La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve facts for kids
- For the similarly named park in Ontario, see: La Verendrye Provincial Park.
Quick facts for kids La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve |
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| Réserve faunique La Vérendrye | |
Jean-Peré Lake at Le Domaine
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| Location | Quebec, Canada |
| Nearest city | Grand-Remous, Quebec |
| Area | 12,589 km2 (4,861 sq mi) |
| Established | 1939 |
| Governing body | Sépaq |
The La Vérendrye wildlife reserve is one of the biggest reserves in Quebec, Canada. It covers a huge area of 12,589 square kilometers. This includes both land and many lakes. It is named after Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye, a famous French-Canadian explorer.
The reserve is about 180 kilometers (112 miles) north of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. Route 117 goes right through it from south to north.
This wild area has over 4,000 lakes and rivers. It also has two very large reservoirs, Cabonga and Dozois. It's a top choice for people who love the outdoors. Besides hunting and fishing, you can also go wilderness camping or canoe camping. There are more than 800 kilometers (497 miles) of connected canoe routes.
Two First Nation communities live inside the reserve. These are Kitcisakik on Great Victoria Lake and Lac-Rapide on Cabonga Reservoir.
Contents
History of La Vérendrye Reserve
The La Vérendrye Reserve started in 1939. It was first called the Reserve Route-Mont-Laurier-Senneterre. This was because a new road, now called Route 117, was being built. This road connected Mont-Laurier to Abitibi.
This new road made a very rich area for animals easy to reach. So, it became important to protect it for hunters and fishers.
In 1950, the government changed the reserve into a park. They renamed it La Vérendrye Park. This was to honor explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye. It was 200 years after he passed away in 1749. In 1979, it officially became a wildlife reserve.
Activities at La Vérendrye
La Vérendrye Reserve is a great place for outdoor fun all year. You can find many exciting things to do here.
In winter, you can go snowmobiling on special trails. Spring is perfect for canoeing on rivers. The Gens de Terre River is a popular spot for whitewater canoeing.
Summer offers fishing, hiking, swimming, and canoe camping. In autumn, hunting is allowed. Popular animals to hunt include moose and white-tailed deer. You can also hunt black bear in the spring. Remember, you need permits and must pay fees for any of these activities.
Le Domaine is a small community along Route 117. Most of the park services are found here. You can get permits, fuel, and food at Le Domaine.
Plants of La Vérendrye
The landscape of La Vérendrye is typical of the Canadian Shield. This means it has old, rocky land with many trees.
The main types of trees you will see include black spruce, white spruce, jack pine, eastern white pine, red pine, and white birch.
Animals of La Vérendrye
The reserve is home to many different animals. There are over 40 types of mammals living here.
Mammals
Common mammals include moose, white-tailed deer, bear, wolf, fox, beaver, and hare.
Birds
You can also find over 150 kinds of birds. Some common birds are spruce grouse and ruffed grouse.
Fish
The lakes and rivers are full of fish. You can find walleye, northern pike, lake trout (also called salmon trout), smallmouth bass, and lake sturgeon.
Some bodies of water in the southern part of the reserve also have brook trout (known as speckled trout).
