Main Excursion

Confluence of natural and cultural landscapes of the St. Lawrence River

Friday, May 12, 2023 from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm.

90$ regular rate - 50$ student rate (limited places)

Transportation, meals included and translation from French to English to be confirmed.

The St. Lawrence River carries the legacy of a rich natural and cultural history. Originating from the formation of a rift associated with the opening of the Iapetus Ocean, the St. Lawrence has passed through geological history and ice ages and is now one of the largest rivers in the world.  With its 3,060 km length, it is transformed from upstream to downstream by the force of currents, salinity, tides and waves. At once river, lake, estuary and sea, the St. Lawrence is home to more than half of Quebec's animal and plant species. It is not surprising that the Micmacs gave it the name of Magtogoek, meaning "river of great waters". Home to several Aboriginal peoples for thousands of years, a true pathway to the interior of the territory, sometimes natural, sometimes transformed by a series of locks and canals, an ecosystem rich in resources, home to many immigrants who make it their home, the cradle of several communities, businesses and industries, the natural and cultural riches of the St. Lawrence River are innumerable.  

During this day trip, we will visit some of them:

	Peatlands developed in former river beds. We will take a look at their natural archives as well as the anthropic pressures they are currently facing.
	The islands of the Lake Saint-Pierre delta formed by post-glacial sediments and alluvial deposits of the St. Lawrence. The shores of these islands are home to 22 villages and 2600 residents.  They are an important migratory stopover for waterfowl.
	The Abenaki community of Odanak is located at the mouth of the Saint-François River, on the Ndakina, the ancestral territory of the W8banaki Nation. Located on the current territories of southern Quebec, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and part of Massachusetts and New Brunswick. This First Nation owes its name to the words w8bAn (light, glow) and Aki (land) which mean "People of the Dawn", "People of the Morning" or "People of the East". Odanak is home to nearly 500 residents, as well as several dynamic institutions and thriving businesses. While in Odanak, we will visit the Abenaki Museum. A meal will be prepared by the renowned chef Lysanne O'Bonsawin. A conference will be given by Nicole O'Bomsawin.
	The recognition of the river as a legal personality will be discussed by Yenny Vega Cardenas, lawyer in Canada and Colombia, and Inès Benadda, jurist, respectively president and vice-president of the International Observatory of Nature’s Rights.
	To conclude this day, we will give a presentation on the glacial and postglacial heritage of the region. The Saint-François River is a unique place in Quebec for the geological study of the Quaternary and Holocene periods.

This field trip will be led by professors Michelle Garneau (peatlands, ecosystem and carbon dynamics), Laurie Guimond (social and cultural geography of northern living environments), and Olivier Caron (geomatics, geovisualization, glacial geomorphology).

It will also benefit from the participation of Yenny Vega Cardenas and Inès Benadda, president and vice-president of the International Observatory of Nature’s Rights, and of members of the Abenaki community: The Abenaki Museum team, Nicole O'Bomsawin, elected member of the Abenaki Council of Odanak, trainer, anthropologist, museologist, storyteller and environmental activist, notably within the Lac-Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve, as well as Lysanne O'Bonsawin, chef and owner of the Traiteur Québénakis.  

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