Half of the mountain is preserved for research, and 77 graduate theses and over 200 publications have been produced by students and faculty from Montreal's four universities based on projects conducted at Mont St. Hilaire. The other half is open to the 100,000 members of the public who visit every year. Now, however, with McGill's recent budget cuts and limited resources, respecting the interests of both researchers and visitors, as well as protecting the area's natural integrity, has put the mountain at the heart of debates in conservation biology. In keeping with his wishes, a Nature Conservation Centre was established in 1972 on the public side as a non-profit organization dedicated to public education. The centre leases the property from McGill and carries out its own programs under specified restrictions.
Biosphere reserves are representations of undisturbed natural habitats which adjoin populated areas.
The University is currently revising Mont St. Hilaire's master plan, which provides the necessary guidelines and regulations needed for the overall management of the mountain. The master plan was last revised in 1984, and since then a number of issues have arisen with respect to its proper use and management. Professor Martin Lechowicz of the biology department holds the position of Director of the Gault Estate and has been involved closely with the mountain since the late '70s. Lechowicz first became involved in the mountain when the first outbreak of gypsy moths in 1977 and 1978 resulted in the defoliation of 259 hectares of the forest. And there is still a strong community interest in the mountain, as evidenced by the large number of visitors, especially during the summer months.