Québec National Parks, one of the three magnificent Sépaq Networks

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	Conservation Mission

History

Long cut off from historic transportation routes, the Grand Lac Saint-François region was late to develop. Settlement in the area only began in earnest in the mid-nineteenth century, when agriculture and resource extraction began on a small scale.

The construction of a large dam at the outlet of the lake in 1917 provided power on an industrial scale and made it much easier to float the timber, vital to the forest industry of the day. The dam increased water levels by about 8 metres. It also expanded the lake, creating huge bays.

The idea of creating a park in the Grand Lac Saint-François region dates back to 1967. Several factors contributed to its creation. There were few recreation and conservation areas south of the St. Lawrence River. Further, what remaining public land there was in this relatively densely-populated area bordered the lake. Construction of facilities to provide access to this majestic body of water began in the 1980s, and the park was officially created in 1987.

Parc national de Frontenac is representative of the low, rolling mountains of the Eastern Townships, Beauce, and Bellechasse regions. It can be considered one of the last natural sites protected from resource exploitation in its immediate region. Forestry, agriculture, industrialization, real estate development and resorts have transformed the area's natural environment. The park preserves a part of its natural and historical patrimony.