Winter program
www.morganarboretum.org
514-398-7811
Our membership year runs from June 1st to May 31st, so this is a good time to take advantage of the subsidy offered by the municipality and get a 1/3 discount on the price of a membership. Members enjoy free access to the premises from dawn to dusk, get discounts on Arboretum products and receive regular communications about our activities.
Interested in learning about local wildlife? Our resident naturalist Chris Cloutier leads a series of thematic nature tours throughout the year. Note that these events are weather dependent and require pre-registration. Check our web site for complete, up-to-date details on membership and seasonal activities.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
English tour from 8 to 11 am
This Just in: Spring Migration Walk
Bats and insects (Bilingual activity)
« Nightlife » is not only downtown!
Saturday, July 21st, 2012, from 8 pm to 10 pm
Winged fauna (Bilingual activity)
This half-day excursion will allow you to discover or rediscover birds and flying insects.
Saturday, July 28th, 2012, from 9 am to noon.
The attraction of the web: the spiders of the Arboretum (Bilingual activity)
Spiders are misunderstood and not well-liked creatures.
Sunday, August 19th 2012, from 9:30 am to noon.
150, chemin des Pins (corner chemin Sainte-Marie) Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Québec) H9X 3V9
A unique reserve
Located on the western tip of the island of Montreal, in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the Morgan Arboretum is part of the Macdonald campus of McGill University. This is a unique 245 hectare private reserve is managed by the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in collaboration with the Morgan Arboretum Association, a non-profit organization. The property is a mosaic of remnant natural forest ecosystems, plantations, collections of native and exotic tree species, as well as cultivated and fallow agricultural land. Our mandate is to promote conservation, education and research relating to forest and trees.
Conservation
In addition to an expanse of natural woodland containing examples of most of Quebec’s native trees, the property supports 18 collections of trees and shrubs from across the world that include fir, oak, birch, maple, linden, spruce and flowering trees. The Arboretum is also home to 30 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 170 species if migratory and overwintering birds.
Education
Every year, students of all ages learn about forest ecology, forest production and nature appreciation at the Arboretum. Guided tours are offered in French and English year round to groups of adults, during the months of March and May to school groups, and at specific dates to the public at large. Tour themes include Sugaring-Off, Spring Blossoms, Fall Colours, Collections, Forest Management and Biodiversity.
Research
Universities, government and private industry conduct research at the Arboretum on topics including insect and plant biodiversity, forest soil carbon, mammal behaviour, plantation productivity, and GIS systems.
Drop by for a visit
Visitors are welcome to the Arboretum throughout the year. On your own, with family or a group of friend, come explore our walking trails that wind through diverse landscapes. Our gatehouse is open daily, from 9 am to 4 pm.
In early spring, woodpeckers, juncos and over 20 different species of warblers can be observed in the bare trees as they prepare for breeding season ahead. Meanwhile, listen for the intense chorus of spring peepers and wood frogs emanating from the quarry and other wet areas. From the end of April to mid-May, Blossom Corner bursts out in a profusion of colours and scents as magnolias, service berries and cherry trees come into full bloom. Come lounge on the grass under a shower of petals...
During the Summer months, visitors are encouraged to picnic and explore our nature interpretation trails. Bird watchers will take delight in the brightly coloured Bobolink and Indigo Bunting, various species of flycatchers, and the vivid yellow of the Common Yellowthroat. From June to August, it is preferable to visit on dry windy days to avoid the swarms of mosquitoes emerging from nearby wetlands.
Autumn in the hushed woods amidst the fiery colours is a memorable experience. The Arboretum
becomes a welcome stopover for migratory bird species on their flight south. Visitors may watch the raptors gliding in the warm air currents.
In Winter, the tranquil beauty of the snow-covered forest can be experienced on foot, snowshoes or cross-country skis. Visitors will be charmed by the gregarious chickadees, swooping down from their hidden perches along cedar row, looking to be hand-fed. By mid March, visitors will see buckets full of sap hanging on sugar maples. We boil this precious “nectar” over a wood fire to produce delightful syrup in the most traditional way. Our steaming sugar shack is a heritage attraction for children of all ages.
Join us
From HWY 40, take exit 41 for Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and follow the signs for Chemin Sainte-Marie. Turn left at the top of the hill onto Chemin des Pins and continue on dirt road for 1 KM until Pines Cottage.
From HWY 20, take exit 39 for Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and follow the signs for HWY 40. As you pass the Veterans Hospital, Follow the signs for 40 Ouest stay to the left and take Chemin Sainte-Marie. Turn left at the stop sign at the top of the hill onto Chemin des Pins and continue on dirt road 1 KM until Pines Cottage.
Residents of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue can have a discount of 33% on the annual individual or for family membership. To have this opportunity, residents should go to the Morgan Arboretum with a residence proof (driving license, bills, etc)
. For info: 514 457-1605.