Craig's Way

      ...into the soul of the forest

scroll to the end to read a poem by Joella Arsenault

Craig's Way is a footpath that embodies the land values that we have spoken of since first launching the Sheltering Forests campaign. It is important as the first project of Friends of Redtail Society because it is an expression of the principles and goals so fundamental to the Society.

Through Craig's Way we hope to:
• Introduce the community to the deep ecological values we espouse, in a practical way. Craig's Way is a symbolic invitation for us, as humans, to deepen our relationship with nature;
• Demonstrate more respectful land use, inspired by the deep ecological premise of non-human centred decision-making;
• Maintain biodiversity, habitat and wild spaces-the setting is a naturally regenerating Acadian forest, Nova Scotia's indigenous forest type, which is considered to be among the most endangered of forest ecosystems in North America;
• Facilitate community gathering for the purpose of education, learning, research, and sharing;
• Encourage community participation in the health and wellbeing of the bioregion;
• Use the land base as a space to help the community understand, explore and access the health benefits of nature bonding, while becoming better connected with the bioregion. Time spent in nature - whether walking, working the land or simply being still - is restorative; positively affecting one's mental and physical wellbeing as well as restoring an essential bond with the natural world.

The footpath is named for a young friend and supporter, Craig Chenell, who developed a deep and enduring relationship with nature through his experiences at Redtail Nature Awareness. Craig died in a motor vehicle accident in 2009, days before he was to launch his own fundraiser for the Sheltering Forests project. We invite you to join us in creating a legacy in Craig's name, a path into nature.

We will continue to post and share information here on Craig's Way, such as upcoming trail building days, walking events or other ways you can support this initiative. But please do not hesitate to contact us if you'd like to get in touch or participate.

Craig's Way: Trail Building days

Please join us on Sunday afternoons beginning September 4 and running through October 30 from 2pm-5pm.

Meet at the MayKay Brook, MacBeth Road, (Elmfield end of MacBeth) @ 2pm; DIRECTIONS

General:
Hand tools only, those without hand tools are also welcome as we will be posting signs, reflectors and moving things.
We will post any special requests here.

Dates:

September 4, 2pm-5pm
September 11, 2pm-5pm
September 18, 2pm-5pm
September 25, 2pm-5pm 
October 2, 2pm-5pm
October 9, 2pm-5pm 
October 16, 2pm-5pm 
October 23, 2pm-5pm 
October 30, 2pm-5pm 

For more information contact us.

 

Hill Side

The land is lost to sound.
In an eerie stillness
I stand among and below sky.
Watch the sun fall across the hill.
 

The hill once ran streams
among the shade of spruce trees,
their lanky shadows casting
darkness into pools.
I have always watched these hills,
imaged them once great mountains,
now eloquent eroded curves.
I never thought they'd fall,
but now they have.
I heard them changing,
watched the stacks of felled
logs grow higher.
The large machines lumbering through
darkness, to days end.
 

The hills have
lost their memory.
Have lost the raven's
nest high in the spruce tree.
The coyote now runs along the road,
sniffs the green boxes by the pavement.
I have not seem him
only his paw prints.
Yet I have heard him,
his voice rising from the valley
below the hills,
along the edge of fields.
He is waiting for the eerie sound to stop
and answers from his neighbours.
 

~ Joella Arsenault, Elmfield