Gatineau

A walk in the forest

There is a lovely park in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Near the end of the summer of 2018, my wife, my son and his wife, and I went for a walk in the forest of this park. It was the perfect day on a perfect weekend.

Only 200 years ago this land was a farm. Some fields have now become meadows. The apple trees that were planted here have gone wild, and the Pine trees that once dominated this part of Canada are now giving way to sugar maple trees. Sweet.

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You will want to stay on the path.

We were being watched. After shouting a warning, he flew off.

A healthy forest is a mix of old trees, young trees and a variety of different species of trees. Diseases in one species could destroy a forest if it was the only type in the forest. I have seen Dutch Elm disease kill most of the elm trees. Currently the Ash Bore insect is killing vast amounts of the Ash trees.

The oldest trees were here 200 years ago when this was used a farm. The trees were important for fuel and building materials.

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At the edge of the forest, other types of plants flourish such as berries and flowers. This is an ideal place for animals to find their food.

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It was a beautiful day and the leaves were just beginning to take on their fall colours. The weaker limbs are the first to change.

Fall was only six days away when these pictures were taken. Unfortunately,  tornados touched down in Gatineau and Ottawa six days after they were taken. About 60 homes were damaged, many people were left without shelter and parts of the park were closed until cleanup was completed and visitor safety could be ensured.

– Where do you want to go today? –