Louise Chenevert
Les Amis du parc Meadowbrook had an enthusiastic presence this year at the annual Fête de la Paix (peace festival) in neighbouring Ville St. Pierre on September 17.
Muffy Brown, as the squirrel, and Campbell Stuart, dressed as a rabbit rather than the usual Meadowbrook fox, greeted visitors to the table for the first part of the day, and Jo Ann Goldwater and John Symon took over in the afternoon, handing out our brochures and inviting people to sign petitions.
One petition is to turn Meadowbrook, which has been protected from housing development but still serves as a public golf course, into a nature park. The other petition demands that the Quebec Ministry of Transport protect the St. Jacques Escarpment Eco-territory as construction of a new highway and rail tracks continues nearby. At the next table, Louise Chenevert put out her display of tree leaves, pine cones and photos and talked to visitors about the important role trees play in keeping our neighbourhoods healthy, shady and beautiful.
Jo Ann Goldwater, Janice Hamilton
Campbell Stuart, Muffy Brown
David pointed out invasive species, such as the Buckthorn tree, that crowd out native species and can be seen in large numbers in the area. They could be replaced with trees that are indigenous to the area, such as the Red Osier Dogwood, Eastern Cottonwood and Hawthorn. We learned about uses for some of the plants, such as Hawthorn berry juice and wild grape leaves, and even got to sample a few native Frost Grapes. The area includes tree stumps, and low-lying areas that become seasonal ponds, home to many insects and attracting migratory birds. 
