Steward Spotlight: Josh Carew's Journey with the Nature Trust
Steward Spotlight: Josh Carew's Journey with the Nature Trust
Written by Giuliana Grillo de Lambarri, Communicatons intern
Josh Carew spent his earliest years in Toronto surrounded by the ‘concrete jungle.’ Although he had visited courtyards and playgrounds before, it was not until he moved to Nova Scotia that he truly got to experience the great outdoors for the first time.
It was love at first sight. From building forts to climbing trees, having access to the woods as a kid fostered his fondness for nature and sparked a passion that has only grown since.
Now a volunteer steward for the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, Carew is encouraging others to experience the connection and community that comes when you give back to nature.
"The bug bit me and I couldn't get enough of it," Carew said of his first time doing trail maintenance for the Trust. The outdoors became a central focus of his life shortly after moving to New Brunswick, having met his wife while snowboarding and becoming enveloped in the world of rock climbing.
When his friends Laura and Charlie Bonga, themselves longtime Nature Trust stewards, invited him along to work on some trails, it was only ‘natural’ for Carew to accept.
Before long, Carew himself became a volunteer steward for Noremac Nature Preserve, a beautiful span of old growth Wabanaki/Acadian Forest and limestone formations near Grand Bay-Westfield.
Volunteer stewards are the Nature Trust's eyes and ears on the ground at our 80+ nature preserves. They help our staff maintain, manage and care for the land, connecting others to nature and ensuring a better future for the province and planet.
If you think you might like to get involved, sign up for one of our upcoming Stewardship Days Training Workshops on May 18, June 1, June 15 or June 29. Email our stewardship team to learn more.
A person’s involvement as a volunteer steward can vary from someone who simply walks around a preserve and lets our team know about its condition, to those who want to invest more time and are entrusted with helping to lead projects and organize other volunteers.
Despite the hard work at times, Carew finds satisfaction in preserving the outdoors he loves for future generations to enjoy. In fact, his three-year-old son and six-year-old daughter are among his biggest motivations.
"I specifically look at Noremac and say to my kids, 'This is always going to be here, nobody's going to take this away from you.'"
He often takes his daughter, Rory, on his stewardship adventures. His favourite memory of working as a steward took place during one of their trail maintenance outings when they built a small bridge using scrap wood and screws, which they named "Rory's Bridge." Later, Carew heard a volunteer refer to the bridge by the same name. It made him smile seeing the name catch on.
"She's pretty much a part of my Nature Trust journey since day one," he said. "She's just as much a member as far as I'm concerned."
Carew is glad the community and volunteers are so close to each other, to the point they know him and his children personally. Not only did his work with the Trust give him a way to connect with nature, but he also connected with a supportive community.
"My experience within the organization is that I have had so much support and there has been so much trust put in me," he said. "It's very inspiring."
Whether you enjoy snowshoeing, hiking, climbing or just sightseeing, becoming a steward with the Nature Trust is an incredible way to spend more time in nature while giving back to these special places.
Carew encourages prospective new stewards and volunteers not to get bogged down thinking they need to do big projects to make an impact—every effort counts, from picking litter to moving debris on trails.
"You don't have to do much to make a difference."
Interested in becoming a volunteer steward? It’s easy to get involved and now is the perfect time of year to start!
Attend one of our free stewardship training workshops where you will learn everything you need to start making a difference with the Nature Trust. Email steward@ntnb.org to register for one of these training days.
May 18 @ Grande-Digue Nature Preserve
June 1 @ Blueberry Hill Nature Preserve
June 15 @ Caughey-Taylor Nature Preserve
June 29 @ Seymour Woodlands Nature Preserve
Want to join our volunteer steward's quarterly newsletter, The Steward’s Agenda, where we let you know what we need help with at our 80+ preserves each season? Click here to sign up.