René Pomerleau
1904–1993
Plant pathologist and mycologist
Pioneer of Plant Pathology
René Pomerleau, born in Saint-Ferdinand, Quebec, was among the world's top four or five mycologists, or mushroom specialists. He was also a pioneer in plant pathology and one of the first scientific interpretive writers in Quebec.
In the 1930s, plant pathology was still in its infancy in Canada and largely unexplored in Quebec. René started his own research crops in 1923, and his scientific investigations soon established him as an authority in the field. His interests in plant life remained active for more than 40 years.
The herbarium named after him — located in Sainte-Foy, Quebec — is home to 20,000 specimens, 28 percent of which are from his own crops. He also holds the distinction of having identified 45 percent of the specimens in this collection.
René's contribution to tree research led to the development of an inventory of diseases, and in 1934 he was the first person to diagnose Dutch elm disease in Canada.
His career took him to the Quebec Department of Lands and Forests, where he worked from 1930 to 1952. Then, from 1952 to 1970, he was Research Director at the Government of Canada's Forest Research Laboratory in the Department of Agriculture (which later moved to the former Department of Forestry, now part of Natural Resources Canada).
Father of mycology in Canada
René achieved even greater eminence in mycology, and his life-long passion for the subject has contributed immensely to our knowledge of mushrooms and the field of mushroom taxonomy.
His ground-breaking book La flore des champignons sauvages au Québec [The flora of wild mushrooms in Quebec] immediately established the scientific study of mushrooms in Quebec. Embodying the results of 50 years of research, the work was produced shortly after he retired and at his own expense. Today, it is regarded as the bible of Quebec mycologists.
Educator and interpretive writer
René derived tremendous satisfaction from his activities with amateur mycologists. He began giving public mycology courses in 1945 at the Montréal Botanical Garden and arranged interpretive mushroom tours. He also encouraged the study of mycology by training dozens of scientists and founding the first mycology clubs, which are now established in Quebec's major cities.
Internationally recognized for his contribution to the advancement of science, René was the author of 226 publications and seven books, including the Encyclopédie des champignons du Québec [Encyclopedia of Quebec mushrooms]. Seventy-seven of his publications are kept in the archives of the library of Natural Resources Canada's Laurentian Forestry Centre.
A lover of nature and the fine arts
Just one month before his death, René was the main character in a film. The title of the film, La mycolade, is the term amateur mycologists in Quebec use for a gourmet meal that features dishes prepared from wild mushrooms.
The film shows the 89-year-old René wandering the trails of Duchesnay Forest near Québec and sitting before a savoury feast of morels, chanterelles and fistulinas. These simple, charming scenes well demonstrate René's view that mycology was not only an area worthy of the scientist's attention but also a recreational activity that everyone can enjoy.
René's enthusiasm was not limited solely to nature and science — he also loved the fine arts. The Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology notes: “Pomerleau loved good French, proper pronunciation and accurate wording. He also loved painting, including the works of his friend [A.Y.] Jackson, a member of the Group of Seven. He even studied singing during his trips to France.”
Accomplishments
- 1925 — Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Laval University
- 1927 — Master of Science from McGill University
- 1930 — Doctor of Mycology from the Sorbonne and the École nationale des eaux et forêts in Nancy, France
- 1937 — Doctor of Science from Montréal University
- 1937 — Awarded the Prix Athanase-David for his doctoral thesis on the study of elm leaves
- 1948 — First French-Canadian elected to the Royal Society of Canada
- 1950 — Founder of the Amateur Mycology Club of Montréal
- 1951 — Founder of the Mycology Club in Quebec
- 1951 — Had a record crop of 484 specimens
- 1952 — President of the Association canadienne française pour l'avancement des sciences (ACFAS)
- 1953 — Received the Prix de la province du Québec
- 1954 — Medal from the Société botanique de France
- 1955 — Léo Parizeau Medal from the ACFAS
- 1969 — Centenary Medal from the Société de géographie de Québec
- 1970 — Officer of the Order of Canada
- 1971 — Award from the North American Mycological Society
- Early 1980s – Establishment of the Arboricultural Award of Merit by the International Society of Arboriculture-Québec, Inc., including the Prix René-Pomerleau, which recognizes excellence in arboricultural research
- 1981 — Received the Prix Marie-Victorin, the highest science distinction awarded by the Government of Quebec
- 1981 — Medal from the Société botanique de France
- 1982 — Senior member of the Association des biologistes du Québec
- 1988 — Knight of the Order of Quebec
- 1991 — Senior research scientist with the Centre de recherche en biologie forestière