For three and a half decades, Rick Knapton, Cataraqui Conservation’s Forestry Coordinator was a predictable and friendly presence along the trails at Lemoine Point greeting and chatting with the tens of thousands of visitors who flocked to the property each year or flipping thousands of pancakes as part of the Maple Madness Program. On other days, he could be found working alongside the Friends of Lemoine Point at their Tree Nursery ensuring a healthy stock of trees, shrubs and wildflowers for their annual sales and the forestry program. He was also frequently out and about in the landscape of the Cataraqui Region, meeting with landowners to arrange for the planting of hundred of thousands of trees (for a total of six million this year!) to help build resiliency within the ecosystem.
Knapton is retiring from Cataraqui Conservation at the end of May after years 35, most of which was spent acting as the coordinator of the organization’s forestry program, racking up millions of trees planted during his lengthy tenure.
He was also the staff liaison working closely with the Friends of Lemoine Point on various projects, including the much-heralded Native Plant Nursery, and was essentially single handedly responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the conservation property.
Even as a kid, Knapton said he always envisioned himself in a career that involved the great outdoors. After initially intending to study Cartography at Fleming College in Peterborough, he realized that it most likely would lead to ‘desk jobs’ and quickly switched to Forestry.
But it was tough to find a full-time job in the field (or forest!!!) at the time, so he instead took on contract tree planting work, with the occasional job in landscaping and even at a grocery store. Eventually a former supervisor from the Ministry of Natural Resources heard there was an opening for someone to help at what was then called the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority with its tree planting season. Fortunately, the full time Forestry Coordinator position opened up … and three decades and a few million trees later, here we are.
Looking back, the chance to interact with a wide variety of people, both in terms of visitors to Lemoine Point Conservation Area as well as landowners planting trees, has been one of the highlights of Knapton’s tenure.
“That’s been an enjoyable part of the job. I have met with thousands of landowners over the years, from all walks of life. So, it’s been extremely interesting meeting all these different people. The nice thing about my job here at Cataraqui Conservation is that the landowners call because they actually want me to come out. Another thing is, we are such a vast watershed so you can imagine all the back roads and all the various places I have been able to visit over the years,” he said.
“There’s also been a huge number of people, regular patrons to the conservation areas and more specifically Lemoine Point, that I’ve gotten to know over the years, and converse with and joke around with – it’s been amazing. And while working with the Friends of Lemoine Point and the Plant Nursery group, I have built wonderful relationships with a wide variety of very dedicated volunteers.”
One of the most significant achievements Knapton singled out for particular mention was the creation and continued growth of the Native Plant Nursery, in conjunction with the Friends.
“It started off as just an idea that we had more than 25 years ago. It was just a case of ‘I wonder if…’ and then I was lucky enough to have supportive staff and management with the conservation authority who encouraged it going forward. But there’s also the number of dedicated volunteers that I was able to work with over the years on the project, because it would have been impossible to try and manage something like that by myself – literally impossible,” he explained.
Knapton also talked about of all the work he has done with various partners, including the Assisted Migration Planting Project and the afforestation program, which has seen more than six million trees planted under various subsidy programs over the years, the the former 50 Million Tree Program and now in collaboration with Tree Canada and Forest Canada.
“With the Assisted Migration project, the cool thing about that is we are only one of about five or six other sites in Ontario that are part of that project [This project focuses on the ability of tree species to adapt to climate change. As part of this project, Cataraqui Conservation planted a test plot of Bur Oak and other southern hardwood species near the south (Front Road) entrance to Lemoine Point]. And of course, the afforestation program, which we’re very active in and have been over many years and I’m very proud of what we’re capable of doing with very little staff, as well as how we’ve been able to get the funding to support it,” he said.
“And quite frankly it’s taken a lot of work and time to get all these projects done, but when they are done, you can sit back and say, ‘well, it’s pretty amazing that we were able to accomplish all that.’”
The tree planting and other forestry related programs are essentially year-round, with planning and preparation, site visits and ordering the raw materials all leading up to the increasingly busy spring planting season. Each year, Knapton co-ordinates the planting of at least 200,000 trees a year, and has done so for three decades. This year, the spring 2025 tree planting season will see more than 300,000 trees planted on various private properties throughout the Cataraqui watershed – a high mark for the program.
“It is true that the spring tree planting program can be stressful sometimes, and that’s because there’s a heck of a lot of work to be done before the actual planting. But then over a very, very short period of time you also have to make sure the weather holds, and none of the machinery breaks down, and the trees come in, and they don’t die, and the landowners are happy and so on,” he said.
“But by golly when it’s over after a pretty intense month or month and a half of the tree planting schedule, we always kind of sit back with a sigh of relief and say, ‘well, we did it for another year.’ And the other part of it is, as you’re out and about in the watershed, all of a sudden you will see a site and thing, gosh I remember planting that. I don’t remember what year, but look at those trees. It’s very gratifying in that regard.”
After 35 years on the job, for anyone, the switch to ‘civilian’ life is going to be an adjustment. For Knapton it’s no different.
“I will miss the routine. When you’ve been doing it for 35 years, and all of a sudden, you’re not doing it anymore, it’s going to take some time to get used to that. I will miss my coworkers that I have been able to get to know, both now and so many from the past. I will miss the relationships and friendships and camaraderie I’ve built with landowners and colleagues from the other agencies that I have worked with. There’s a ton of that I will miss.”
As for what he’s going to do in retirement, Knapton said he has lots of projects around the house and his cottage that he has been leaving for this opportune moment.
“I also have three grandkids now, so I am looking forward to be able to spend more time with them. I also love woodworking, so I will probably putter around with that. I am not really a traveller, but I’d like to see more of Canada. I am not super excited about jumping on a plane. I am not saying I won’t, because I am pretty sure my wife would like us to go to a few places.”
The Cataraqui Conservation Board, staff and volunteers would like to wish Rick well in his retirement and thank him for his dedication, mentorship and laughs. A drop-in retirement celebration will be hosted on May 28 from 3:00 to 5:30 pm at the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area Outdoor Centre. For further details please visit our RSVP page. Former staff, former clients and partners are welcome to come visit, pass along best wishes, and enjoy swapping stories. Refreshments will be provided.
