Serpentine-de-Coleraine Ecological Reserve

IUCN Category Ia - Strict Nature Reserve

Réserve écologique de la Serpentine -de- Coleraine

The Réserve écologique de la Serpentine -de- Coleraine is furnished on an area of ​​396.55 ha in 2003 reserve in the south of the Canadian province of Quebec.

It is in the MRC Les Appalaches on the area of ​​Saint -Joseph -de- Coleraine southwest of Thetford Mines and protects two strongly basic mountains, the 460 m high Mont Oak and the 494 m high Colline Kerr, which are rich in magnesium. Therefore, you will find there extraordinary and often rare plants. In addition, there is a cave that has remnants of past mining activity. It is one of four protected areas of this kind, which are open to the public in Québec. It was pédestres of 3 Monts de Coleraine ( an educational program ) perform, built in cooperation with the municipality of Saint -Joseph -de- Coleraine, the Corporation sentiers the Société pour la Conservation de la Nature -Québec and the Société Asbestos limitée.

At tree species red oak are represented (Quercus rubra) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum ) on the north and west flank of Mount Oak in reserve, in the steeper documents this here are the pin rouge called Pinus resinosa and pin blanc called Weymouth jaw.

Five plants in the sanctuary are considered threatened or endangered. These are Adiantum Adiantum viridimontanum aleuticum and from the genus of maidenhair ferns, Aspidotis densa of the family of Saumfarngewächse, Asplenium platyneuron from the kind of strip ferns and Solidago simplex subsp. Randii, ( var ) monticola from the kind of goldenrod. They grow on the steep scree slopes. Aspidotis densa is extremely rare. This in Quebec, known as aspidote touffue Spleenwort exist only in the province of Quebec, and that at six locations. Of these, only three are located in the region Coleraine.

Frequent visitors of the protected area is in the summer, the turkey vulture, à tête rouge named Urubu here. Thus, the area is one of its northernmost occurrence.