NB Naturalist Feature: A 35th anniversary for Les Ami.e.s de la Nature Sud-Est

Les Ami.e.s de la nature du Sud-Est recently published a speech by president Raymonde Chartier, in a special souvenir edition of the Plume verte (an newsletter for club members). It was delivered at the 35th anniversary celebration on October 5, 2024 in Grande-Digue.

Here’s a summary of the Club since its founding!

Hello everyone, it’s great to see all the faces of current and former members and supporters. We’re here to celebrate our club’s 35th anniversary. Time has flown by. I’m one of the witnesses to our Club’s evolution, as I was present at the founding meeting. Indeed, on March 23, 1989, a group of 56 interested people responded to Brother Léo Martin’s invitation to form a club of French-speaking naturalists in southeastern New Brunswick. Only a handful of those founding members are still active today. Please raise your hands if you were present at this meeting…

Brother Léo, this passionate man and great lover of nature, one day wanted to share his science, his love and his passion with his fellow human beings. That’s how we chose our name, Les ami.e.s de la nature du sud-est du N.-B., and how we set our goals: the study and appreciation of nature, communication between naturalists and the promotion of conservation measures for the natural environment.

The Club has achieved a great deal over the years. The various presentations made by our guests at our meetings have enriched our knowledge and helped maintain our curiosity about all things natural. The long list of topics has been compiled by Donald Cormier. They range from marsh life to moths and animal tracks in winter. And the pleasure shared between members on all our outings to better understand and appreciate nature.

Over the years, many of our members have developed different areas of expertise based on their personal interests: plants, fungi, butterflies, insects, birds, etc. There are other subjects for which we are looking for enthusiasts, such as lichens, spiders and mosses! I’m thinking of our amateur ornithologists, many of whom like to share their knowledge and document their observations. The Christmas census continues, as does the winter bird list, our spring tour of Albert County on the return of migratory birds and, more recently, the Bird Thursday outings, now in their 8th year. These activities enable us to accumulate a wealth of data on the birds of our region and to participate in community science.

We have been able to carry out fauna, flora and fungi inventories on various trails (we now have 9), using everyone’s knowledge. These inventories enable us to get an overview of the biodiversity of a region, find rarer specimens and even monitor changes in this diversity (invasive plants, tropical storm effects). I’m also thinking of the nature conservation projects we’ve developed over the years: planting native trees with Claude Léger, nest boxes for tree swallows/Eastern bluebirds initiated by Edgar Savoie, who used to sell us “mortgages” (on the birdhouses) to finance his cabins. Louis-Émile Cormier and Richard Perron are continuing the project with flying colors. There are also osprey platforms and milkweed gardens for monarchs and pollinators.

Here are just a few of the technological developments the Club has undergone: In the early days, nature photography was the preserve of a few passionate and well-equipped individuals (Clarence Nowlan, for example, gave us some enchanting slideshows). With the advent of digital technology, nature photography has become more accessible, and many of you contribute to our members’ seasonal albums. The result is a rich bank of photos in many nature categories (birds, mushrooms, butterflies, animals, plants…). Thanks to all our amateur photographers who generously share their wonderful pictures.

Our task of documenting nature becomes even more relevant with climate change. We can observe certain trends in decline, or species from the south that take up residence on our territory. This summer, two species of butterfly and a plover were observed in Cocagne and documented for the first time in our region, and even for the province!

Another technological change for communication between members was the switch from the telephone game (call chain) to e-mail, Facebook and our website, initiated by Armand Robichaud. A site to keep you up to date with our activities and to store our archives.

The task of planning meetings and outings is entrusted to our Board of Directors. We always welcome suggestions from our members. I’d like to thank all the volunteers who have been involved over the years. It’s fundamental to the Club’s continuity.

For 35 years, we’ve been living a wonderful love story of getting to know the natural heritage of our region of New Brunswick, by sharing our knowledge through our meetings, our writings and our outings. Loving nature also means wanting to protect it. Our Nature Sud-Est club can continue this love affair by adapting to the times, recruiting new members, new learning methods and new subjects relevant to our times.