Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve

Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve A community-based watershed organization in Woodstock, NB that has protected over 1000 acres .

A community-based watershed organization in Woodstock, New Brunswick that has protected over 1000 acres of eco-regionally significant habitats.

Play for a Purpose: Join the MRA Pickleball TournamentOnly 16 Teams—Register Before It’s Full!This tournament is open to...
06/19/2026

Play for a Purpose: Join the MRA Pickleball Tournament
Only 16 Teams—Register Before It’s Full!

This tournament is open to everyone who would like to come out and support the MRA. In addition to the games, an information booth will be set up where you can purchase MRA memberships and learn more about the Meduxnekeag River Association and the work that we do on the Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve and in our community.
The tournament will follow a mixed doubles format with a best of 1 single
elimination, so come prepared!
To register, please email [email protected] with your name, your
partner's name, and contact information. To finalize your registration
and secure your spot, e-transfer the $40 fee to [email protected] tournament is limited to the first 16 teams that register, so get your entries in soon.
Prizes will be awarded to the winners. We hope to see you there!

The delicate Lady’s Slipper—especially the iconic Pink Lady’s Slipper—is one of New Brunswick’s most treasured wildflowe...
06/19/2026

The delicate Lady’s Slipper—especially the iconic Pink Lady’s Slipper—is one of New Brunswick’s most treasured wildflowers. But its beauty comes with vulnerability. These orchids rely on a very specific soil fungus to grow, making them extremely sensitive to disturbance. Picking or transplanting them almost always leads to their decline.
Protecting Lady’s Slippers starts with simple actions: admire them where they grow, stay on trails, and help preserve the forest habitats they depend on. By respecting these remarkable plants, we ensure they continue to bloom for generations to come.
📸:Holly Melanson

Hooded mergansers are real troopers. To think that most humans can't do much by themselves for several years after birth...
06/18/2026

Hooded mergansers are real troopers. To think that most humans can't do much by themselves for several years after birth, whereas hooded mergansers are ready next-day to swim in the Canadian waterfronts!

If you are lucky enough to spot hooded merganser mommys with their babies, you might spot them doing group fishing. The ducklings usually lead with mom in the back. And then, one duckling dives under the water, then their siblings all follow, one-by-one. Eventually mom will get in on the fishing, too. It's super adorable, but what's really interesting is how it, yet again, speaks to their ability to be able to hunt and fish for themselves at such a young age. This is all instinct; mom's is barely holding their hand, if at all.

Further, hooded mergansers are precision-engineered for fishing (if ducks were a thing that were engineered). Their webbed feet and modular body helps propel underwater to catch fish. The cool part, however, is their beak. It's serated like a steak knife. Extra grip, and built-in utensils for dinner! Hooded mergansers got it all figured out, both in function and fashion.

Hooded mergansers can be mischevious, though. They like to lay their eggs in other bird's nests, like cowbirds. Wood ducks do it in return - it's as if they have some sort of deal...

Sources: Cornell University, "Hooded Merganser," All About Birds, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/lifehistory; Various Authors, "Hooded Merganser," Animalia, https://animalia.bio/hooded-merganser

We’ve given the Gold Trail a fresh seasonal refresh! Our team has repainted all the trail markers, cleaned and straight...
06/18/2026

We’ve given the Gold Trail a fresh seasonal refresh! Our team has repainted all the trail markers, cleaned and straightened the educational signage, and cleared away fallen trees. It is now completely clear and ready for you to enjoy.

Hard to beat this view of the Meduxnekeag from the Orange Trail!
06/18/2026

Hard to beat this view of the Meduxnekeag from the Orange Trail!

Lungwort Lichen: A Forest Air Quality ExpertLungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) is more than just a beautiful forest re...
06/17/2026

Lungwort Lichen: A Forest Air Quality Expert

Lungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) is more than just a beautiful forest resident—it’s an important indicator of ecosystem health. This remarkable lichen is highly sensitive to air pollution and thrives in mature, humid forests with clean air. It also helps cycle nutrients, provides habitat for tiny invertebrates, and contributes nitrogen to forest ecosystems through its partnership with cyanobacteria. Finding lungwort lichen is often a sign of a healthy, well-established woodland ecosystem

MRA summer student Adriana Nichol spotted this on the preserve and wondered what caused it. She did some research and fi...
06/17/2026

MRA summer student Adriana Nichol spotted this on the preserve and wondered what caused it. She did some research and figured that if she was curious, some of our trail users probably were too.

TODAY!!This is our final animal skull learning event of the spring!Drop by after school today to explore New Brunswick a...
06/17/2026

TODAY!!
This is our final animal skull learning event of the spring!
Drop by after school today to explore New Brunswick animal skulls and discover what they reveal about each species—what they eat, how they live, and whether they’re predator, prey, or both.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is a low-growing native plant you’ll find carpeting forest floors of the Meduxnekeag Vall...
06/16/2026

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is a low-growing native plant you’ll find carpeting forest floors of the Meduxnekeag Valley Nature Preserve.
Its showy white “flowers” are actually bracts, surrounding tiny true flowers that later form bright red berry clusters. These berries are an important food source for birds and small mammals.
A sign of healthy, shaded woodland, bunchberry thrives in undisturbed areas—so sticking to trails helps protect it and the wildlife that depend on it.

Wednesday, June 17th from 3:00-5:00.This is our final animal skull learning event of the spring!Drop by after school tod...
06/16/2026

Wednesday, June 17th from 3:00-5:00.
This is our final animal skull learning event of the spring!
Drop by after school today to explore New Brunswick animal skulls and discover what they reveal about each species—what they eat, how they live, and whether they’re predator, prey, or both.

Address

Meduxnekeag River Association Inc. 255 Unit F Connell Road. Woodstock, NB E7M 1L2
Woodstock, NB
E7M5K9

Telephone

+15063288227

Website

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