CEN Radisson Ecological Research Station

The station is in the centre of the village of Radisson (53°47’ N, 77°37’ W), a small village of approximately 350 inhabitants situated on the margins of the Robert-Bourassa hydroelectric dam (LG2), which is part of the La Grande River hydroelectric complex.

Researchers from the CEN have been working in this region since 1994, but the station was established in 1999 and was upgraded in 2010. The facility consists of three houses (3 bedrooms each), with a total capacity for 25 people, a laboratory building with a chemical hut, a meeting room, and a workshop.

Radisson is surrounded by the eastern Canadian Shield taiga with Boreal forest that is dominated by black spruce and grey pine. The region is relatively poor in terms of plant species diversity with a count of about 350 vascular plant species, yet the diversity in wildlife is rich with forty mammal and sixty bird species. Forest fires are a very dynamic element of the region, sculpting the landscape into natural mosaics nested between rocky hills which confine the lower wetlands (mainly lakes and bogs). Radisson is situated in a postglacial marine invasion with limited drainage due to the presence of clay in the lowlands. From 1989 to 1996, fires within the town of Radisson considerably changed the landscape. The region has been studied and monitored extensively since 1974 in the context of the development of the hydroelectric complex. Consequently, Hydro-Québec and the Société d’énergie de la baie de James have produced several syntheses on the area.

The town of Radisson is located on the south shore of the La Grande River which drains the water from the LaGrande hydroelectric complex. It is the most northern French speaking community of Québec. It is also the only non-aboriginal community north of 53°N. Despite its remoteness, Radisson offers a wide array of services: i.e. gas station, hardware and grocery store, and a small hotel.

Radisson is accessible by road. From Matagami, the James Bay route covers over 624 km. This route provides access to several Cree villages and trans-taiga ecosystems which border the hydroelectric reservoirs. It is a private road requiring user registration at the entry gate for security reasons. Contact CEN for more information (cen@cen.ulaval.ca).