Training on the Sentier Massawippi trails in preparation for Corsica’s GR20 – Interview with Alain Lessard

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Alain Lessard

How did you find out about the Sentier Massawippi trails, even though you are not from the Eastern Townships?

A friend of mine, a resident of North Hatley, introduced me to the Sentier Massawippi and Scowen trails.

She and I are both active people, and we have been going regularly, about twice a week, for a little over two years now, on one trail or the other.

In addition to offering a calm environment with its forest, mature trees, streams, birds and deer, the trails are safe, well-maintained and the Sentier Massawippi offers us as well, access to the Lake.

Moreover, as an added bonus, it is always a pleasure to cross paths with other hikers and salute them on the way.  

Last fall, my hikes in these exceptional natural sites sparked the idea of undertaking a long-distance adventure.

After a bit of research on the Internet, and because of its reputation as one of the most difficult but also most magnificent hikes in Europe, my choice was made….the GR20 in the mountains of Corsica!

And yes, with its total length of 180 km length and its 11,000 metres of positive vertical drop, you mustn’t be afraid of a challenge to tackle this great hike, especially if you are a 70-year-old! For me, it’s now or never!

With 15 refuges along the way, 15 days is the standard time to complete the hike. The more athletic hikers will do it in less than 10 days, which is not my case, wisdom, prudence and humility being my motto for this great adventure!

I am planning to start at the beginning of May, but the refuges don’t offer accommodation, catering, repair services, tent rental, etc. until May 22. Traffic and hot summer temperatures are the reasons for my choice of early May. So l will have to carry everything I need in my backpack to enable me to sleep as soundly as possible and to have the food I need to give me the energy required to successfully meet this challenge. I’ll spare you the long list, which amounts to a payload of around 25 kg. 

So, to get back to the Sentier Massawippi trails, they naturally become a perfect training site. With a potential vertical drop of over 400m and a possible distance of around 10km, hiking the trails is an excellent workout that can be enhanced by adding weight to your backpack.

This physical exercise also enables me to test the hiking equipment that I will be using in Corsica: hiking boots and socks, crampons (there will be snow and ice in the mountains in May), hiking poles and backpack. Between now and my departure, I plan to hike other trails such as Mont Chauve via David Creek, 12.7km and 550m ascent, Mont St-Hilaire closer to home, 12.7km and 537m ascent, and Mount Mansfield in Vermont with its 12.4km and 880m ascent.

I am aiming to be ready by mid-April in terms of my training. This allows for a week’s rest and time for final preparations before departure, as my flight is scheduled for April 27.

And then, off we go for a great adventure!!

 

 

 

Margot Heyerhoff - Graduation

Dr. Margot Graham Heyerhoff

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We are so proud to announce that Margot Graham Heyerhoff has been awarded an honorary Doctorate for the degree of Doctor of Civil Law, honoris causa, Margot Heyerhoff, in recognition of her tireless, selfless, and impactful advocacy for her community, for art and literacy, and for the environment.

We’d like to share with you the commencement speech given by Kerry Hull, Dean of Science at Bishop’s University. You can also watch the video here.

Mr. Chancellor, Principal Goldbloom, graduates, colleagues, family and friends.  It is my honour to introduce Margot Graham Heyerhoff.  

Margot’s Pinterest page features a quote from Leonard Mlodinow – “The outline of our lives, like a candle’s flame, is continuously coaxed in new directions by a variety of random events that, along with our responses to them, determine our fate.”

So let me briefly recount just a few of the random events that have led to Margot Heyerhoff’s presence with us today.   

She spent time in the Townships as a high school student at King’s Hall, a boarding school in Compton, and also had a brief stint as a Bishop’s student.  Several years later Margot become the first Development Director at Bishop’s College School, just across the river from us.  She left the Townships in 1981, for what she may have thought was the last time.  However, twenty years later, under unexpected and serendipitous circumstances, the Heyerhoff family left Oakville, Ontario to settle in the Canton de Hatley.   

The subsequent twenty five years of Margot’s life could serve as a case study of local actions with dramatic impact.  Her interest in land conservation and sustainability started when her family converted their land into a certified organic farm.  Then, in 2011, Heyerhoff worked with friends and colleagues to establish the Massawippi Foundation and Conservation Trust.  One mandate of this organization is to protect and preserve the ecosystems of the Lake Massawippi watershed – they raised over five million dollars, and now have stewardship over 1200 acres of land.  These forests and fields are not only conserved, they are also used to further the organization’s goals by providing environmentally friendly hiking trails as well as sites for educational and research projects.  To this day she continues to serve as President of the Foundation and Trustee of the Trust.

The foundation’s conservation efforts extend beyond their lands – they also promote sustainable agricultural practices through education and research grants.  In addition, as a key supporter of Bishop’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program as well as the Educational Farm, Margot is a passionate advocate for  agro-environmental farming practices that keep our soil healthy as well as preserve the biodiversity of insects, birds and plants.  

To expand the scope of her work outside the Townships, Margot mentors others across the province of Quebec as they establish conservation trusts in their areas.  As a testament to her reputation, she was invited to share the Massawippi Foundation story at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference.  

Ainsi, Margot Heyerhoff a contribué de manière significative aux efforts de conservation locaux, régionaux et internationaux, non seulement par ses propres actions, mais aussi en fournissant l’éducation, les conseils et les fonds nécessaires pour que d’autres puissent faire de même.  

But there is more.  An accomplished artist and art collector, Margot has converted a dilapidated barn on her farm into a non-profit art gallery and cultural space.  The gallery has been the venue for numerous cultural activities, including historical and architectural exhibitions, fundraising events for local charitable entities, and book launches for local authors.  

In sum, Margot has dedicated herself to her community and to the sustainability of our planet.

Mister Chancellor, I present to you for the degree of Doctor of Civil Law, honoris causa, Margot Heyerhoff, in recognition of her tireless, selfless, and impactful advocacy for her community, for art and literacy, and for the environment.  

 

Jonathan (Joff) Elkas

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Jonathan (Joff) Elkas

Joff currently works at BCE as senior legal counsel. He is a bilingual business lawyer with over twenty-five years experience with expertise in general commercial, IT, franchise, consumer protection, privacy and telecommunications regulatory law.
He holds degrees from Université de Sherbrooke (Baccalaureat en droit (L.L.B.)) and McGill (B.A. – History, Distinction).

Joff is married to Nancy Wells and is the father of three children. He is the son of Marlene and Sam Elkas of Sherbrooke.

He is an active community member holding positions in various boards over the past few years including the position of President at the North Hatley Club Inc.; Vice-President and chair of communication at Pillars Trust Fund Inc. 2015 – 2019; Friends of McGill Football, during his involvement over 6 years he spear-headed fundraising initiatives for the coaching staff. He was a co-winner of McGill’s E.P. Taylor Award (2015) in recognition of the founding of the Michael Soles Football Award, an endowment to support outstanding student athletes playing McGill Football.

When asked what were his reasons for his involvement in the Massawippi Foundation, Joff said:

” The opportunity to join the board of the Massawippi Foundation was too good to pass up. My father, Sam, had been a long-time board member and, for years, would tell me about the great things this little team of dedicated volunteers was accomplishing for the Massawippi Valley (and the fun it was having doing it). I had not only admired the Foundation’s achievements in just over 10 years – millions raised, over 1200 acres of forest preserved – but also the “win win” nature of the efforts themselves. It was as much the “how” of the accomplishment as much as the “what”.

For example, building ecologically sensitive hiking trails on conserved lands really struck a chord with me. By encouraging residents and visitors to explore and educate themselves about our local environment in a healthy and responsible way, we ensure it continues to be appreciated and cared for over the long term. These are the types of initiatives I aim to support and promote. My goal is to ensure the Foundation continues to thrive and perform its important work as the leading ecological steward of the Massawippi Valley. Through continued innovation and thoughtful collaboration with our community partners, I’m confident we will get there.”

Jonathan (Joff) Elkas

Good Governance

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Alan Capes

Alan is a Civil Engineer (Concordia University) with an MBA (McGill University}. For 35 years his career focused on building business cases, and implementing, multi-million dollar business transformation projects and leading technology strategy at CN Rail. Alan founded and led the world’s largest rail technology user community, across North America, Europe and Asia. Alan has also been a guest lecturer on business strategy at several Quebec universities. In retirement, Alan co-founded and serves as a Director of La Fondation Ruisseau Bouchard in Dorval and is a Director of the Ayer’s Cliff Fair.

When asked what were his reasons for his involvement in the Massawippi Foundation, Alan said:

“My parents loved the Townships and bought a small waterfront property on Lake Massawippi in 1947, it instantly became the centre of the Capes family for generations. This is where our roots are firmly planted. In retirement my wife Lynn and I moved here permanently and the house routinely flows with our two sons from Montreal and family from Ontario and British Columbia. We love this land; the lake, the mountains, the trees and rivers of the Massawippi valley and the amazing neighbors and communities that thrive here.

I can think of nothing more rewarding and important than participating in protecting and sharing this wonderful ecosystem with future generations of family, friends and strangers alike. Building on over 10 years of extraordinary successes of the Massawippi Foundation, there are many exciting opportunities ahead: critical rivers, wetlands and forests to protect, expanding and enhancing public access to trails, actively engaging young people in nature awareness and experiences, and working with agricultural communities to enhance the quality of the land. I am excited and grateful to work on these and many more opportunities, with this team and these communities, to improve the quality of all life in our little part of the planet.”

Alan Capes

The Challenge, the Succession, the Future

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A not-for-profit Foundation needs good governance as well a succession plan for its board members. Thanks to the hard work of our founding members, we have both.

We are pleased to share with you the profile of 4 new members of the board who have joined the team in 2021-2022. Two are presented this month and two more will be presented in January. Our 11 member board is complete.  We will reveal more about the individuals over time as their roles in the Foundation increase, until then please help us welcome them to the team!

They defined the criteria for board membership.
Criteria includes:
1. Be a Member of the FMF
2. Be 18 years of age or older
3. Priority be given to full and part-time residents of the Massawippi Valley.
4. Ability to communicate in French and English.
5. Ties to the Massawippi Valley.
6. Possess at least 2 of the 4 WWWW’s (wealth, work, wisdom, wit).
7. Active interest in the activities of the Foundation
8. Interest and ability to attend, in person if possible, or by video-conference all board meetings.
9. Previous or present involvement in organizations whose mission is related to conserving nature.

We present to you…

Claude Séguin
Claude holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal and a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Syracuse University in New York State. He began his career in the public sector in the 1980’s and ended as Deputy Minister of Finance for Quebec in 1987. Following this he held various finance and top level positions at Teleglobe, CDP Capital and Private Equity at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ). After which he joined CGI Group as Senior Vice-President – Corporate Development and Strategic Investments from 2003 to 2016 and was Advisor to the Chairman from 2016 to 2018. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Solidarity Fund QFL since 2018. Over the years, he has been involved in several fundraising events including Centraide of Greater Montreal and the 24 Hours of Tremblant Foundation.
When asked what were his reasons for his involvement in the Massawippi Foundation, Claude said:
“Having lived on the shores of Lake Massawippi for over 30 years, I have been impressed by the magnitude of the achievements of the Fondation Massawippi not only by its considerable acquisitions of land in the lake’s watershed, but also by the quality of the developments that have been made there for the benefit of all. And all this by a small group of people truly dedicated to the quality of the environment of our region and the quality of life of the people who live there or find rest and peace there. My wife and I have agreed not only to support the Foundation financially, but also to become personally involved to contribute to its development and to help it realize its promising projects.”
Martin Primeau
Martin has been a member of the Fire Protection Service, City of Sherbrooke for close to 25 years. He is currently the Division Chief of Operations. He also served with the North Hatley Fire department as Captain from 2002 -2005. Martin was involved in local politics from 2005-21, initially as a municipal councillor and finally as the Mayor of Canton de Hatley. During his tenure he helped create the Eastern
Fire Department; supported the construction of the Town Hall with multipurpose rooms; created a participative committee
– Development of the Massawippi Valley (purchase of the Ayer’s Cliff beach) and supported financial participation of Mont Orford. Martin holds a B.A. from Université de Sherbrooke and has a multitude of educational certificates  in the field of fire prevention and safety.
When asked what were his reasons for his involvement in the Massawippi Foundation, Martin said:
” When I arrived in the Eastern Townships, my first involvement at the municipal level was to get involved in the environmental advisory committee of my municipality. It was a way for me to protect my environment and to make the population aware of its conservation. Shortly after, I had the chance to join the municipal council of this same municipality. I quickly noticed the involvement of many citizens and organizations in promoting environmental protection. Although the protection aspect is major in the vision of these organizations, for me it was important that the education aspect be present in the objectives and especially in the field.
The Massawippi Foundation responds very well to this educational vocation. This was an important element for me when I was asked to join their team. Being a user since the very beginning of the many trails they offer to the community, I could see the rigor and the concern to do things well that is reflected in this organization on a daily basis. The Foundation is a complementary partner to the mission of the municipalities and remains attentive to the people who make up the municipalities. Our region has been fortunate to have visionary people who wanted to get involved in protecting their environmental heritage while being actively involved in their community. It is a real pleasure for me today to be able to contribute to the accessibility of our lands and lakes now and for future generations.”

(Martin is both a board member of the Foundation and a Trustee of the Massawippi Conservation Trust.)

Profile Dany Gagné

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Profile Dany Gagné
passionate about nature and a key trail building team member
Dany Gagné is a passionate man, a creative person who loves the environment, culture, learning, and digging deep, literally and figuratively.
He has worked for the Massawippi Conservation Trust since 2018. Previously, he worked with fellow trail builders, Matthew and Mahicans, on another project. He was happy when he was called to join them on the shores of Lake Massawippi. His specialty is building bridges and wood work. He enjoys working in the forest, in the middle of nature. When asked, he said, “ …building the trails makes me happy. It responds to my values.’ He appreciates that the Massawippi Conservation Trust gives the team the time to do a good job. He jokingly said, “There is no competition in the region, we are the best! We can take the necessary time and have the right equipment to make the best trails.” He describes it as a job for people with a passion, it can be a slow job but exciting when the vision for the trail comes to fruition. This is his 7th season working in the milieu.
He appreciates the biodiversity, seeing animals while he works, from foxes to owls and woodpeckers. He has only seen moose tracks and bear scat but has never encountered them in person. He appreciates the fact that the large tracts of land allow these animals to migrate. Working on the conserved land, building trails, he and the team are sensitive to the fragility of the ecosystem.
“If we’re going to give people access to the land, we have to design the trails so that people stay on the trail and we do as little damage to the land as possible. The more people that pass through, the more damage there can be. We need to create trails that keep people in one place.” Drainage and erosion are major considerations, as is avoiding sensitive ecological areas.
Trail building involves many skills such as carpentry, handling light machinery, physical strength and creativity to imagine and react to the environment. It also helps to have knowledge of plants and ecosystems, especially when building on our conserved property. The Trust seeks trail builders who will be sensitive to flora and fauna, ensuring that any potential damage to the protected environment is limited. The fact that most of the work is done by hand allows the team to “go gently on the land.”
Building bridges and trails is not his only talent. Dany loves music and culture. In fact, he was our DJ at Ethan’s Beach opening last summer. He brought his equipment and played a wide variety of early jazz and blues. He has participated in many cultural events over the years. He has also worked in construction and in the agricultural sector. He is a natural communicator and enjoys working with the community, bringing together like-minded people.
Dany is an important member of the team and we are happy to have him on board to build bridges and more!

Jane is an outdoor enthusiast who loves nature and walking. You can see her striding through the village and walking on our trails year round.

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She has always loved walking and especially enjoys showing her visitors the Massawippi Trails when they come to stay in the region.
Jane is as intimately entwined in the history of North Hatley as is fellow board member Tom Wilcox. She is a permanent resident of North Hatley since retiring from her law career with the Federal government. Born in Sherbrooke, she grew up in Montreal and spent all of her summers in the village. Her great grand-father’s family bought their first summer home here back in 1920. Jane remembers summers spent in her family home, enjoying the independence which came with her 3 ½ horse power boat which she took across the lake each day to reach the North Hatley Club. In the 1960’s her father bought a large farm property in the Canton de Hatley where he planted trees and conserved the land. It was here that she took long walks with him and sometimes explored the land on horseback. She came back regularly to the property in the late 1990’s when she built some trails for walking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Jane became involved with the Massawippi Foundation fairly early on as the Board was being formed in 2012. She was invited to join in 2013 and today she is its Chair. The passion and respect of the original group is as strong today as it ever was. None of them are environmentalists, but they all share a deep love for the natural beauty of the region and want to do what they can to protect it for future generations.

When asked if she found the area had changed over the years she says, “Not really, the buildings haven’t changed, only the businesses on the inside.”  She remembered the general store and hardware where the Pilson now stands, Earl’s was the Dep, and the Hob Nob, (now the Mercantile) where her family always picked up hot dogs and fries for supper when arriving from Montreal on Friday nights. Of course LeBaron’s was and still remains today.” The biggest change was when the railway was sold.” Thinking back she remembers when she used to walk along the tracks to get from one side of the village to the other, sometimes jumping off the bridge into the water, in order not to get run over by the noontime train. The walkway and gazebo are what remain today. A lovely place to get a view of the lake and the ridge behind it.

When the Sentier Massawippi opened its trails, Jane was there with her sister. She realized then that this would be the special place to walk keeping in mind that George Wardman Sr. had been a good friend of her Father. The Meagher farm property was sold in 2018 and Jane and her husband Jean bought an Airstream thereby joining a new community. Their choice reflects their love of nature. The Sentier Massawippi trails in North Hatley and Sainte- Catherine, are her preferred local places to walk. She likes the beauty of the trail and the views of the lake. Jane makes sure to speak about the Foundation and its conservation mission with visitors.

When asked if she is an environmentalist, conservationist, or nature lover, Jane chooses the latter, saying she loves nature and tries to do her bit to help the planet and her community. Her son has recently bought a property in the area and so the family tradition is continuing.

In the words of Jacques Cousteau, “You protect what you love,” and that is what Margot Graham Heyerhoff does best.

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Margot and her family moved to the Massawippi Valley permanently in 2002 however she had already established a love for the area long before when attending university and working in the area in the 1970s.

Unassuming and passionate, she is one of the founders of the Massawippi Foundation. Even before its legal inception, Margot played a key role in its establishment which now boasts approximately 1200 acres under its protection via the Massawippi Conservation Trust. The land, which is protected in perpetuity, has a current evaluation of over 4.3 million dollars and the Foundation has raised over 5 million dollars. For much of the last decade, Margot served as Chair and volunteer acting Executive Director at the same time – a term referred to as a “servant leader”. Today, Margot is President of the Foundation and a Trustee of the Trust. The conserved area we are talking about is the watershed of Lake Massawippi, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It contains pristine forests which have been identified as being of top ecological quality. Margot was among a small group of people who met over Thanksgiving weekend, 2010 to discuss the imminent threat of development on the magnificent forested ridge on the west side of the lake. One guest, David Rittenhouse took up the call and began to research how to create a conservation trust and a community foundation. By happenstance, Margot was drawn into the action after a chance meeting with David in the local depanneur. During the summer of 2011, they went door to door, spreading the word among friends to support the foundation during its infancy by providing seed money in order to purchase land and to explain the goals of the sister organizations. David made these visits while fighting advanced cancer and died in August that year but not before Margot visited him the evening before to promise him that the other founders would continue the work that he had begun as the Foundation’s first Executive Director.
Since then Margot has identified properties, helped negotiate land donations or sales and ushered the Trustees and owners to the table to sign transfers of land, a task that Margot compares to herding cats. She has also helped raise funds towards property acquisition and trail building and is a lead donor herself. She is a spokesperson and educator. She has given lectures, personally written hundreds of thank you notes, hosted fundraising events, even loaned her home in exchange for donations instead of rent.  Margot is a local, well respected authority on conservation in the region. She is called upon regularly by people wanting her guidance on how to establish a land trust.
Margot, along with the Board, believes in the importance of giving everyone access to nature. It was important to allow people to walk and benefit directly from the forest therefore it wasn’t long before two properties had trail networks. In the words of Margot Graham Heyerhoff, “The goal was not just to see this amazingly beautiful green mountain from afar while driving on Route 143  but for people to experience conservation from being ‘inside’ these protected forests”. Nothing has proven truer than in the last 2 years with the pandemic raging around us, people have benefitted from the trails, improving their physical and mental health.

The Massawippi Trust is under the conservation umbrella group of Appalachian Corridor. The biologists and specialists from the organisation have identified the top priority properties linking wildlife corridors which range from the United States through Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Margot is keenly aware of the positive impact on the wildlife regarding the connection between the properties and has worked nonstop to link contingent parcels together.
Aside from her various roles with the Foundation, including Chair, Acting Executive Director, and President, she also sits on the grants committee, fundraising committee, and now two new committees: Education and Farming.
As she says: “To support our vision for a green and prosperous Massawippi Valley, we are looking to expand our conservation efforts from only focusing on our rich forests to including various other types of ecologically vital lands.  The Massawippi Foundation and Massawippi Conservation Trust are joining the worldwide movement toward enhancing the agroecosystem resilience for sustainable agricultural production.  We feel that conservation also includes how we use our land – we will advocate for agro-environmental farming practices to keep our soil healthy, ways to preserve the biodiversity of insects, birds and plants, and ways we can all protect streams in order to improve the health of our lake, the health of our farms and their produce and ultimately the quality of life for all who live here.”
Today, as the Massawippi Foundation enters a new decade, it is expanding its mandate to develop educational programs for local school children, families and adults. It is also joining the regenerative agriculture movement. It will sponsor a research grant to identify the hot spots on the territory where farms are contributing to pollution. It will work with local organisations to promote new (old) farming techniques which are less invasive and can in fact help restore the quality of the soil, the crops grown, the farmers’ income and the environment.
Margot, originally a city person, has become totally invested in the local environment since her move to the Eastern Townships which she has expressed through her work with the Massawippi Foundation and the Massawippi Conservation Trust. She has learned about the environment and conservation through her passion for this corner of the world.  Margot has a creative edge about her (as a designer and an artist) and an active imagination for all kinds of projects and possibilities – many of which have already become realities.

 

Pat Webster

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It has been more than ten years since Pat joined Tom Wilcox and Margot Heyerhoff to found the Massawippi Foundation.
Like them, Pat stayed on for the long run, but in June, she is stepping back to focus on new projects, including the launch of her first book, Autobiography of a Garden.
Pat grew up in Virginia, in a family that loved to travel. While in university she spent a year abroad, studying philosophy at the University of London and revelling in the heyday of London in the 60’s, when the Beatles and Carnaby Street were all the rage. Before returning home, she travelled to Greece where she met Norman Webster, her future Canadian husband.

Norman was a journalist. In the late 1960’s, he was offered the job in Beijing as the Globe and Mail’s correspondent. When he asked Pat if she wanted to go, she said YES! They and their three little boys spent two years there as part of a small community of diplomats. Later, with five children, the family lived three years in England and in various cities in Canada.

A world traveller, blogger, author, wife and mother, an American who gave up her citizenship to become a Canadian, Pat adopted the Eastern Townships and North Hatley like a native. “There is something about this place that grabs you in a deep way. It is hard to put a finger on it, but it is there.”

She and her family spent summer holidays in North Hatley. Year after year, she explored the woods, following deer paths and making her own, using the lake as her compass point. Standing at Black Point, she could see only two cottages on the west side of the lake, and almost no houses on the east.

One day, taking a new path, she happened upon a road carved into the side of the mountain. This scar on the landscape made her realize that the pristine forests could be ruined. “You don’t want to keep people out, but you feel that something precious is being changed in a negative way. You want to protect it.”

In 1996, Pat and Norman bought Glen Villa, the place where she now lives full time. She began to develop the garden around the house and to think about the land more deeply, over time creating what is now a landscape with art installations that explore ideas about history, memory and our relationship to nature.  “Each of us leaves a mark on the world we are part of, and it is up to us to decide what kind of mark that will be.”

She supported the goals of the Massawippi Foundation and the Massawippi Conservation Trust from the outset and was an enthusiastic supporter for the network of trails. “People who experience the forest come to love it, and the trails get them out there. It is hard to name but once they are in the woods, they sense the ‘specialness’ of the place. “

As a grandmother with 11 grandchildren, Pat is delighted that the Foundation is finally able to offer an education program for students.  Designed to teach children about the environment in the protected, outdoor setting of the trails, the program will start in the fall. “I am confident that the program will meet its goal of helping young people develop a real love for the environment. I hope that in a few years we will be able to expand the program to include family activities and programs for adults.”

A life of experiences, looking at the world through the eyes of others, has led Pat to acknowledge the importance of the landscape we all share. Now that the Massawippi Foundation is on terra firma, she is ready to move on to new projects, including the launch of her new book in July. It’s called Autobiography of a Garden. Published by McGill-Queen’s University Press. It will be available through fine bookstores everywhere or online through McGill-Queen’s University Press and other reliable sources. She will also be opening the garden at Glen Villa to the public this summer as a fund-raiser for the Massawippi Foundation. Dates for these open garden days are June 25, July 23, August 20, and October 1. Tickets cost $25/per person and must be booked in advance through Pat’s website, www.glenvillaartgarden.com

The Massawippi Foundation Board would like to thank Patterson Webster for her devotion to the area we call home. She has been a guide and steered the board with wisdom, wit and intelligence. Good luck with your new projects!

JANE MEAGHER, CHAIR OF THE MASSAWIPPI FOUNDATION

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Jane seen here tagging the property with Appalachian Corridor biologist.

Jane is an outdoor enthusiast who loves nature and walking. You can see her striding through the village and walking on our trails year round. She has always loved walking and especially enjoys showing her visitors the Massawippi Trails when they come to stay in the region.
She is as intimately entwined in the history of North Hatley as is fellow board member Tom Wilcox. Jane is a permanent resident of North Hatley since retiring from her law career with the Federal government. Born in Sherbrooke, she grew up in Montreal and spent all of her summers in the village. Her great grand-father’s family bought their first summer home here back in 1920. Jane remembers summers spent in her family home, enjoying the independence which came with her 3 ½ horse power boat which she took across the lake each day to reach the North Hatley Club. In the 1960’s her father bought a large farm property in the Canton de Hatley where he planted trees and conserved the land. It was here that she took long walks with him and sometimes explored the land on horseback. She came back regularly to the property in the late 1990’s when she built some trails for walking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Jane became involved with the Massawippi Foundation fairly early on as the Board was being formed in 2012. She was invited to join in 2013 and today she is its Chair. The passion and respect of the original group is as strong today as it ever was. None of them are environmentalists, but they all share a deep love for the natural beauty of the region and want to do what they can to protect it for future generations.
When asked if she found the area had changed over the years she says, “Not really, the buildings haven’t changed, only the businesses on the inside.”  She remembered the general store and hardware where the Pilson now stands, Earl’s was the Dep, and the Hob Nob, (now the Mercantile) where her family always picked up hot dogs and fries for supper when arriving from Montreal on Friday nights. Of course LeBaron’s was and still remains today.” The biggest change was when the railway was sold.” Thinking back she remembers when she used to walk along the tracks to get from one side of the village to the other, sometimes jumping off the bridge into the water, in order not to get run over by the noontime train. The walkway and gazebo are what remain today. A lovely place to get a view of the lake and the ridge behind it.
When the Sentier Massawippi opened its trails, Jane was there with her sister. She realized then that this would be the special place to walk keeping in mind that George Wardman Sr. had been a good friend of her Father. The Meagher farm property was sold in 2018 and Jane and her husband Jean bought an Airstream thereby joining a new community. Their choice reflects their love of nature. The Sentier Massawippi trails in North Hatley and Sainte- Catherine, are her preferred local places to walk. She likes the beauty of the trail and the views of the lake. Jane makes sure to speak about the Foundation and its conservation mission with visitors.
When asked if she is an environmentalist, conservationist, or nature lover, Jane chooses the latter, saying she loves nature and tries to do her bit to help the planet and her community. Her son has recently bought a property in the area and so the family tradition is continuing.