Heading back to nature this summer? Tread lightly, say outdoor experts

Conservation groups have been doing a lot of work lately to give people virtual access to important ecological areas in the Maritimes, but if that's given you the itch to go in person this summer, there are special precautions to take, according to two people who make a living promoting outdoor adventures.

"These are not the places we want to start going bushwhacking," said Jan-Sebastian LaPierre, of Dartmouth-based marketing company A For Adventure.

You probably should not go with a big group, said LaPierre, and you should try to "exercise the lightest touch possible."

The public can visit many ecologically sensitive areas, he said, if there's the right infrastructure, such as boardwalks and trails.

LaPierre's business partner Chris Surette said he's noticed a trend lately of conservation groups creating interactive maps and videos to try to get people to know and love wetlands and rare habitats.

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick has done lots of mapping, he said.

One "cool" example is the Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve.

The Meduxnekeag is a tributary of the St. John River, he noted, and the preserve includes over 1,000 acres of rare Appalachian hardwood forest.

More than 180 species of trees, plants, lichen and mosses live there, according to the Nature Trust — including 43 rare species and many found nowhere else in Atlantic Canada.

"These forests have been nearly eradicated from their natural range in Carleton and Victoria counties," says the group's website.

Thanks to trails and light infrastructure more than 3,000 students a year can visit the preserve, he said. They have fun identifying plants using the iNaturalist app or geocaching and also learn something in the process. 

Ultimately it's teaching them about nature, said Surette, and creating a culture of understanding the importance of conservation.

The St. Mary's River Association in Nova Scotia just started an online map project as well, said LaPierre.

The Canadian Heritage River is well known for salmon fishing, he said, but is home to many other species and has beautiful "rolling hills" along its banks.