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Land Conservation and Stewardship are Brought to Life at Scouts

April 05, 2023

Bruce Trail Conservancy and Scouts Canada Team Up with a New Partnership

It is core to Scouts Canada’s mission for youth to experience a connection to the natural world by developing an appreciation for the stewardship of nature while making new friends through outdoor adventure—a new partnership between The Bruce Trail Conservancy and Scouts Canada will achieve just that.

The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario’s largest land trusts and the steward of Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, the iconic Bruce Trail. Together, we have formed a new partnership to protect 218 acres of near-urban nature in the township of Mono and created more opportunities for youth to explore, learn and care for nature and ecosystems in the Niagara Escarpment along the Bruce Trail. 

Unlocking the value of our assets to improve Scouting programs is a critical component of our strategic plan. This partnership will create program opportunities for Scouting youth that align with our mission and is the first of its type to be formalized and announced. 

With this intention, Scouts Canada has sold its Goodyear Memorial property, which was closed in 2015 and has not been in use for nearly a decade, to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, which will protect the land and create a new nature reserve along the Bruce Trail available to Scouts and the public.

The transfer of ownership of this property will see Scouts camping once again at the site while also enjoying the Bruce Trail and learning from the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s vast experience in land conservation. Additionally, we are excited to live our Scouts Canada values and see this land protected in perpetuity.

What does this mean for Scouts?

This partnership will:

  • Provide Scouts camping on the property for the first time in nearly a decade,
  • Connect local Groups to opportunities for nature restoration projects,
  • Inspire nature conservation  locally and throughout Canada through co-created programs and resources.

Bruce Trail Conservancy ecologists will assess the land and create a plan to make it accessible for camping and other use. They will start the work shortly, and we will keep Scouts updated regarding progress.

In the meantime, local Groups that wish to partner with Bruce Trail Conservancy Clubs to participate in other restoration projects such as trail clean-ups can learn more and connect with the Bruce Trail Conservancy by visiting brucetrail.org/scoutscanada.    

Goodyear Memorial Scout Camp was donated to Scouts Canada in 1957 but has been unused for nearly ten years. This partnership allows for the creation of a new conservation area, Riverside Woods Nature Reserve, along the Nottawasaga River, featuring mixed forests, conifer plantations and open meadows, providing a variety of habitats for many Niagara Escarpment species. The interior forested areas are ideal habitats for two bird species in decline: the Wood Thrush, a Threatened species in Ontario, and the Eastern Wood-Pewee, a species of Special Concern in Ontario. The land will be conserved perpetually as part of the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s growing conservation corridor. Bruce Trail Conservancy will launch a public fundraising campaign to support the creation of this nature reserve. 

This protected land will create opportunities for volunteers, including Scouts Canada members, to participate in ecological restoration projects and assist with maintaining the Bruce Trail through local clubs of volunteers. Other projects and collaborative activities will be developed over time to expand this partnership along the length of the entire Bruce Trail, from Niagara to Tobermory.

Sign up to receive more information and connect your Group with the Bruce Trail Conservancy at: https://brucetrail.org/scoutscanada.

Sign up to receive more information and connect your Group with the Bruce Trail Conservancy:

brucetrail.org/scoutscanada