This week, the Université de Montréal’s Forum newsletter includes a discussion by IRBV professor Jacques Brisson on using goldenrod to maintain rights-of-way for power lines, entitled La verge d’or pour protéger les lignes électriques.

This week, the Université de Montréal’s Forum newsletter includes a new installment in IRBV professor Mario Cappadocia series on plants and their history. He discusses the history of sugar cane in La canne à sucre a un goût de sang.

Anne Bruneau has been named director of the IRBV for a four-year mandate. The IRBV’s board of directors accepted the recommendation of nomination committee members Joseph Hubert, Gilles Vincent and Denis Barabé. She will continue to hold the position of Scientific Director of the Biodiversity Centre.

Université Laval awarded an honoris causa doctorate posthumously to André Bouchard on June 19th.

The IRBV’s 2008-2009 annual report can be downloaded here (~2 megs; in French).

IRBV graduate students are participating actively in the 2007-2009 fundraising campaign for the Marie-Victorin Grant fund. They have created a t-shirt and sweatshirt design with the slogan Là où les idées germent (“Where ideas come to life”). These promotional items are on sale for $20 each, and profits will be donated to the fund. Let’s support their initiative!