Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park
Encyclopedia
Cap-Saint-Jacques is a regional park
in Montreal
, located in the West Island
at the junction of the Lake of Two Mountains and the Rivière des Prairies
. Situated on a peninsula, three quarters of the park are bordered by water. At 288 hectare
s, it is the largest park in Montreal.
The park features a natural sand beach
and an organic farm, which raises animals and grows organic produce
. Farm activities are offered by the Corporation-D-Trois-Pierres.
The park’s bays are home to a variety of animals, including the map turtle. Environmental science
activities are offered by the Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement (GUEPE). The park includes stands of Silver birch
and Sugar maple
, with a cabane à sucre where visitors can watch the production of maple syrup
, in season. The park has 26 kilometers of hiking
trails and over 30 kilometers of trails for cross country skiing.
Regional park
Regional park is a term used for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.-Definition:...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, located in the West Island
West Island
The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada...
at the junction of the Lake of Two Mountains and the Rivière des Prairies
Rivière des Prairies
The Rivière des Prairies is a delta channel of the Ottawa River in southwestern Quebec, Canada....
. Situated on a peninsula, three quarters of the park are bordered by water. At 288 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s, it is the largest park in Montreal.
The park features a natural sand beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
and an organic farm, which raises animals and grows organic produce
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
. Farm activities are offered by the Corporation-D-Trois-Pierres.
The park’s bays are home to a variety of animals, including the map turtle. Environmental science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
activities are offered by the Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement (GUEPE). The park includes stands of Silver birch
Silver Birch
Betula pendula is a widespread European birch, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey and the Caucasus...
and Sugar maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
, with a cabane à sucre where visitors can watch the production of maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
, in season. The park has 26 kilometers of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails and over 30 kilometers of trails for cross country skiing.