Thibault Trail

The Thibault trail was named in memory of Joseph Charles Thibault (1923-2010) and Laurette Thibault (née Charette) (1922-2003) and in recognition of a gift to the Nickel District Conservation Foundation by their children.

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Joseph was born in Chapleau and raised in Ramsey and was always out in nature exploring, learning, and being amazed at all of its wonders. He taught science and French at Sudbury Secondary School in the 1950s until 1961 and then was a professor of Science and Environmental Studies at the French Teachers' College (École Normale) at Laurentian University from the 1960s until his retirement in 1983.  Even in his 80’s, he still had childlike amazement and wonder at anything remotely related to science, biology, and nature. When his children were young, Joseph brought them out on hikes in the bush, in swamps and marshes to look for and identify trees through their leaves and bark texture, insects, worms, larvae, frogs, mosses, and animal tracks. He also passed on this insatiable curiosity about nature to his grandchildren during the summer holidays at the cottage on the French River.

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The family hopes that everyone who uses the Lake Laurentian Conservation Trails enjoys them and learns as much as they did during their outings.