among its visitors and users, and developing a collective commitment to protecting the mountain, which is a major nucleus of biodiversity in Montreal.

Feature article by Marie-Odile Trépanier, Honorary Professor of Urban Planning at Université de Montréal and member of Les Amis de la montagne’s Board of Directors, and Jean-François Roy, Urban Planning, Environment and Heritage Advisor for Les Amis de la montagne.

Spearheaded by Les Amis de la montagne with the support of the City of Montréal and Québec’s Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, the Paroles de Paysages project enables visitors to explore the mountain’s natural and cultural heritage from the standpoint of three of its most iconic sites: the Mount Royal Chalet and Kondiaronk Belvedere, the Beaver Lake Pavilion and Tiohtià:ke Otsira’kéhne Park on the Outremont Summit.

The main objective is to offer the public the chance to learn about diverse and important aspects of Mount Royal through a variety of themes such as the mountain’s biodiversity, landscape, architecture, history, Indigenous presence and conservation.

 

The monarch is one of the best-known butterfly species in the world, as well as one of the largest in Canada. Sadly, the monarch was entered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™ as Endangered on July 21, 2022.

Is there still hope for this magnificent migrator? Perhaps, explains Jérôme Bernier-Brillon, head of the Environmental Stewardship Program at Les Amis de la montagne, but only if we all do everything we can to prevent it from disappearing forever. How? By taking part in the international program called Mission Monarch, for starters.

 

If you’ve been taking “wellness” walks on Mount Royal, especially since the beginning of the pandemic, you’ve probably noticed litter in the park and you might want to lend a hand and pick it up. As noble and appreciated a gesture as that is, conducting a clean-up on your own isn’t a good idea for a number of reasons. Antonin St-Jean, Head of Conservation Services at Les Amis de la montagne, tells us why.

From our experts: Marie-Odile Trépanier, Honorary Professor of Urban Planning at Université de Montréal and member of the Board of Directors of Les Amis de la montagne, and Maryline Charbonneau, Director of Public Affairs at Les Amis de la montagne.
 

For many of us, the sound of birds singing is a sign that spring is around the corner. But regardless of the season, Mount Royal is a veritable avian paradise where both amateur and professional bird-watchers can observe our fine, feathered friends to their hearts’ content without ever leaving the city. The mountain is home to over 180 species of birds, at least 100 of which can be observed throughout the year. This month, expert environmental conservation patroller and FeederWatch project coordinator Pascale Bélanger-Lavallée tells us about the bird species found on Mount Royal in the winter and explains the importance of responsible bird-watching.

The 17th season of the FeederWatch program launched in early November. Pascale Bélanger-Lavallée, Expert environmental conservation patroller and project coordinator tells us why it’s important.

 

Mountain enthusiasts may come across a few closed trails this fall, but this is good news. Antonin St-Jean, Head of Conservation Services at Les amis de la montagne, explains why.