It is located in the Grenville geological province of the Canadian Shield. Its bedrock is crystalline in nature and its soil is formed of glacial till deposits. It is the presence of mountains rounded by time, combined with numerous rocky escarpments and boulder fields, gifts of the last glaciation, that give the Park its distinctive character.
It contains two lakes, Mount King Lake and Amigo Lake, as well as several wetlands and watercourses. The park is located in the yellow birch – maple grove bioclimatic zone. The territory’s wide range of slopes, from very flat to very mountainous, provides a wide diversity of habitat types. In fact, a floristic inventory carried out in 2012 identified no fewer than 15 types of plant groups ranging from yellow birch – maple grove zone stands to fir forests, marshes and wet meadows. The same inventory identified 211 vascular plant species, including 4 species of precarious status: the ostrich fern, the maidenhair fern, the large-flowered bellwort and the Canada wild ginger. These species are not rare, but are designated as vulnerable to harvest.
In terms of mammals we can count the white-tailed deer, red fox, porcupine, red squirrel and even the occasional black bear and coyote. The reptiles and amphibians are also well represented. These include the wood frog, American toad, gray treefrog, common gartersnake and Northern two-lined salamander. Two species of precarious status have been observed on the property: the pickerel frog and the Northern ring-necked snake. Both have status as species likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable in Quebec.. As for birds, the great diversity of forest stands and habitat types means that we can observe a wide variety of species. For example, the pileated woodpecker, the hairy woodpecker, the winter wren, the ruffed grouse, the hermit thrush, the barred owl, the red-shouldered hawk, the merlin and several species of warbler, including the Canada warbler, which is likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in Quebec. Several aquatic birds can also be observed such as the mallard, red-breasted merganser, common loon, wood duck and great blue heron.
A boreal oak stand is a forest dominated by red oak. In Quebec, boreal oak forests are generally found in the southwest of the province. At Parc régional Val-david-Val-Morin, we’re lucky enough to have two, which is quite exceptional at our latitudes. These two oak forests are located on the summits of Mount Césaire (Dufresne sector) and Mount McMaster (Far Hills sector). The red oak is a shade-intolerant species that thrives on thin, rapidly draining soils. It therefore thrives on mountain tops and south-facing slopes. Boreal oak forests are often the result of forest fires, which eliminate competition. The red oak can live up to 300 years. It can reach a height of almost 30 m and a diameter of 90 cm. Some of the Park’s oaks are over 70 cm in diameter, and a 2012 study estimated them to be between 120 and 180 years old. They would therefore have started growing in the 1830s.
The Amigo Lake heronry is a key element in the ornithology and overall biodiversity of the nature reserve. The wetlands that surround the lake form a rich ecosystem that is home to numerous animal species. Insects and other small organisms play a fundamental role as the basis of the ecosystem’s food chain. They provide an essential source of food for the birds, frogs and other small animals that frequent the lake. The lake is also home to a variety of duck species, including Black Duck, Mallard, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser and Wood Duck. Although small in size, Amigo Lake and its fringe are home to two species at risk in Quebec: the Marsh Frog and the Canada Warbler.
However, a windstorm (derecho) caused most of the nests making up the heronry to fall. Despite this, the site remains legally recognized as a heronry, and enjoys legal protection, having hosted at least five active nests in any of the last five years.
