Du Souvenir Woodland

On City of Laval maps, « Du Souvenir woodland » is sometimes a green space, and often times a grey space : consulted maps rarely include the projected boulevard, and they never show its wetland. Yet it is a natural environment of about 10 hectares that contains a swamp as well as wooded areas and fallow lands on each side of the railway. This wooded area is a whole ecosystem in itself and its ecological value increases every year. Its center is not very frequented, but Du Souvenir woodland is located at the junction of the Route verte and a bicycle path that leads to the Des Laurentides boulevard.

This woodland is in the Laval-des-Rapides neighbourhood, at the South-Centre of Laval, a zone that is poor in natural environments and that suffers badly from the effects of urban heat islands caused by a high proportion of mineralized areas. Du Souvenir woodland has a surface area that is comparable to the eco-territories of the following woodlands : Vimont (5 hectares), Orée des bois (8 hectares) and Édimbourg (17 hectares), that are included in the 18 woodlands of interest of Laval. Du Souvenir woodland constitutes the heart of a natural corridor of at least 15 hectares. In the context of climate change, it represents an important natural capital on which Laval should place an emphasis in order to reduce the effects of heat islands and maintain a biological diversity on its territory.

Les Amis du Boisé du Souvenir

By the initiative of Denise Leahy and Daniel Desroches, this group was born in 2013, when, through a petition, citizens of Laval-des-Rapides show interest for a threatened natural area. In 2014, the founders are getting knowned thanks to media coverage by Radio-Canada, which was then conveyed by Laval-based media. In 2015, Daniel Desroches preparfed a brief so that the situation of the woodland gets more acknowledged, while at the same time promoting the participation of the organization at the City of Laval's meetings regarding the land use planification. Supported since the very beginning by CRE de Laval, Les Amis du Boisé du Souvenir also benefit from the support of the main organizations dedicated to the protection of the environment in Laval. With their collaboration and in the presence of Karel Mayrand, from the David Suzuki Foundation, Les Amis held a press conference in June 2016 to present their brief, titled La valeur considérable des boisés lavallois.

Les Amis du Boisé du Souvenir's Facebook page

To learn more… (in French)