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What's one to do with 500 acres of land that comprises a 70 acre marsh, agricultural fields and rolling mountains accentuated by a magnificent mixed forest. This was the question that Michel Leclair asked himself upon acquiring this vast property located just outside of the charming town of Wakefield. |
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The Origin of Eco-Odyssée Above all, Michel Leclair is passionate about nature. Rich with knowledge about both wildlife and plantlife, he captures the attention of anyone who questions him about the subject by sharing his fascinating and incredible anecdotes. Michel has spent his life working in the forest, and calls animals, trees and natural phenomena his colleagues. Following his experience as an Animal Conservation Officer in Gatineau Park, Michel started his own business, "Wild Animal S.O.S.", in which the principal goal was to manage the beaver population, as well as the beaver habitat & the marsh. Having almost disappeared from its natural habitat in the last century, the beaver came back to the North American continent in full force, bringing with it several advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, dams built by the beavers promote the development of marshes, which are home to rich and diverse animal and plant life. On the other hand, these dams can flood the agricultural lands and wooded areas, along with forest and municipal roads and pathways, and when they collapse, the water that escapes can destroy everything its path, causing significant financial losses. |
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One question remains to be answered : Can we cohabitate with the beaver, or should it be eliminated? For Michel Leclair, the answer is obvious. Human beings can cohabitate with this animal, but in order for this to occur, we must properly manage its habitat. Over time, Michel developed an unmated expertise in managing the beaver and its habitat. Today, he is proud to be known as an expert in his field. Gatineau Park contains more than 152 beaver dams spread over 360km², and more than 200 devices to check water levels. These devices help to limit the negative impacts that the beaver can have on the human way of life. |
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In 1997, Michel Leclair developed the idea of sharing his precious knowledge on the beaver and its habitat following the purchase of his vast property in Wakefield. The concept of the water maze came to him from the beavers that he worked alongside for 25 years ; the beaver, upon settling in a habitat, digs a network of underwater canals that are similar to a labyrinth. This network allows it to move around throughout the entire year in order to find food and wood in order to build dams. So what does one do with 70 acres of land? A vast water maze with an interwoven canal system to allow those who wish to discover, in true beaver fashion, the richness of the marsh environment. During your paddle boat journey through the marsh, you will experience the environment from a perspective similar to that of a beaver. In fact, aboard the paddle boat, you will be just above the waters surface, which will focus your field of vision to the labyrinths edges, putting you directly in contact with the plants and wildlife located there. In addition, thanks to the dams build by the beavers, the water level in the maze is controlled. With the table set, all that remained, with the help of family and friends, was to refine the elements that would give birth to the Eco-Odyssée project. |
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Here we are in 2010, for our third year. Eco-Odyssée has proudly welcomed  |