Archive for year: 2021

Matthew Cleary came to Canada from California. He had been working in national and state parks in the USA and moved here with his skills and his Québecoise wife in 2008 to raise their family. Our trail director, Mahicans Diamond, met Matthew in the region and soon they became good friends through their shared experiences.
Mahicans called Matthew to team up with him and build the trails at Scowen Park in North Hatley. Together they have been working on the Massawippi trails since the Trust first started to build them six years ago.
Everyone, without exception, that I have met has enjoyed their walking experience and many have said they are the best trails they have ever used. Known for their natural, easy going surfaces that blend into the environment, the Trail has been “discovered” during the pandemic as one of the best kept secrets. Some people want to keep it a secret, but not Matthew. When asked what he wanted to see in ten, twenty or thirty years, he replied, ‘’ I hope our network of trails will become widely known and that people come to use and enjoy them. It is good for their health and for others to see people walking, knowing they are not alone in this endeavor to enjoy the woods. It is good for the health of a community.’’

Our network reflect the personality of the trail builders. When I first met Matthew, I was struck by his kindness and generosity of spirit. As the Massawippi Trail foreman he is responsible to bring Mahicans’ dreams to life. He is practical man, a teacher, someone who studies the forest, it’s natural and human history. He notes the way people have left their imprint on the land. Smiling, he tells the story of cleaning Ethan’s beach and finding the history of Quebec beer through the bottles and cans people had left in the woods. An anthropologist perhaps, but first and foremost a trail builder who wants to build paths through the forest that respect the environment as well as creating a safe, friendly space for people to benefit from the woodlands.
Matthew is part of a team of three professional trail builders. Each summer, students are hired to be trained and work alongside the professionals. Matthew is their teacher and guide. I think it is a testament to the quality of their experience that the students often return for a second and third year. He loves their enthusiasm and desire to learn new skills building the trails. It is one of his favorite aspects of the job.
In the Spring, Mahicans and Matthew study the terrain and lay out a plan for each section they plan to build that year. Depending on the year, they build between two and three kilometers of trail. The Massawippi  Conservation Trust who owns the land and is responsible for its conservation has a goal of building up to 25 kilometers of trails in all.
The Trails is mostly built by hand. Occasionally some equipment is brought in for a particular section or piece of work but generally the builders use human power and ingenuity such as ropes and pulleys to haul logs and rocks. 90% of the materials used are from the surrounding forest. Matthew says not only does this save money but it is also means they are not introducing any foreign substances that might alter the biodiversity.
He speaks respectfully about cutting trees to be used on the stairs and other infrastructure. “If you remove one tree from a spot, it means more light, more water for the smaller trees who can then grow faster.”  He selects trees which are tall and straight (less waste) and those that are close to other trees. Or he chooses those that are in danger of falling down. “I hate to cut a tree but I don’t feel guilty because we are not removing anything from the system.”
Rocks, carefully selected from the forest, help people cross streams and line the edges of the trails to prevent erosion. Steps are built of logs, whose bark is removed and that are flattened on top to create a natural spot to place your foot. The trails follow the contours of the land. The person walking is considered, adding steps where the incline might be too steep to climb or a rock bridge to help them hop across a gully.
Margot Heyerhoff, President of the Massawippi Foundation which is the funding arm of the Massawippi Conservation Trust added this comment:
”From our earliest days, our Board decided it wanted to put ecologically sensitive trails into our protected properties.  We felt that it was not enough to just admire this conserved mountain from driving along Route 143 on the other side of the lake.  We wanted people to be able to experience what had been conserved by being inside this amazing forest. Matthew is helping make our dreams a reality.”
The trail network is almost complete on Wardman sector. This summer Matthew and the team will finish the loop on the Wippi North trail and then move onto a whole new section of the property.
No longer a secret, I think Matthew is pleased to know that the result of the hard work of the team has paid off and has helped so many find a healthier balance in life by walking here during the past difficult year.
I look forward to walking under the green canopy very soon and hope to run into Matthew and the trail builders who will be back at work in May.  If you see them, please stop and say hello.

So much has been written on this topic it is hard to know where to begin. Let us start by the definition and what forest bathing is NOT.
As you can surmise from the name Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term which was coined in 1982 by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to describe humans making contact with nature or bathing in the forest atmosphere, in order to reduce stress and to connect with the natural healing properties of nature. Strictly speaking immersing your senses in the forest, Shinrin means forest and yoku means bathing.
The mid to late 1980’s in Japan was a time of economic boom and high stress in an overworked population where an average work week of 60 hours was not unusual. The alarm bell sounded as more and more people became sick or died from over work and stress. They were living the first urban stress epidemic in the world. The Japanese health authorities didn’t know what to do so they began to look at research about nature and its health benefits and from this developed a practice called Shinrin-yoku.

Forest bathing is not hiking. In fact you may only walk 500 meters or less while practicing. You can do it on your own or with a group. It is advised to start with a guide who can teach you to understand what it is to connect with nature and how to use your senses to find the active ingredients in nature.
The effects of stress, burnout and other widely felt health problems have been increasing and hit a new proportion as a result of the pandemic. The Massawippi Conservation Trust saw a huge increase in the number of people who sought out the Massawippi Trail as a means to relieve their stress.
Forest Bathing can be a de-stressor. The practice encourages connecting to nature through our senses. Leaving your phone, schedule and fitness regimen behind you can restore your health and begin to recover from both physiological stress and cognitive stress.
There are many research papers and books about the topic. Dr. Qing Li is a recognized leader in forest medicine. He is medical doctor at Tokyo’s Nippon Medical School and is a founding member and chairman of the Japanese Society for Forest Medicine, a leading member of the Task Force of Forests and Human Health, and the vice president and secretary general of the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine.

You might want to start your research by reading his book published in 2018:
FOREST BATHING: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness

As quoted from La Presse¹ and reprinted here in translation:
SYLVOTHERAPY
THE FOREST AGAINST STRESS
For Dr Qing Li, author of the book Shinrin-Yoku, the art and science of forest bathing, it is therefore necessary for city dwellers to be able to recharge their batteries by going for a walk in nature. He advises spending at least two hours in the forest (20 minutes would already be beneficial) walking, aimlessly, without a smartphone, enjoying the trees, their natural smells and essences, their colours, the birdsong, the soothing landscape and the sounds of nature. It’s not about jogging or exercise, “but simply being in touch with nature, soaking up the forest through our five senses and reconnecting with it,” says Dr Qing Li.
PROMOTING RELAXATION
In this book, Dr Qing Li, an immunologist at the Department of Hygiene and Public Health at Tokyo Medical University, shares his research on the links between forests and health. Since 2003, research has shown that forest bathing can strengthen the immune system, reduce anxiety, depression and anger, give energy, reduce blood pressure and stress, and promote relaxation,” he says. Forest bathing also improves concentration and memory, cardiovascular function and metabolism, lowers blood sugar levels and increases protein production against cancer. “

Below is a brief list to Forest Bathing papers, articles and websites to help you discover more about Forest Bathing.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31210473/
[Effect of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on human health: A review of the literature]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19568835/
The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan.
https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/
http://www.shinrin-yoku-quebec.org/blog/2017/9/10/le-shinrin-yoku-pour-les-nuls-quentend-on-par-invitation-
https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/378351e1-b743-4656-adc8-27c51af3e039__7C___0.html
https://www.hellobc.com/stories/what-the-heck-is-forest-bathing-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-shinrin-yoku-in-bc/
https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/
https://www.natureandleadership.com/

¹  Lévy, Olivia (May 26, 2018). « La forêt contre le stress ». Dans La Presse, Montréal.   https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/378351e1-b743-4656-adc8-27c51af3e039__7C___0.html

The Massawippi Conservation Trust  (MCT) has been considerably active over the past few years for the protection of the natural environments of its territory, and more particularly within the conservation core identified on the western shore of Lake Massawippi. Out of a natural habitat core covering 1,200 hectares, 36.7% of the natural environments are protected in perpetuity thanks to the work of the MCT. This is remarkable!

To achieve these important ecological gains, MCT has been working for over ten years in concert with Appalachian Corridor. From its offices in Eastman, the multidisciplinary team of professionals offers its 17 affiliated members a range of services for the implementation of conservation actions in its territory of action, which extends from Granby to Sherbrooke and south to the Canada-U.S. border. Over the past 18 years, Appalachian Corridor and its partners have protected 14,619 hectares of our rich and precious regional territory!

Among other things, when the MCT wishes to acquire a piece of land for conservation purposes in perpetuity, the Appalachian Corridor team is active in supporting the project by conducting an assessment of the ecological value of the area.

During its visits, the Appalachian Corridor knowledge acquisition team seeks to obtain a complete picture of the property’s biodiversity and sensitive environments. This is why it travels throughout the territory in search of species in a precarious situation, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and flora. Wetlands, areas with steep slopes, watercourses and mature stands are sensitive areas where the greatest biodiversity and sensitive species are often found. Biologists always keep their eyes and ears open so as not to miss anything.

Old maple groves are among the important targets to be evaluated on the land, especially those that are less accessible because they have usually suffered less disturbance and have more integrity. These maple groves are often rich and shelter a beautiful diversity of species, particularly plant species, some of which are in a precarious situation, such as wild garlic, which is only found in this type of habitat. The red oak stands present in this core habitat are another ecological element of interest in this sector since this type of forest stand is quite rare in our region. These stands are now only found on a few mountain peaks or slopes.

Streams are also one of the biologists’ favorite targets, particularly within the FCM’s core habitat because they are mountain streams where clear, cold and well-oxygenated water flows towards Lake Massawippi. These streams are home to several wildlife species, including amphibians that are very sensitive to the quality of the water and their environment – the northern dusky salamander and the purple salamander. The northern dusky salamander is likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable in Quebec, while the purple salamander is designated vulnerable.
The protection of streams and riparian zones are very important for these species, in addition to being essential to maintaining water quality in Lake Massawippi. It is probably due to the presence of these streams within the core habitat that a population of lake trout, also known as Gray Trout , is maintained in Lake Massawippi since this fish requires a habitat that has cold, clear, well-oxygenated water and where the pH is higher than 5.4.

Clément Robidoux, Conservation Director and Victor Grivegnée-Dumoulin, Biologist, Knowledge Acquisition Coordinator