Léon Abel Provancher

Léon Abel Provancher (born 10 March 1820, in the parish of Bécancour, Nicolet County, Quebec; d. at Cap-Rouge, Quebec, 23 March 1892) was a Canadian Catholic parish priest and naturalist.

Provancher studied at the College and Seminary of Nicolet, and was ordained 12 September 1844.

For two years he edited a review, in which he published nearly every month an article on the Third Order, or answered questions appertaining thereto.

From childhood he had a special love for the study of nature and whatever time he could spare from his pastoral duties was devoted to the study and description of the fauna and flora of Canada.

In 1868 he founded the Naturaliste Canadien, a monthly publication which he edited for twenty years, and from 1869 until his death he was engaged almost exclusively in scientific work.