Festi’Bois organizers are expanding on their educational mission by adding a number of conferences to the programming for the event's upcoming fourth edition.
Festi’Bois was started in 2019 by the Réseau foresterie Frelighsburg et région and it provides a platform for artisans that transform wood and professionals that work with the forests to show off their craft through workshops. However, as Festi'Bois continues to grow, organizers felt that more needed to be done this year to prioritize educating people on subjects related to the forests, nature, and the environment to provide a more “complete” experience for the community.
“You know, the artisans are sharing their work, how they transform the wood, and they are making a living out of it or they are having fun with that. I think it is an educational [aspect], and very important, but I thought we should offer more than that at Festi’Bois,” explained Denise Bélanger, one of the co-founders and co-organizers of the event. “(…) I would say, for me, it’s very satisfying because [it is] more complete, to me, to have an event like that.”
Bélanger emphasized that this year’s conferences “offer new experiences to people, new knowledge,” and they help raise awareness around different topics that are relevant to what is happening in their own communities, the province of Quebec, and the rest of the world in regards to the environment, the importance of nature, and climate change.
She added that the conferences are also an opportunity for Festi'Bois to support and encourage festival-goers that are seeking more information on how they can become active in their communities.
“It might be an opportunity to provide tools, ideas, and inspiration. [It might be an opportunity to] network and start a project or to start a school project in another area, to help them, or to refer them to other people in the area. I think it can be a source of inspiration” said Bélanger.
This year’s Festi’Bois will include six conferences presented by professionals from the Eastern Townships and outside of the area. Some of the subjects that the conferences will cover include forestry in Quebec in the face of climate change with Evelyne Thiffault from the Université de Laval; the concept of eco-citizenship with Isabelle Grégoire from the Fiducie Foncière du Mont Pinnacle; and preserving biodiversity with the construction of an “insect tower” with Isabelle Bérubé from d’Atelier Zabie.
“It was just natural to have more [conferences]. We have different subjects from building with wood, the circular economy, and an aspect for children and education also. A friend of mine, Michèle Leboeuf, has been working a lot on nature and young kids,” Bélanger highlighted. “I think it’s great and that it’s going to attract a diversity of people too.”
Bélanger noted that organizers hope to continue building on Festi’Bois to offer as many educational opportunities to the community as possible as they move forward.
“We should pursue that year after year. It’s a challenge to always have new conferences, but there are so many things to talk about. I’m not worried about [finding] different subjects for 2024, 2025, 2026, etc.,” she said. “That’s my hope and the hope of the committee, but you never know, you know? Anything can change. But for me, that’s my priority actually, and the priority of our committee.”
Festi’Bois is taking place on Sept. 30 and Oct.1 in various locations in the village of Frelighsburg. The entire program can be found on the Réseau foresterie Frelighsburg et région website.
In a follow-up interview, Isabelle Grégoire speaks with CIDI about the importance of putting the environment at the forefront of educational initiatives and the concept of eco-citizenship here in the Eastern Townships.
Listen to the full interview with Bélanger below: