Matt Porter

Director 2020–2024

Growing in up in a rural community in the 70s & 80s, I spent much of my time outdoors, climbing trees, swimming in lakes and streams, and exploring any forest that was two-feet-and-a-heartbeat away. This left a profound and lasting impression on me.

During my first year at Saint Mary’s University, I knew I wanted to pursue studies that focused on nature. Always the science enthusiast, it became clear biology was the discipline that would allow me to be immersed in what mattered most. My knowledge, understanding, awareness, and appreciation of how our environment works grew enormously. I was fortunate to spend two summers working in the ornithology lab, an experience that led me to write and defend an honours thesis. I graduated with my B.Sc (Honours in Biology) in 2013. I went on to pursue my life-long goal of becoming a high school science and English teacher and graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with my B.Ed (Secondary – junior/senior high school) in 2018.

I’ve searched high and low for exciting new trails and one day my good fortune steered me to the Bluff Wilderness Trail. It was love at first sight. Soon this long and winding trail would become my home away from home. Not only did I frequent the trail as often as possible in the warm summer months, I became intimately familiar with this land deep into the winter ones. Beautiful and breathtaking are the words that immediately spring to mind when thinking of the Bluff in winter.

In 2019, I became a steward of the Bluff Trail. Thanks to The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP), my belief in Leave No Trace hiking and camping practices was reinforced and expanded. The importance of this approach to experiencing nature and the outdoors is something I believe I should share and encourage in others.

It is an honour and privilege to work alongside the like-minded folk involved with WRWEO. I hope to help others enjoy The Bluff Trail in a respectful way that allows the land to remain as pristine as possible, encourage trail visitors to practice Leave No Trace principles, and to help maintain the trail so that everyone can enjoy and experience the wonderful pleasure it provides.