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The
Giant’s
Rib
Discovery Centre
is a
not-for-profit organization created to tell the story of the
Niagara Escarpment, and promote uses that will ensure retention of its
natural state for future generations. We offer public educational
lectures and tours to interpret the Niagara Escarpment through
geographical, geological,
historical, agricultural, and cultural experiences.
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Bruce
Duncan
Memorial Lecture Series All lectures will be now held at the former Parks Canada Discovery Centre now administered by the
Hamilton Waterfront Trust We will have to charge a $2 admission to help pay for the rental costs. | ||
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| TEACHERS’ CORNER January 2012 Want to incorporate a little of the environment into your classroom
music program ? Teach your class this little song, written for the
Niagara Escarpment to the tune of "Colours of the Winds", with suitable
words by Danya Scime
OUR NIAGARA ESCARPMENT Some think they own whatever land they land on. The earth is just a dead thing some may claim But I know every waterfall, tree and creature Has a life, has a spirit, has a name Some think the flowing water is just water The rocks are just nothing more than few But if you walk in the footpaths of our trails You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew Have you ever heard the wolf cry to a full new moon ? Or witnessed the summer sun fading in? Can you sing with all the voices of the escarpment? Can you paint with all the colours of the wind? Can you paint with all the colours of the wind? | Come run the hidden pine trails of our forest Come taste the sun-sweet berries of our earth Come roll in all the riches all around you And for once, be at awe at what they're worth The rainstorm and the river are our brothers The heron and the turtles are our friends And we are all connected to each other, In a circle, in a hoop that never ends Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the full new moon? Or let the eagle tell you where he's been ? Can you sing with all the voices of the escarpment? Can you paint with all the colours of the wind? Can you paint with all the colours of the wind ? How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the full new moon For whether we are living City or Country We need to sing with all the voices of our escarpment Need to paint with all the colours of the wind You can own the earth and still All you'll own is earth until You can paint with all the colours of the wind |
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Waterfall of the Month for January 2012 West Iroquoia Falls
West Iroquoia Falls, is located on a Chedoke Creek tributary on the Niagara Escarpment side of Hwy 403 in west Hamilton. It is located on public lands owned by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) as part of the Hwy 403 Right-of-Way (ROW). The water originates from a small westerly ravine in the Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area. West Iroquoia Falls is a terraced ribbon falls with a height of 19.8m (65 ft.) and a normal crest width of 1m (3 ft.) when water is flowing, however it can widen out to 3m (10 ft.) with ice buildup in winter (as seen in attached photo). During much of the year when the vegetation surrounding this waterfall is covered in foliage, this waterfall may not be easily visible from the highway. In addition, West Iroquoia Falls is dry much of the time, thus the best time to view this waterfall is after a rainfall or during the spring snow melt when there is no foliage or during the winter when it is covered in ice. This waterfall can be seen from the roadway if driving up bound on Hwy 403 from west Hamilton towards Ancaster and is located behind the second rock protection fence about ¾ the way along the fence. There is no safe location to stop to view this waterfall from Hwy 403. The attached photo was taken from the White Chapel Cemetery in west Hamilton using a telephoto lens.  |
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THE NIAGARA ESCARPMENT WORLD BIOSPHERE RESERVE
The Directors of the
Giant’s Rib Discovery Centre form a Committee of the Niagara Escarpment
World Biosphere Reserve. Their basic responsibilities are directed to
helping ensure that the Niagara Escarpment continues to meet the
three basic criteria of a biosphere reserve:
Contribute to conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation; Foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable; Provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local national and global issues of conservation and development.
GIANT’S RIB RECEIVES RECOGNITION
Richard Murzin,
President of the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association, announced on
Thursday, June 21, 2007 that the Giant’s Rib Discovery Centre (GRDC) has
been recognized as a local biosphere committee for the Niagara
Escarpment Biosphere Reserve.
The Association considers that the Giant’s Rib is already fulfilling many activities for the Niagara Escarpment, which reflect the Escarpment’s designation as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. They are pleased to acknowledge this and to thank the GRDC for their support for research, education, training and encouragement for sustainable development related to the Niagara Escarpment. A biosphere reserve draws its strength from active involvement and cooperation within a community of interest. The GRDC is exemplary in this regard and the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve is honoured to recognize the Giant’s Rib Discovery Centre as a biosphere committee.
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Designation
The biosphere is all of the land, water and atmosphere that support life
A biosphere reserve
is an international designation of recognition from UNESCO (the United
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) for an
area in the world which is deemed to demonstrate a balanced
relationship between humans and the biosphere. By this is meant that
collaborative efforts among people in the designated area serve to
promote the sustainability of local economies and communities, as well
as the conservation of the terrestrial/or coastal ecosystems they are
in.
A biosphere reserve designation gives an area international recognition for the important ecological and cultural values in an area. It also provides a mechanism, based on local commitment and local ability, to apply sound stewardship (and protection, where necessary) to use of resources in an area to support present and future generations. UNESCO named Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment a world biosphere reserve in February 1990. Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment is one of 16 reserves in Canada and is part of a network of 580 reserves in 114 countries. The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve conserves the Province of Ontario’s natural and social capital by protecting prime agricultural lands, forests, wetlands, heritage properties and recreational spaces. Biosphere Reserves strive to conserve the diversity of plants, animals and micro- organisms which make up our living biosphere and maintain healthy natural systems while, at the same time meeting the material needs and aspirations of an increasing number of people. Before UNESCO designates a biosphere reserve, local people and organizations must have demonstrated their commitment to these principles.
CANADA’S BIOSPHERE RESERVES
The sixteen biosphere
reserves in Canada are located in eight provinces, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific coasts. They include a variety of ecosystems. In each one,
activities are coordinated by a community- based organization or
committee. Beginning with its first reserve in the 1970s, Canada’s
biosphere reserves were established as follows:
WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? The executive of the Giant’s Rib Discovery Centre is looking for volunteers who wish to assume leadership roles with an organization that strives to educate the public on the need to preserve the Niagara Escarpment as a World Biosphere Reserve
If you are such a person,
please contact: Ken Hall at 905 627 1320 You will learn more about the goals and objectives of the Giant’s Rib and also have the opportunity to express what skills and talents you could offer to help the organization achieve its present undertakings and to move forward in new directions. |
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 Check out our Facebook photos ! |
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About Us |
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Archives  The
Giant’s Rib
Discovery
Centre Box 1469, Waterdown, ON, L0R 2H0Visit the Centre's displays and presentations at the Trail Centre, Dundas Conservation 650 Governors Road Dundas Ontario ©
www.giantsrib.ca 2012
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