Wednesday, November 9, 2016

La Verendrye - Wildlife-Rich Quebec Reserve Spanning Land and Lakes


 


Leo Lubinsky is a longtime management leader who has experience overseeing Lowe’s regional distribution center activities. Passionate about gardening and nature, Leo Lubinsky has taken several Quebec fishing trips, during which he experienced a diverse array of animal life, from ospreys to moose. A favorite destination is the La Verendrye Wildlife Reserve, which spans nearly 5,000 square miles and encompasses 4,000 lakes and a pair of First Nation communities.

Situated between the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Outaouais regions, the reserve was created in 1939, at the time when the highway Route 177 neared completion. The park is particularly popular among canoe-campers, with 800 lakes open for fishing. Prominent among these are the Grand lac Victoria and the large-scale river-fed reservoirs Cabonga and Dozois, which contain species such as walleye, sturgeon, and speckled trout.

During July and August, berries are abundant, with blueberries and raspberries attracting hikers as well as foraging animals such as bear and white-tailed deer. More than 150 migratory bird species, including ruffled and spruce grouse, make the region their home. Mr. Lubinsky enjoys the intimate contact with wildlife that La Verendrye offers, with humans encountered on a more infrequent basis than animal species.