On Canada Day, July 1st, 2016, the Nature Trust hosted an Orchid Walk at Shea Lake Nature Preserve near Plaster Rock, NB. The walk was led by Dr. Jim Goltz, a well-known naturalist and local expert on New Brunswick plant species. Over 30 people attended the event. including many with backgrounds in botany. We met mid-morning and, after going over some important guidelines, we started the 5-hour hike through the forest. Jim was an excellent guide and pointed out many interesting plants, answered our many questions, and provided rich facts on everything we were experiencing.
Some of the the plant species we found were quite rare and sensitive. So we took great care not to trample them as we took in their beauty. The orchids were definitely one of the highlights for me personally...
We eventually made our way to Shea Lake itself and its surrounding bog. Again, there were many interesting plants to observe in this wet habitat...
An interesting fact is that Shea Lake is actually the first Nature Trust of New Brunswick preserve to receive protection in 1988, and it has over 17 different species of orchids.
Check back later to discover what I've chosen to paint from this adventure...
Check back later to discover what I've chosen to paint from this adventure...