The area encompassed by the ecology centre was acquired in 1973 by the city of Châteauguay to protect its integrity. The site, then called “Urban Park,” had had another vocation for a long time. The maple forest was for many years used to produce maple syrup and there are remnants of an old sugar shack still today. Furthermore, the surrounding fallow land bears witness to the farming activities taking place up until the early 1970s and which, today, add to the biodiversity of this nature park.
Since 2004, the ecology centre has been managed by Héritage Saint-Bernard, which not only protects the site, but also develops it by maintaining trails, installing nesting boxes and interpretation panels, and planting trees. This environmental organization, whose mission includes raising awareness about the environment and nature to the public, organizes a number of natural science-based activities at the centre with nature interpreters serving as guides.
The ecology centre features a network of walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails. See the map
Covering an area of 65 hectares, the centre écologique Fernand-Seguin is protected in perpetuity under a conservation easement.