The forest of Barbe stream

The forest of Barbe stream is a large wooded land, at the heart of Fabreville neighborhood, that sustains a forest ecosystem of a quality that we almost don't get to see anymore in Laval, which gives it a high ecological value.

It is located just off the 13 and 440 highways, at the confluence of two important ecological corridors that go across Jesus island and inside which it is recognized as a conservancy area. Nearby are the Sainte-Dorothée forest, the Saint-Elzéar swamp as well as the Bergerac oasis, which are also key habitats for fauna, flora and the population in the vicinity.

A few pathways go through the forest of Barbe stream, but its off-center position in relation to the adjacent inhabited area, in addition to the presence of highways that serve as a geographical barrier, contributed to ensure its peacefulness and ecological integrity. The light is lost in the middle of the woods, through the large mature trees and the dark and dense canopy, which makes it easy to forget that we are in the middle of the third biggest city of Quebec.

A surprising but mostly important fact: there are almost no invasive exotic plants in this forest, which may facilitate its conservation in a long term perspective.

Located on rich soil with an uneven topography that is northward oriented, several types of forest stands share the territory. There, we find a great maple sugar bush strewn with old beeches, oak trees and linden trees, as well as a plethora of other plants typical of ancient forests, including a high number of fern species. A magnificent hemlock forest dominates the highest point, while humid depressions are mostly occupied by red maple and yellow birch trees.

As its name implies, the forest is crossed by the Barbe stream. With its straight course, the stream flows from east to west from the bottom of the northward slope. It then crosses the highway and turns northward to drop in the Mille-Îles river, less than four kilometers further. Its loamy outskirts, where overflows occur every spring, are colonized by silver maples to form vast marshes in the forest of the Barbe stream.

With a surface area of about 21 hectares and occupying close to 60% of the territory of the forest, these marshes provide many ecosystem services. That is why they are now protected by the Law for the conservation of wetlands and the Law on environmental quality. Also, the City of Laval designated in 2020 the majority of the marshes there as wetlands of interest, under the control regulation M.R.C.L.-11.. This designation should theoretically prevent any sort of development inside these areas, therefore ensuring their long-term conservation.

Indeed, these wetlands...

Represent an important habitat for biodiversity;
Temper heat islands from adjacent neighborhoods;
Replenish groundwaters, which are essential for agriculture;
Retain and filter water of the Barbe stream before it flows to the Mille-Îles river;
Reduce overflows in the sewer system linked to Fabreville's water treatment plant;
Sequester carbon.

Terrestrial environments of this forest are not part of any protection perimeter, whether it is a designation of woodland of municipal or metropolitan interest, or a Special ecological design zone. For many years, CRE de Laval has demanded the rectification of this situation, so that the conservation of this territory can be taken into account in the territorial planning.

Fortunately, despire an industrial and residential zoning, only a few small lots of the cadastres are designated as structural lands for construction in the Land use planning and development plan of the City of Laval (SADR-1). The future of this exceptional territory therefore remains uncertain, and a watch of the projects that could be suggested in it must be kept to ensure its protection.