Forillon National Park of Canada is located on the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. The park includes forests, sea coast, salt marshes, sand dunes, cliffs, and the northern end of the Appalachians. Created in 1970, Forillon was the first national park in Quebec. It covers 244 km².

The word forillon is thought to have referred to a flowerpot island or sea stack which used to be a landmark in the area but has since collapsed into the ocean.

The park includes nesting colonies of sea birds and whales, seals, black bears, moose, and other woodland animals.

The creation of the Park

The creation of the Park in 1970 was preceded by the removal through expropriation of several families that had settled within the boundaries of the proposed area. Several of the foundations of the demolished houses remain today hidden in the underbrush of several sections of the park. Several families in the Gaspé Peninsula region were forced to re-settle in the surrounding areas and hold a vivid memory of the events that unfolded during those times. Forillon National Park does not mention these unfortunate events anywhere within their exhibits and fails to acknowledge the existence of a community within the park. When preparing to create the new park, the Government of Canada requested that the Quebec government expropriate the homes of these families. The Quebec government sub-contracted the appropriation and negotiations to a private firm. This firm allegedly used various bullying tactics to scare the residents into agreeing to settlements of reduced value. This stratagem ensured a larger profit margin for the unscrupulous contractor.

Gallery

<gallery> Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_1.jpg|Cap Gaspé taken from Cap Bon-Ami, on the North side of the Forillon peninsula Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_2.jpg|Cap Gaspé at sunset Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_3.jpg|The peninsula leading to Cap Gaspé in Forillon National Park, taken from Mont Saint-Alban Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_4.jpg|Rock formation called "Le Vieux" (the Old Man) and Cap Gaspé lighthouse Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_5.jpg|Reproduction of a traditional salt cod fishery installation created for the 1998 TV series, "L'ombre de l'épervier" Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_6.jpg|Stepped cascade along the "La Chute" hiking trail Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_7.jpg|Waterfall along the "La Chute" hiking trail Image:Forillon_National_Park_of_Canada_8.jpg|Water splashing over mossy rocks. Close-up of waterfall along the "La Chute" hiking trail Image:Phoca_vitulina_1.jpg|Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) near Cap Gaspé Image:Phalacrocorax_auritus_1.jpg|Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) near Cap Bon-Ami Image:Halichoerus_grypus_2.jpg|Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) near Cap Bon-Ami Image:Erethizon_dorsatum_1.jpg|North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) at Cap Gaspé </gallery>

See also

• National Parks of Canada
• List of National Parks of Canada
• List of Quebec national parks

External links

• Forillon National Park of Canada

de:Forillon-Nationalpark es:Parque Nacional Forillon eo:Nacia Parko Forillon fr:Parc national de Forillon pl:Park Narodowy Forillon pt:Parque Nacional Forillon