Teaching and Research Forest at Duparquet Lake (FERLD)

Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rapide-Danseur, Québec
What the facility does

Enables the acquisition of knowledge in boreal forest science and related fields (forest and animal ecology, dendroecology, paleoecology, silviculture, forest management, satellite imagery analysis, lidar and others)

Areas of expertise

The Teaching and Research Forest at Duparquet Lake is managed by Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Université du Québec à Montréal and located in the Canadian Shield’s boreal mixedwood forest (approximately 48°30ʹ N, 79°22ʹ W). About 75% of the 8,045 hectare land base is devoted to developing, applying and demonstrating boreal mixedwood ecosystem management, while 25% (conservation area) contains forests that have originated from a dozen different fires dating from 1760 to 1944 and serves as a natural benchmark for ecological monitoring. The Forest Research Station’s laboratories and infrastructure enable the acquisition of knowledge in boreal forest science and related fields (forest and animal ecology, dendroecology, paleoecology, silviculture, forest management, satellite imagery analysis, lidar and others).

Apart from its proximity to natural and managed forests, the Forest is the setting for many silvicultural experiments and environmental follow-ups. The research station comprises specialized laboratories that provide students and researchers with the expertise and equipment necessary to conduct dendrochronological, dendroecological and paleoecological research. Other field laboratories include basic laboratory space and equipment to support research in its natural surroundings. The station can accommodate 37 people.

Research services
  • Help identify active or targeted research sites;
  • In-forest communication/safety system;
  • Provide documentary and cartographical information about the territory;
  • 300+ year forest chronosequence;
  • Provide access to laboratories and certain equipment;
  • Training in dendroecology and forest ecology;
  • Possibility of providing technical personnel for fieldwork;
  • Food service between May and September;
  • Field equipment storage and maintenance
Sectors of application
  • Forestry and forest-based industries

Specialized lab

Equipment

Function

Research station

Lodging for 37 people (food service between May and September); large classroom with projector; videoconference room

Accommodation, research and teaching

 

High-speed Internet, several work stations

Computer work

 

Dock, 12-foot and 16-foot boats (with 25 hp motor), 15-foot canoe

Access to bodies of water

 

2 all-terrain vehicles (quads), Skandic snowmobile, 8ʹ x 10ʹ double-axle platform trailer, chainsaws

Off-road vehicles 

 

Developed interpretive trails

Nearby recreational opportunity 

Dendroecology lab

Complete sanding room; image analysis system with microscope, digital camera, high-resolution scanner and many specialized software programs (WinCELL, WinDENDRO, WinFOLIA, WinRHIZO, WinSEEDLE, WinSTEM and FHX fire history analysis software); three Velmex systems; rotary microtome for preparation of anatomical sections of wood samples

Dendroecological research

Paleoecology lab

Sediment core drilling station, several work stations

Paleoecological research

Hébécourt lab

Ventilated oven, refrigerator, work surfaces for sample processing

Primary processing of field samples

Duparquet lab

Ventilated oven, chemical fume hood, water treatment system, sieves, cylinders, hypsometers, agitator, scales, controlled temperature chamber, refrigerator and freezers

Primary processing of field samples, granulometry

 

  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
  • Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies
  • GreenFirst Forest Products
  • West Fraser
  • Concordia University
  • Université de Montréal
  • McGill University
  • Université Laval
  • Université de Sherbrooke
  • Université du Québec à Rimouski
  • Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
  • Université du Québec en Outaouais
  • University of New Brunswick
  • Western University
  • University of Alberta
  • Université Montpellier 2
  • Mendel University in Brno
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Umeå/ Sweden)
  • Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Quebec’s Ministère des Forêt/ de la Faune et des Parcs
  • Ouranos
Title Hyperlinks
Infrastructures

https://ferld.uqat.ca/station/stationE.htm#INFRASTRUCTURES

DendroEcology laboratory

https://ferld.uqat.ca/laboDendro/LaboDendroE.htm

Hiking trails https://ferld.uqat.ca/atlas/SentiersFERLD100perct.pdf
FERLD guide https://ferld.uqat.ca/GuideFERLD/carteGuide/deploy-to-web/Main.html
Courses https://ferld.uqat.ca/cours/env7010.htm
Studying the forest in the heart of Quebec's great outdoors!

https://vimeo.com/258788630

Cameras to discover what is hidden in the dead wood of the Abitibi

https://ferld.uqat.ca/video/BoisMorts/boisMortsFERLD_f.htm

The boreal forest of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue is of interest to European researchers https://ferld.uqat.ca/video/ChercheursEuropeens/chercheursEuropeensFERLD_f.htm
Duparquet Lake Forestry Campus (UQAT)

https://ferld.uqat.ca/video/StationFERLD/stationFERLD_f.htm

Yves Bergeron, Forest Ecology Biologist https://ferld.uqat.ca/video/BiologisteEcologieForestiere/BiologisteEcoForFERLD_f.htm