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The Eardley Escarpment in Canada’s Capital Region is home to the richest and most fragile ecosystem in Gatineau Park. The Escarpment forms the dividing line between the rock of the Canadian Shield (which covers more than half of Canada) and the St. Lawrence Lowlands.
Rising to a height of approximately 300 metres, the Escarpment faces south-southwest. It is home to a microclimate that is warm, dry and unique to the region and is the most northerly point at which certain types of vegetation can survive.
Of particular interest on the Escarpment are the groves of red and white oak. Rare in Quebec, these varieties are far more common in the forests of the American Midwest. These groves tend to grow in the warmest areas of the Escarpment in what could be termed a “sub-microclimate.”
The Eardley Escarpment is home to the highest number of endangered plant species in all of Quebec. Most of the 40 or so varieties that live there are herbaceous, but the region does support trees rare to the area, such as the white oak and red cedar. Red cedar is very rare in Quebec — the Escarpment is home to over 80 percent of the individual red cedars recorded in the province.
Here’s something interesting: although blueberry season usually starts in early August, ripe blueberries have been spotted on the Escarpment as early as July 1!
The microclimate of the Escarpment has an impact on the animals of the region as well as on the plants. For example, the majority of Gatineau Park’s white-tailed deer spend winter on the Escarpment because the area is well protected from cold, northerly winds. As well, there is less accumulation of snow on the Escarpment, and snow disappears more quickly in spring, allowing the deer to move about more easily.
The Eardley Escarpment is without a doubt Gatineau Park’s richest natural area — and its most fragile. With its warm, dry climate and steep cliffs, the area is particularly sensitive to erosion.
Related Links
- Red cedar (pdf – 68 Kb)