Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC)

06/05/2026

Field Notes Friday: Friends on the Trail

What happens when a group of friends who love hiking decide to give back to the places they enjoy exploring?

Last Wednesday, a local women's hiking group visited Bingamans Nature Preserve on Manitoulin Island, where they helped blaze sections of the trail alongside three new EBC volunteers. Before the group headed out, dedicated volunteers Roy Jeffery and Veronika Bingaman completed trail clearing work to help prepare the route.

Trail blazing helps visitors navigate the preserve and makes it easier for everyone to experience this special landscape.
It's a wonderful example of how time spent outdoors can bring people together. Whether you're part of a hiking group, a club, or simply have friends who enjoy spending time in nature, volunteering can be a meaningful way to connect with both the land and your community.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the trails more welcoming for future visitors.

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

⚠️ Trail Closure Notice: Cup and Saucer Trail ⚠️

The Cup and Saucer Trail on Manitoulin Island (Mnidoo Mnising) will be closed for maintenance from Monday, June 8 to Thursday, June 11.

This temporary closure will allow our stewardship team to complete important trail maintenance work to help keep the trail safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Please note that the parking area and trail access points will be closed during this time. Signage will be posted on-site.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we care for this special place. We look forward to welcoming visitors back once the work is complete.

06/03/2026

Trail friends, we could use a few helping hands in Meaford tomorrow!

The river has been busy over the winter, and some bank erosion near the yellow trail by the cement dam means a little spring trail repair is needed.

A volunteer crew will be heading out tomorrow, Thursday, June 4, for an easy afternoon of trail work. Many hands will make the work quicker, lighter, and a lot more fun.

Meet: 1:30 p.m. at the Big Apple in downtown Meaford
From there, the group will head to the 12/13 Sideroad and 7th Line area.

Tools will be provided, and volunteers will complete a quick waiver before getting started.

Please bring water, snacks, and bug/tick spray.

Interested in helping? Please reach out to [email protected].

There will also be a second work day on Sunday, June 7, to help with boardwalk repairs near the end of Muir Street. More details coming soon.

Thank you for helping care for the trails we all love.

06/02/2026

Volunteer Callout: Trail Building & Maintenance in Caledon!

EBC is looking for volunteers to help build a new boardwalk and care for the trails at Simmons Nature Preserve in Caledon on June 13.

This is a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, meet others in the community, and help care for a protected natural space close to home. Volunteers will help improve trail access and support the ongoing stewardship of this special Nature Preserve.

No special experience is needed, just a willingness to lend a hand.

Interested in joining us? Contact Liv Callo, EBC’s Stewardship Manager, at [email protected] to sign up

06/01/2026

600 acres. One unforgettable morning at Benallen Nature Preserve.

On Saturday, we celebrated the expansion of Benallen to approximately 600 acres of preserved forests, wetlands and wildlife habitat within the Shouldice Provincially Significant Wetland complex.

Together with Ducks Unlimited Canada, donors, volunteers, partners and community members, we marked a milestone made possible by many hands and a shared love for the land.

Guests explored the preserve by trail and wagon, with guided hikes led by Rob Wray, Jeannine Kralt, Ron Savage and CEO Beth Gilhespy, as well as wagon rides generously offered by the Catto family. We were also honoured to welcome MPP Paul Vickers.

What made the day so special was seeing people connect with the place itself: the muddy trails, the open skies, the wetlands, the conversations and the quiet reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to care for nature.

Benallen is now 600 acres strong, and its future is forever.

05/29/2026

Field Notes Friday: A Message from Above

Sometimes the most memorable field notes arrive with wings.

Earlier this month, Kristin Bickell, EBC’s Stewardship Coordinator on Manitoulin, and new Land Steward Leslie Marshall were out at one of our Nature Preserves when they spotted Peregrine Falcons overhead.

A local birds of prey specialist had mentioned seeing them in the area last year and noted that they may be the only Peregrine Falcons currently known on the island. Seeing them again was exciting, but the moment quickly turned into a clear reminder to give wildlife space.

When one of the falcons dove toward the team, they left the area soon after, recognizing they may have been too close to a sensitive nesting site.

Peregrine Falcons are powerful, cliff-nesting birds known for their incredible speed and fierce defence of nesting areas. This field note was a humbling reminder that sometimes stewardship means knowing when to quietly step back.

Photograph taken by Mathew Schwartz.

05/27/2026

Wildlife Wednesday: Black-and-white Warbler

A recent sighting at Benallen Nature Preserve gave us a glimpse of one of spring’s most distinctive songbirds: the Black-and-white Warbler.

With its crisp black-and-white stripes and unusual habit of creeping along tree trunks and branches, this small bird stands out not just for how it looks, but for how it moves. Rather than darting through leaves like many warblers, it searches bark and moss for insects, bringing quiet energy to the forest in its own distinctive way.

It is exactly the kind of species that makes a spring visit to Benallen so rewarding. At this time of year, the preserve’s forests and wetlands are full of movement, birdsong, and seasonal change.

Join us this Saturday, May 30, to celebrate Benallen Nature Preserve and experience this special landscape in spring.

Last chance to sign up: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/benallen-celebration

Photograph taken by Rob Wray

05/25/2026

Behind the Scenes: Planting for Lake Sturgeon

This weekend, 17 volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Nottawasaga Saulaine Nature Preserve, helping plant 300 native trees and shrubs along the banks of the Nottawasaga River.
With the support and organization of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA), volunteers joined four NVCA staff and one EBC staff member to plant swamp white oak, hackberry, maple, cedar, tamarack and nannyberry.

Over time, these native plants will help restore riparian forest cover, stabilize the riverbank, provide shade and improve habitat along the river.

This work is especially meaningful because the Nottawasaga River supports spawning Lake Sturgeon, a threatened species in Ontario. By helping restore healthy riverbank habitat and improve conditions along the river, this project contributes to the long-term recovery of this remarkable fish.

A huge thank you to NVCA and every volunteer who helped get these plants in the ground. NVCA and EBC will continue monitoring the restoration project as this stretch of riverbank begins to recover and grow.

05/25/2026

A wonderful feature from The Owen Sound Current on the completion of Benallen Nature Preserve!

With the addition of 365 acres, Benallen now preserves nearly 600 acres of connected wetlands, forests and wildlife habitat north of Owen Sound. Together with Ducks Unlimited Canada and the many funders and supporters who helped make this possible, we are preserving an important landscape for species including Wood Thrush, Eastern Meadowlark, Canada Warbler, Snapping Turtle, Sandhill Crane and more.

This Saturday, May 30, join us at Benallen Nature Preserve for guided nature walks and light refreshments as we celebrate this remarkable conservation achievement together.

Read the full Owen Sound Current article:
https://www.owensoundcurrent.com/p/benallen-nature-preserve-expands

Learn more and register for the celebration:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/benallen-celebration

Photographs taken by Rob Wray at Benallen Nature Preserve.