In the 1970’s, Maurice Chabot purchased some farmland along the South Nation River. The remoteness of the place, the wildlife and the river drew him to the property.

Having completed some studies in forestry, Maurice knew about the importance and value of trees on the landscape. Soon after purchasing the property he decided to plant some trees, red pine on the sandy hillside and white spruce in the low area – an excellent choice! The trees were planted by hand, with some help from friends and family over a two year period.  He remembers all of the hard work, the black flies and even getting his truck stuck in the mud while on an outing to the property to prune some of the young trees. What has resulted from his hard work and dedication is the beautiful stand of red pine and white spruce we see today.

Eventually, Maurice sold the other land he owned, but he kept this piece, “a few years ago, I started wondering what would be best for the land.” He met with The Nation Municipality, who informed him of the South Nation Conservation (SNC) - Land Donation Program. The program offers residents the opportunity to donate their land within the SNC jurisdiction for conservation purposes. Maurice was happy to learn that his property and its forest will be there for future generations to enjoy, “it (the property) has been growing, and this is the most lovely part about trees – you make sure you don’t interrupt their growth and that nobody cuts them and they will be there for generations to enjoy,” he observed.

Maurice looks forward to visiting the property, to see first-hand how his natural legacy is growing and contributing to healthy forests in the region.