The municipality of Bolton-Est is seeing a new fall exhibition titled “La fôret appalachienne sous toutes ses branches” presented by the Bolton-Est cultural committee. 

The exhibition is running under the theme la sauvegarde de notre patrimoine forestier (“preserving our forest heritage”) and invites the public to discover artisans that use nature as a part of their craft. 

The exhibition will also include conferences presented by professionals belonging to different conservation groups to inform the public about the importance of forests. 

“Last winter, I proposed that we educate people and make them aware of our beautiful Appalachian forest. I organize it, but I am supported by the cultural committee here. It’s great that we have the support of our village to organize that kind of that event,” said Michèle Côté. 

Côté explained that the exhibition will be compromised of different stands, including a book stand, and artisans of different mediums that will share their love for nature. 

“There are some painters, sculptors, wood carvers, an organ builder, I have the enterprise JUstenbois that makes fine maple wood utensils and dishes. There is also a traditional herbalist Caroline Ouellette, there is furniture designer Simon Johns, there will be the stand for Appalachian Corridor,” she said. “(…) It’s going to be interesting.”

With “a lot of beautiful things to look at,” Côté also highlighted her experience preserving a piece of her own farmland with the help of conservation organization Appalachian Corridor and the reason behind this year’s chosen theme. 

“The Appalachian forest, and the Boreal forest, is one of the most precious ones, if I can say, because of the large biodiversity and the mix of the different kinds of trees,” she noted. “(…) It’s very important to protect it, it helps to protect life. The goal all of this is to sensitize people to be aware of being protectors of nature.”

Côté mentioned that the exhibition is also meant to be an educational experience for the public with different conferences taking place under the gazebo in Terrio Park. 

The first conference will take place on October 1 and it will be presented by Ouellette. The conference will focus natural herbal therapy and the plants she uses around Bolton-Est to create what Côté calls her “potion.” 

It will be followed by two other conferences on October 8 presented by two conservation groups. 

“The first conference will be done by Tanya Vinet. She works for Appalachian Corridor, she is the biologist, and she will talk about climate change and the effect it has on the forest and what we can do to try to preserve the most possible,” explained Côté. “The other conference will be done by another biologist Cynthia Patry, she works for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The conference will focus on the conservation tools available to land owners who want to be agents of change.”

La fôret appalachienne sous toutes ses branches is taking place on October 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Center St-Patrick (former Anglican church next to the Bolton-Est town hall), at 854, route Missisquoi.

“I invite everyone to see that and to share their love for our land, all around. I think we are so lucky Eastern Townshippers, we’re very lucky people for sure,” concluded Côté. 

Listen to the full interview below: