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The huge flying greenhouse of L’Expédition Végétale landed at the Montreal Botanical Garden last night, Monday 18 July at 2:41 a.m. after some difficult manoeuvres due to the extreme heat!
The scientists of L’Expédition Végétale travel the world aboard their mythical aircraft, the Aéroflorale II. Chartered by the company La Machine, this 4-storey high structure is propelled by the electricity produced by the plants on board. During their stopover in Montreal, the team will undertake a series of experiments on the site of the Botanical Garden on the richness of the biodiversity of the city and its surroundings.
After a long stopover in the Far North, where the researchers studied, among other things, the ancient pollens of sunflowers of a still unknown variety in the permafrost, the crew has now set course for America for the first time in its history. Since its last stopover in September 2019 in Calais, in the Channel Strait, the Plant Expedition took to the skies again on 12 March for its new mission to Quebec and the metropolis. Its members are to undertake a series of experiments on the richness and capacity of Quebec’s endemic species to produce the famous phytovoltaic energy.
“We are very honoured that the Montreal Botanical Garden is the first North American stop for the Plant Expedition. The research conducted by this team of extraordinary ‘scientists’ gives us the opportunity to address the importance of greening the city in a very original way.”
Anne Charpentier, Director of the Botanical Garden.
“On behalf of the Expedition Végétale crew, I would like to warmly thank the Botanical Garden for allowing us to land with the Aeroflower II. The ability of plants to produce electricity is at the heart of our research. We are therefore going to explore the Botanical Garden and try to identify endemic plants with a high phytovoltaic yield.”
F.D. Captain of the Aerofloral II
Due to the exceptional presence of the scientists of the Plant Expedition, the Botanical Garden is open later. The entire team of the Plant Expedition will be able to share their work and experiences with visitors to the Botanical Garden from Thursday to Sunday, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., until the end of their mission around 31 July. After that date, they will head south, their next destination.
