Dunes-de-Berry Ecological Reserve

IUCN Category Ia - Strict Nature Reserve

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The Réserve écologique des Dunes -de -Berry is a 259.02 -hectare sanctuary in the western Canadian province of Quebec, in the Canton de Berry, about 45 kilometers northwest of Amos.

The park is located between Lac and Lac Chicobi Berry and within the protected area system represented the province in the MRC Abitibi the local dunes, which have emerged from the last ice age.

The dry landscape of the only slightly shifting sand dunes is dominated by plants such as black spruce and residents of the dry grasslands, such as the rare Hudsonia tomentosa. The sand dunes of Berry comes from a Esker, often a mile-long deposit of gravel and sand, which is caused by subglacial meltwater. Since during the long Abschmelzphase the glacier only an extremely thin vegetation dress emerged, the dunes remained after their formation for a long time in motion. Thus arose in the wake of Esker large dunes, which were constantly replenished by the prevailing westerly wind with new sand. The forests are dominated by the American white birch, paper birch, but also alder, black spruce and jack pine before coming.

Below the sand layer is a layer of clay, which leads water.

In the region of the dunes of the Moraine d'Harricana as Réserve écologique are beside still strictly protected.