Robin Hanson has long been dedicated to protecting nature and helping others experience the outdoors. After years of building trails, he established a 162-hectare nature preserve on his family's land near French Lake, N.B., in September 2025.
The Beginning of a Dream
The story of the Hanson Nature Preserve began with a land dispute. When Hanson was 17, two of his uncles argued over who should pay the taxes on a piece of family land located about 40 kilometres southeast of Fredericton, near French Lake. Neither wanted the responsibility, so Hanson proposed a solution: if he bought the land, the issue would be resolved.
His uncles agreed that if he paid the taxes, the land would be his. Hanson got to work earning money by harvesting spruce and other lumber, eventually becoming a landowner at a very young age. While it might have been easy to continue logging the property for profit, Hanson had a different vision. Having grown up there, he wanted to protect and preserve it.
"I would have liked to have been an early explorer and to have discovered new lands in exotic places, but I decided to explore my own backyard," Hanson says. "For years I searched for waterfalls, rivers, brooks, and nature's wonders. My zodiac sign is Aquarius, which seems so fitting and appropriate because I am that water person."
A Lifelong Passion for Nature
His passion for nature led him to become both an artist and a photographer and inspired his work as a volunteer trail builder. He founded the Oromocto River Watershed Association (ORWAI), a non-profit organization devoted to protecting and enhancing all waters flowing into the Oromocto River Watershed, including areas around French Lake and far beyond.
Working alongside other ORWAI volunteers, Hanson helped create a dozen nature trails on both public and private lands within the watershed, opening up access to scenic natural areas. "Our Raggedy Ass Falls Adventure Trail features four waterfalls and two pedestrian bridges to help you cross the stream," Hanson says. "This trail is spectacular in every way, but it wasn't easy to build two steel walking bridges in such a remote area."
The Preserve Becomes Reality
Turning the land he acquired at 17 into a nature preserve had been a lifelong goal, and in September 2025, that dream became reality. The 162-hectare preserve includes wetland meadows, two brooks, a 52-acre pond, extensive stands of old-growth forest, and a diverse range of birds and wildlife. It also features a boat launch onto the Oromocto River, which borders the property, and a nine-metre-high steel bird watching tower overlooking the marsh.
"I have always loved the beauty of nature, the quietness, and the connection I feel when I walk a nature trail," Hanson says. "Birdwatching is calming and so is stargazing. The nature preserve is far removed from city lights and light pollution. In my experience, getting out into nature where the air is fresh and clean reduces stress and fills you with positive energy."
Sharing Nature with Others
The preserve offers a number of scenic trails for visitors, as well as a remarkable 260-year-old white pine tree. "It takes three people holding hands to completely hug that tree," Hanson says. Hanson finds great satisfaction in sharing nature with others and believes it encourages people to protect natural spaces. Watching families connect with both nature and each other is especially meaningful to him.
"I recall meeting a family on a trail and the mother said she couldn't believe that her three kids had been there for three hours and still didn't want to leave," Hanson says. "A year later, I met the same lady at a business function, and she gave me an update. She said her family had visited every waterfall in New Brunswick and next year they were planning to start on Nova Scotia."
Hanson has spent his life immersed in nature and committed to sharing it with others. With the creation of this new preserve, he will continue that mission for years to come.
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Debbie Olsen is an award-winning Métis writer and a national bestselling author.
