The history of the Larose Forest begins in 1919 when agronomist, Ferdinand Larose, establishes the first conifer planting on farmlands that had been abandoned near Bourget. Since then, over 18 million trees have been planted.
Today, the Larose Forest is one of the largest man-made forest in Canada. We owe it to this visionary agronomist from whom it takes its name.
Ferdinand Larose is hired by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture shortly after graduating from the Agriculture Institute of Oka, in 1918. He is assigned in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. His first task is to make an inventory of the farmlands.
He soon notices soil erosion, stimulated by forestry harvesting, forest fires and farming. Between the villages of Casselman, Bourget and Limoges, farmers abandon sandy lands, surrendering to the growth of the “Bourget desert”. Ferdinand Larose then suggests reforesting the area to avoid erosion expansion.
In 1928, the regional and provincial authorities agree to manage this young forest and to plant 6000 pines. Since, three generations of forest workers have successively planted trees, as well as harvested and looked after the forest.
Under the jurisdiction of the Ontario government, Larose Forest has once been a wildlife preserve, a recreational place and research lab to improve forest resources.
