“We are so lucky to live where we do” is a phrase I have heard many times over the past 18 months. I certainly agree and have often wondered how people living in close quarters in apartments in cities have survived being in lockdown. While it is true that they are probably more used to that way of life, it must have been very difficult, especially during the worst of the pandemic. 
Regular readers of this column will know that being out in nature is one of my passions. I have been on the board of the Maitland Conservation Foundation for several years, was formerly on the Maitland Trail Association board and a hike leader, as well as being a Scout leader in my younger days. 
Sometimes it is good to look at your surroundings with the fresh eyes of a newcomer to appreciate all that you have. I was recently thinking about recommending an area to hike to someone who was experiencing our area for the first time. There is so much beauty in the Maitland River and its watershed it was difficult to pick just one – the cool green and peaceful trails all provide their own unique views of nature that change day by day throughout the seasons. 
The Maitland River runs through our farm and has shaped my love of the outdoors. We spent countless hours in the river as kids – fishing, canoeing, and catching crayfish. It winds its way through many of my favorite places. We have camped on its banks and now my kids are carrying on my love of the river. It is usually peaceful and quiet in the summer after the spring floods subside. 
The Maitland was instrumental in helping settlers come to this area and many of the original settlements relied on the river, only to die away as railroads and roads allowed for safer and more reliable forms of getting around. William “Tiger” Dunlop changed the name of the river from Menesetung in the mid 180’s to “Maitland”, after Sir Peregrine Maitland. 
Maitland had a celebrated military career and was involved in the Haitian Revolution, French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. In 1828, he became Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and from there, went on to further military service in South Africa and India. He has become known more recently as being one of the first proponents of the Indian Residential School system in Canada, in 1820 reporting to the Colonial Office his suggestion that industrial schools should be implemented as a way of separating children from their families in an attempt to “civilize” the indigenous population, as noted in John Milloy’s book, A National Crime: The Canadian Government and the Residential School System 1879–1986. 
The Maitland River has fascinated many people over the years. John Hazlitt and Ted Turner have written a beautiful book, “The Power of the Maitland” (2011). Hazlitt and Turner eventually researched and identified 78 dam sites along the “mighty Maitland”, presenting “historical facts and archaeological finds, providing insight into the economic and cultural development of the Maitland River watershed during the 19th century.”
Draining the land for agriculture has been a benefit to crops, but it forever changed the power of the river. Once the land was drained, winter melt water rushed to Lake Huron faster in the spring than when the water had to percolate through the soil more slowly, which kept the river water levels higher year round and made it more navigable. 
The Maitland River Watershed covers 984 square miles and is composed of four main branches – the North Branch, the Middle Maitland, the South Maitland, and the Little Maitland. Three of these branches come together around Wingham, with the fourth joining the main river closer to Goderich (Hazlitt and Turner). 
Today, the “Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) is committed to work with community partners to enhance the health of the watershed. It is a community based organization dedicated to providing leadership to protect and enhance local water, forests, and soil” https://www.mvca.on.ca/.
The MVCA manages 4,600 acres of wetlands, flood plains, and river valley within its 28 conservation areas. These trails provide access to nature for everyone – fishing, hiking, bird watching are all enjoyed by people of all ages here. 
The Middle Maitland Headwaters Restoration Project, the Watershed Resiliency Project, Conservation Area Infrastructure Projects, and the Memorial and Celebration Grove are all supported by funds raised by The Maitland Conservation Foundation (MCF). These projects not only enhance beautiful areas for people to enjoy year round, they also help to improve the health of the river and build resiliency throughout the watershed to the negative effects of climate change. More information can be found about all of these projects at https://www.mvca.on.ca/ foundation/maitland-conservation-foundation/. ◊