Posted at 7:08
A wasteland the size of 10 football fields where, according to a citizen group, there were 4,000 milkweed plants that serve as food for monarch butterflies, a species in decline, was recently cut by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) , tenant of the land.
“It is a place rich in biodiversity: there are plants, some of which reached 3 meters, shrubs, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, more than 150 species of birds have been identified that nest there, notes Benoît Gravel , amateur ornithologist and member of the citizen group Technoparc Oiseaux. It is an exceptional place, and for us, it is incomprehension to see that it has been mowed down. »
Mr. Gravel finds it hard to understand why the place, informally called “champ des monarches” and untouched since 2012, has now been cut off. It was while visiting the premises on June 24 that a member of Technoparc Oiseaux realized that it had been cut.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TECHNOPARC OISEAUX
The “monarch field” before the cut
“A lot of birds nest on the ground here,” says Mr. Gravel. I personally found three bird’s nests on the ground that were mowed down, we can see that there were feathers left. At this time of year, the birds are young, they don’t fly yet. We think there are a lot of birds that died, but their mowers picked it all up. They left nothing behind. »
The federal government owns the land, which is leased to ADM. The land is industrially zoned: last year, the Medicom company wanted to build a factory there to manufacture medical masks, before abandoning the project.
Broke despite the mobilizations
In an interview, Alexandre Boulerice, federal deputy for Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and deputy leader of the New Democratic Party, said he was “dismayed” to see that these circles were broke.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Alexandre Boulerice, Member of Parliament for Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and Deputy Leader of the New Democratic Party
“It’s been months since we intervened, I was demonstrated on the spot, I wrote a letter to the Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, and to the Minister of the Environment, Steven Guilbeault…”
The federal government owns the land and has a responsibility to conserve this wetland with great biological diversity, but it does not budge, it washes its hands of it and says it has a lease with ADM.
Alexandre Boulerice, Member of Parliament for Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and Deputy Leader of the New Democratic Party
Mr. Boulerice notes that monarchs and the wood thrush are present on the grounds, which, in their entirety, form an area as large as Mount Royal, he says.
“There are not many such vast natural environments that are fallow on the island. When Mr. Guilbeault brags about his government’s actions for biodiversity, and about having the international conference in the fall, well, in our backyard, we have an issue on which we should have acted. This rampage should have been avoided. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TECHNOPARC OISEAUX
Vultures in the “monarch field” after the cut
Mr. Boulerice said he would like Transport Canada and the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change to modify ADM’s lease to include full protection of the land.
“Normal maintenance” procedures
Éric Forest, corporate communications advisor for Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), notes that the land in question is wasteland where a golf course was once located.
“Two weeks ago, ADM’s maintenance team mowed the lawn on a section of the airport site, in particular because of the presence of ragweed and long grass, which constitute nuisance. Our crews certainly did not “raze” the ground as alleged by some groups, but cut as is standard in normal airport site maintenance operations. »
No sensitive species, sensitive habitats or protected areas are present in this area, he said.
There are no “monarch fields” at this exact location. The geographic location of the site, its history and the low presence of milkweed do not have any critical habitat attributes.
Éric Forest, ADM Corporate Communications Advisor
“Besides, no monarch reports were made at this location on the Mission Monarque site in 2022,” adds Mr. Forest.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TECHNOPARC OISEAUX
The “monarch field” after the cut
In 2019, ADM made a commitment to preserve and protect land of high ecological value and created the Sources ecological park. “Inaugurated in April 2021, the Sources Ecological Park at YUL allows all Montrealers to benefit from an ecological park covering nearly 2 million square feet, north of the YUL airport site, and which represents a unique place for bird and wildlife watching. This is an environment of high ecological value, which ADM is committed to protecting and enhancing for the benefit of the community. »
Any construction project carried out on the land of the airport site is notably subject to the completion of an assessment of the environmental effects, in accordance with the legislation in force, he notes.