Citizen Spring at the Jardin botanique Espace pour la vie is offering, in cooperation with external organizations, four weekends of free activities at the Jardin botanique’s Frédéric Back Tree Pavilion, an inviting, dynamic and lively space for meetings and exchanges. In April, reconnect with nature and take the opportunity to explore, create or exchange with others, while gearing up to take concrete action towards the socio-ecological transition and the protection of biodiversity. April 19 | On the Importance of Biodiversity - Day 2 Let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of the world while enriching biodiversity! Through a variety of workshops and conferences as well as creative and literary activities, this day will help you discover and learn more about different plant and animal species and their importance in the socio-ecological transition. Program The Jardin botanique team offers books, games, and creative activities for everyone on an ongoing basis. 10 am to noon - Au naturel! Story Time for the Whole Family Courtesy of Pouce Carré Enjoy a fun and relaxing moment as you discover books that celebrate trees and nature! Join the Pouce carré facilitators, who will read entertaining children’s stories and present fascinating documentaries that will help you better understand and appreciate the environment! New for 2026: a table packed with reading suggestions for all ages General public and families In French only 10 am to noon - Intergenerational Creative Workshop – “Portraits of Insects and Mushrooms” Courtesy of La Ruche d’art Yéléma Come pay tribute to these ancient beings with collages made from leaves, petals, and other living materials. An invitation to take a fresh look at these tiny living beings that are so important to our ecosystems. All are welcome. General public and families In French only 10:30 am to noon - Guided Tour: The Arboretum in Spring Courtesy of the Friends of the Montréal Botanical Garden The Arboretum’s tree collection allows visitors to admire the awakening of nature in spring. Come (re)discover this space through the eyes and stories of our passionate volunteer guides! This activity is offered by the Friends of the Montréal Botanical Garden. Children must be accompanied by at least one adult. General public and families Up to 15 people In French only 10 am to 5 pm - Mission Monarch Kiosk Courtesy of Mission Monarch (Insectarium de Montréal | Espace pour la vie) Are you passionate about monarch butterfly conservation? Great! We have an activity for you: it’s like a treasure hunt to find milkweed and monarchs. Plus, it helps protect this endangered butterfly. How? Your inventory results help cities and scientists identify habitats that need to be preserved. Stop by the Mission Monarch booth to find out how it works! Mission Monarch is a Canada-wide citizen science program that is developing a free resource: a web portal that lists milkweed and monarch inventories. The goal? To become the ultimate reference for citizen committees, municipalities, and various levels of government wishing to learn about monarch habitat in their area. That’s why our database is freely accessible. Data collected by the public can be used to better protect this iconic endangered species. Anyone can participate! We encourage parks, museums, municipalities, foundations, non-profits, and government organizations to integrate our platform into their conservation activities. General public and families In French only 11 am to 2 pm - Territory on the Move Courtesy of Ample Man Danse Come join the dance in the great outdoors! In this entirely natural choreographic space, Ample Man Danse will reveal its creative realm. Bring the whole family to this unique workshop, where everyone will be invited to move in sync with the environment. General public and families Up to 25 people at a time In French only 11 am to 12:30 pm; 1:30 to 3 pm - Family Activity: Living Neighbourhoods Courtesy of Nature Near You Come meet our team to find out about the nature that surrounds us and how to protect it. Through the collaborative board game Quartiers vivants, imagine a neighbourhood where nature and humans live in harmony! General public and families (10 years and more) In French only 12:30 am to 2 pm - Lecture: Design a Bird-friendly Garden (Lecture) Courtesy of Le Nichoir Learn how to design your yard to provide an attractive and safe environment for wild birds. Adults In French only 1 pm to 5 pm - Mission Monarch Kiosk Courtesy of Mission Monarch (Insectarium de Montréal | Espace pour la vie) Are you passionate about monarch butterfly conservation? Great! We have an activity for you: it’s like a treasure hunt to find milkweed and monarchs. Plus, it helps protect this endangered butterfly. How? Your inventory results help cities and scientists identify habitats that need to be preserved. Stop by the Mission Monarch booth to find out how it works! Mission Monarch is a Canada-wide citizen science program that is developing a free resource: a web portal that lists milkweed and monarch inventories. The goal? To become the ultimate reference for citizen committees, municipalities, and various levels of government wishing to learn about monarch habitat in their area. That’s why our database is freely accessible. Data collected by the public can be used to better protect this iconic endangered species. Anyone can participate! We encourage parks, museums, municipalities, foundations, non-profits, and government organizations to integrate our platform into their conservation activities. General public and families In French only 1 to 5 pm - Discovery workshop: Ecosystems and Human Influence Courtesy of the Ateliers pour la biodiversité Visit our kiosk to participate in a short workshop where you will get to discover ecosystems and understand how they can be disrupted by human activity General public and families (5 years and older) In French only 2 to 3:30 pm - Botanical Watercolour Workshop Courtesy of RiverJune Spring is slowly returning, making it the perfect time to reconnect with creativity and let the spring colours emerge. Come discover or learn more about watercolour techniques during a relaxed workshop in a botanical setting. Explore the theme of spring plants and leave with your own illustrations, created with your own hands. General public and families (5 years and older) Up to 20 people at a time In French only 2:30 to 5 pm - Discovery workshop: Design a Bird-friendly Garden (Kiosk) Courtesy of Le Nichoir Information kiosk about the Centre de conservation des oiseaux sauvages of Le Nichoir General public and families In French only 2:30 to 5 pm - Presentation: Le collectif Les Fruits Défendus de Montréal Courtesy of Les Fruits Défendus de Montréal Les Fruits Défendus de Montréal is a citizen collective that has been promoting urban food trees since 2011, first by connecting owners and volunteer harvesters, then by sharing the harvests with local community organizations. Each season, hundreds of citizens come together to build relationships and defend mutual aid around urban life and advocate for equitable access to tree resources. Supported by a decentralized network of actors, the collective is developing a model of food commons based on neglected fruit trees on private, institutional, and public land. General public and families In French only