Music festival dedicated to saving old forests coming to Annapolis County

A brand new music festival in Annapolis County is aiming to raise awareness about the importance of old forests and the need to protect them.

The Arlington Forest Protection Society is holding its first Save Our Old Forests Music Festival, also known as SoofStock, in West Dalhousie, N.S., this weekend.

Rob Bright, a festival organizer with the society, said the idea came from another member, Nina Newington, who started the Save Our Old Forest campaign.

"She had this idea that people should be getting involved by doing stuff that they already love doing," Bright told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax on Wednesday.

"So whether that's arts, whether that's citizen science, whether it's baking, whether it's anything — whatever people love doing already — music, then we should be getting them involved and drawing on these communities to give them the opportunity to express their support."

The festival starts Friday at the West Dalhousie Community Hall, and will offer a vendor market, activities for kids like games, crafts and face painting, and of course, a musical lineup of 14 performers.

Bright said the goal of the festival is to raise money and awareness about protecting Nova Scotia's remaining old forests, including rare stands in Annapolis County's Goldsmith Lake area.

He said some of the trees on the Crown land were slated to be harvested last year, but the society discovered several at-risk plant species in the area — pausing operations.

"It just doesn't make sense, given how few remaining old forests we have left, to be going after this beautiful spot," Bright said. 

"It's really a jewel in terms of biodiversity and wildlife, and old forests and mature forest, so we really think that the [Department of Natural Resources and Renewables] should consider protecting this land."

The province has a goal to protect 20 per cent of its land and water by 2030. In December, it had protected 13 per cent.

Donna Crossland, vice-president of Nature Nova Scotia, will be hosting a forest walk through the Goldsmith Lake area as part of the festival on Saturday.

She said the walk will give people the opportunity to see an old forest up close, and all the biodiversity it has to offer. 

"I often joke with my friends and say there's not much we can't resolve or fix with just growing old trees — you can fix a lot with a tree," Crossland said.

She said trees, especially large, old stands, absorb carbon dioxide which is harmful in the atmosphere. They also provide habitat for at-risk species like the blue felt lichen, which was named the province's official lichen last year.

Crossland she's never heard of an event like this, that combines music with saving old forests.

"It's a brilliant combination, really. A little music, good food and a little revitalizing our soul in old forests — what more could we ask for?" she said.

"And just good people. There will be a lot of good people. Maybe a lot of us that attend SoofStock are concerned with all the things that we're seeing happening around us … it's just a great way to feel better and take some action."