Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve

Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve is a reserve in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, Canada, stretching across the Laurentides and Outaouais regions.The area was extensively logged in the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Although logging still continues on a smaller scale, the reserve was created in 1971 to provide outdoor recreation opportunities while favouring wildlife conservation. In harmony with its mandate to ensure the sustainability of resources and to foster the rational use of its territory, the reserve pursues wildlife and fish development activities by setting up spawning grounds, tree groves, interpretation trails, and nesting boxes.It is named after two historical figures of Quebec: Louis-Joseph Papineau (1786–1871), famous orator and leader of the Patriots of 1837, and Antoine Labelle (1833–1891), pastor of St. Jerome and ardent proponent of the colonization of the Upper Laurentians.The Montreal Gazette of November 18, 2008, called the Papineau-Labelle Reserve "magnificent" and included it in the 10 hot spots of Quebec's wilderness that "you should experience before you die".GeographyThis large reserve, spanning across 9 municipalities and 1 territory, contains 763 lakes and 42 streams, and has mountain peaks up to 500m. It is the source of 2 river basins, namely the Petite-Nation River, which flows from north to south into the Ottawa River, and the Sourd River, which is a tributary of the Du Lièvre River to the west.