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A World Biosphere Reserve
The Niagara Escarpment, one of Canada’s most scenic landforms, rises wild and beautiful above the farmlands and communities of Headwaters. This rocky promontory, the backbone of Ontario, stretches 725 km from Niagara Falls north to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron. Much of the escarpment is forested, habitat to a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, ferns and orchids; several of these species are designated as endangered threatened or rare. In the Hills of Headwaters, the escarpment is a key groundwater recharge area, providing drinking water, wetland habitat, and water supply for the Credit and the Nottawasaga rivers.
This unique landscape is internationally recognized. In 1990, UNESCO (the United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organization) named Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment a World Biosphere Reserve, one of only 11 such reserves in Canada and one of only 411 worldwide. This designation places the escarpment in the company of other well-known biosphere reserves such as the Galapagos Islands, Africa’s Serengeti and the Florida Everglades. The Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Commission provide for the maintenance of the Niagara Escarpment as a continuous natural environment and ensures development is compatible with the environment.
The Bruce Trail is an 800-kilometre-long delight for naturalists and artists alike. The trail was founded by a group of inspired naturalists who believed that a public footpath would be perfect for experiencing the wonders of the escarpment. The trail and its surrounding environment are part of a greenway of undisturbed habitat and is am important wildlife migratory corridor. The Bruce Trail Association, supported by 8,000 members and countless volunteers, maintains the trail and acts as its caretaker.
The Bruce Trail can be accessed from many points within the Hills of Headwaters Country. For more information visit www.brucetrail.org.
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