The Gault Nature Reserve provides a living laboratory for university students.
Field learning is a rewarding experience within the academic journey, serving as a necessary complement to the classroom and laboratory.
Research projects
Every year, numerous scientists explore the forests of Mont Saint-Hilaire and use our laboratories.
Field courses
Teaching thrives at the Gault Nature Reserve. Classes are lively and students can acquire practical and theoretical skills in various fields of study.
Ecology and Behaviour
Ecology and Behaviour
BIOL 331 — 3
Biology (Sci): Field course in methods of sampling natural populations.Testing hypotheses in nature.
Bibliography
The first scientific studies on Mont Saint-Hilaire date back to 1859, with pioneers such as Sir John W. Dawson, T. Sterry Hunt, and Brother Marie-Victorin exploring its vast forests.
Complete bibliography
The wealth of studies on Mont Saint-Hilaire is reflected in over 400 scientific articles, nearly 100 master's and doctoral theses, more than 50 reports, and approximately 30 chapters or books dedicated to its exploration.
Research equipment
The Gault Nature Reserve has a lot to offer to researchers and students. In addition to our wet lab and our classroom, you can also use our rowboat, pontoon, and the following facilities :
Lac Hertel Mesocosms
An experimental dock used to study phytoplankton communities links observational field studies and controlled laboratory experiments. It can contain up to 32 replicates (mesocosms), enabling environmental conditions manipulation without adverse impacts on the natural ecosystem.
Dome
Experimental pond (6.5 m in diameter and 2 m deep) covered by a geodesic dome for environmental control. This infrastructure enhances the ecological realism of our experiments while retaining very high levels of control and replication.
Hydrology lab
This laboratory was the old chlorination station for the RIEVR (Régie Intermunicipale de l'Eau de la Vallée du Richelieu). It provides direct access to water from Lac Hertel.
Weather stations
The Gault Nature Reserve contains a network of autonomous weather stations that continuously monitor environmental conditions in the forest ecosystem. These weather stations are linked via radio to a central server that records and stores the information.
Stearn teaching laboratory
This laboratory was once the old Stearn Lithological Library, used to preserve rock samples collected by McGill University researchers.Today this space is a teaching lab.
Summer work experience
The Gault Nature Reserve hosts McGill University students every summer for a paid fieldwork experience. This opportunity allows them to cultivate skills and gain diverse knowledge in conservation, research, natural habitat management, and customer service.
Niamh Stafford
Intern in 2023
When asked to describe her internship experience in one word, Niamh answered:
"Productive. Our tasks were different daily, and we accomplished so much in so little time. It's been incredibly rewarding to be a part of this team and see our work's impact."
If you want to inspire future scientists and help other students have a rewarding experience, you can support the Gault Nature Reserve.