2003-2004 Community Action Fund QUEBEC ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE TRAINING AT LAC SAINT-FRANCOIS LES AMIS DE LA RÉSERVE NATIONALE DE FAUNE DU LAC SAINT-FRANCOIS LAC SAINT-FRANCOIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE AREA & BORDERING WATERS IBA, QUÉBEC Located in southern Québec on the south shore of Lac Saint-François, an enlargement of the St. Lawrence River that borders Québec, Ontario, and New York, the Lac Saint-François IBA is a popular stopover for large numbers of migrating ducks. In spring, the IBA supports one of the highest densities of dabbling ducks along the St. Lawrence. With more than two-thirds of the wildlife area covered by marshlands with scattered ponds and channels, the IBA is ideal habitat for the greater scaup, with recorded numbers exceeding 100,000. Friends of the Lac Saint-Francois National Wildlife Area is a not-for-profit organization of 200 members that manages activities within the reserve. The group is one of the partners of the Priority Intervention Zone program of the Upper St. Lawrence River and works with volunteers and surrounding partners including area municipalities, businesses, and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Each year the Friends of the Lac Saint-Francois National Wildlife Area train student guides to welcome some 5000 visitors and 1000 students. Since the student guides can only work seven to eight weeks during the summer months, four guides will be recruited and trained to replace the students when they go back to school. New recruits will learn season and habitat-specific observation techniques and will be involved in the development and implementation of recreational activities for visitors, including student groups. The training of personnel will benefit the surrounding community as well as the reserve since the guides can pass their knowledge of birds in the National Wildlife Reserve on to the public, thereby raising public awareness. Visitors will also get a better sense of conservation issues in their environment.   back to map