On 16 June, Quebec prime minister François Legault announced the list of 32 people to be honoured in three categories by the Ordre national du Québec, the highest distinction given in Quebec. Among those names is Michel Labrecque, curator and chief of the research and scientific development division of the Montreal Botanical Garden since 1997, who is made a knight of the Ordre national du Québec.

A pionneer in the field of bioenergies in Canada, Michel is particularly interested in phytotechnologies, those techniques for removing pollutants with the use of plants.

Over the past few years, this prolific researcher has led various projects involving planting on soils polluted with organic or inorganic pollutants.

In the company of scientists from the Botanical Garden and the Research Institute in Plant Biology (IRBV), Michel leads the establishment of a series of phytotechnological stations that will solve problems that the Botanical Garden is facing, such as the control of invasive species, march purifiers and so on.

Read more about it on the Espace sur la Vie website.