Wolastoqey group walks to ancient tree in Lorneville area proposed for development

After an old growth tree was discovered in a part of Lorneville that Saint John council has begun to approve for development, an Indigenous group went out to visit the site for themselves on Thursday afternoon.

The walk was led by the Caribou Club, an educational non-profit organization whose founders consult on land back initiatives with the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick.

Gina Brooks, a Wolastoqey grandmother from Sitansisk First Nation, is an elder who took part in the walk to a spruce tree that researchers had recently confirmed to be more than 400 years old. 

She said she led the group to visit the tree because she felt the environmental assessments were not done correctly, "because it misses very important aspects that Indigenous people need to speak about.

"So we want to make sure that the people are aware that we're collaborating together to make sure that this land is truly assessed for its value to the people, not value to industry," Brooks said. 

WATCH | How do you find out how old a tree really is? 

Centuries-old tree offers glimpse into province’s diminishing ‘original forest’

8 days ago

Duration 3:31

After getting samples of an old tree from a resident of the Lorneville area of Saint John, Mount Allison University lecturer Ben Phillips brings us inside his lab, where he reveals the tree’s true age and its hidden data.

Earlier this month, Saint John council voted unanimously to push forward with amendments paving the way for the expansion of the Spruce Lake Industrial Park in the Lorneville area of the city. The vote came after weeks of residents urging council to nix the plan. Third reading for final approval of the plan has yet to happen. 

Brooks said coming to see the 400-year-old tree felt magical. 

"It brings up this joyful moment that it's like something old, like it takes you back to your childhood."

Brooks said the Caribou Club followed trails through the woods that were once used by caribou before they disappeared from the area, paying close attention to lichen that was growing on the trees, what would have once been a food source for the caribou. 

"So the Caribou Club really is about trying to learn again, some of the things that have been taken away from all of us," she said. 

"We're here to be part of the process because we were left out," Brooks said. 

The province says it consulted Indigenous nations properly, following criticism from Wolastoqey Grand Chief Ron Tremblay who said the opposite. 

Rachel Bryant, who works with Brooks for the Caribou Club, said the event began by organizing a trip for Brooks to see the trees, and more people became interested in joining.

"I just wanted these women to have a chance to come out and be where they wanted to be and to come out onto the land and kind of take a look around."

Bryant said the unanimous vote on the development, despite heavy resistance, made her feel like it didn't matter what people wanted. But the turnout for the walk was encouraging, she said.

"It's always heartening when people want to talk about the treaties, want to understand them, want to understand this relationship and what it means for them."

Becca Ireland, who has a background in environmental management, travelled from Neqotkuk First Nation.

"A friend of mine asked me to come out and meet a 400-year-old tree. ... Who wouldn't come out?"  

Ireland said it felt comfortable and peaceful walking back into the woods to find the tree. 

"I just have that whole holistic point of view that everything is connected and what's happening here doesn't just affect the people that are here, it affects things on so many other levels," Ireland said. 

Leah Alexander grew up in the area and said she's spent countless hours in the woods growing up — from running to snowshoeing to skiing. 

"I'm always hopeful that we can slow this process down and have people take a step back and really think about that. What's going to happen here is irreversible."

Alexander said the plan is "just to keep letting the province and the city know that this is not OK."

Chris Watson is a local resident who took the tree sample to determine its age. He also joined the walk on Thursday.

"I'm very happy to see that this area means so much to folks outside of this community."

Watson said the samples amounted to "very strong evidence that this area should be conserved."

Watson said old growth forests are rare in New Brunswick.

"I'm not a super spiritual person," Watson said, but walking into this forest,  "it's almost a unique spiritual feeling."