Prioneer Trail North Foundation

By Brandie Majeau

With the establishment of conservation and natural areas, the Alberta government created a volunteer steward program to help manage these areas and promote public involvement. Volunteers observe, record and report what is going on in these areas and are assigned reporting duties based on their interests (e.g., noting various wildlife, reporting natural damage).  Richard and Vera DeSmet were the first people to volunteer in all of Alberta.  They have 40+ years of experience as stewards of these lands.  For the past 20 years their main focus has been on the Halfmoon Lake Natural Area.

When Vera’s father alerted them to the sale of a piece of property, then owned by Lafarge, it seemed only right that this area should become an extension of the already existing natural areas.  Vera stated that a lot of resources were pooled and people worked tirelessly in fundraising endeavours before the Pioneer Trail North Foundation became Nature’s Classroom as it is today.  Once the land was purchased by various organizations, each organization received 80 acres as a part of their natural or conservation area.  Richard and Vera have now been living on this property for 7 years in an off-grid cabin.  It’s not a life for everyone, but it is perfect for them.  The now Ghost Horse Hills Conservation area was originally slated to be purchased by a developer, but Richard and Vera were also instrumental in the preservation of that land as well.  They had a goal to make it all continuous, with each natural area flowing into the next.

“Pioneer Trail North Foundation is a special place managed by special people that fosters an invaluable relationship between us and our environment.”  Carmen Cornelius, outdoor facilitator, completely captured what this facility is.  The property welcomes you with the name Iskwahtem, a Cree word meaning doorway, and invites you to cross a threshold into which your adventures and connection with the natural world around you begin.  It is 80 acres tucked among the 1400 acres that make up the Half-Moon Lake Natural Area and the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Ghost Horse Hills.

Richard stated that their mission is to give young people an experience that will hopefully change their lives.  As an extension of their land stewardship work, their goal is to get young people involved.  They have adopted a philosophy of passing on the appreciation of land to the younger generation.  Since most volunteer stewards are older, there is a need to ensure that young people will follow in their footsteps and take their places.  Once Pioneer Trail North Foundation was established, Richard and Vera began their work to utilize the property as a place of education as well as follow the philosophy of naturescaping, a method of landscape design that allows people and nature to coexist.  “The nature experience is becoming extinct.  We try to provide it out here.”  Richard commented.

On February 25^th, a group of local youth and their families spent the day enjoying what they had to offer.  Led by Carmen Cornelius, they spent their time learning about outdoor winter survival skills, including what to do in emergency situations, shelter building and fire starting.  The afternoon was enjoyed with much laughter as they explored the nature museum, played games, snowshoed and shared true and fictional tales at the story stones.  Winter has brought its own special touch to the property, but without the snow, there is also a stone labyrinth and an orienteering course that can be used.  Whatever season you choose to visit this magical place, you will always encounter wildlife or signs that it was there as well as the peace and beauty of immersing yourself among the trees and plants.  There have been many studies that have shown that health and brain function improve after immersing yourself in the natural world.  That is what Pioneer Trail North Foundation strives to offer.  Richard and Vera DeSmet greet all visitors with a smile and encourage them to slow down and focus on all the learning opportunities that they have created and nature has to offer, submerging themselves in the healing powers of being outdoors.