One of the features of the Niagara Escarpment is its inclusion in Ontario’s Greenbelt. Many areas of the Escarpment are perfect for agricultural uses, especially for the production of grapes as a fruit or for wine production. Niagara, specifically, is known worldwide for its wines. The Rib and the Greenbelt are intrinsically bound as parts of one another, and protection of Ontario’s ever-shrinking agricultural production is just as important as environmental protection.
Ontario’s Greenbelt
About Ontario’s Greenbelt
Established in 2005 Ontario’s Greenbelt is recognized internationally for its leadership in fostering agriculture and conserving the environment. At 8.1 million acres of protected land, the Greenbelt is the bedrock that supports a vibrant economy in food and farming, environment and tourism. The Greenbelt connects important landscape features such as the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve and Rouge Park. It provides fresh air, clean water and healthy local food to millions of people across Ontario. Visit www.greenbelt.ca to learn more.
Greenbelt Walks
Get out in nature today! Walk, hike, ski or snowshoe at one of the Greenbelt Walks trails. Enjoy the natural beauty and bounty found in the Greenbelt while exploring the Bruce Trail, Oak Ridges Moraine Trail or Ganaraska Trails. Experience a rejuvenating connection to the natural world and learn first-hand about the benefits of Greenbelt protected lands.
Greenbelt Walks is a collaborative project between the Greenbelt and the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Locally you can experience Greenbelt Walks at Tiffany Falls, or nearby in Halton at Mount Nemo, Crawford Lake, and Rattlesnake Point. Pick up your copy of a Greenbelt Walks Guide here at the Centre, or download your copy at www.greenbelt.ca/walks
Greenbelt Fresh
Greenbeltfresh.ca – a quick and easy way to find fresh local food in Ontario’s Greenbelt. Everyone loves local food and Greenbeltfresh.ca is a popular website listing more than 600 farmers’ markets and farms. Consumers can search for farms, farmers’ markets, and wineries for fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables and year-round for artisan cheese, preserves and local meats. Family visits to a pick-your-own apple orchard or a Christmas Tree farm are always enjoyable!
As a Foundation initiative, this free online tool supports the enhancement of agriculture and economic activity in the Greenbelt – it helps consumers find fresh local food.
The Greenbelt Route *New in 2015*
More than 475 kilometres of cycling adventures await you in the beautiful, protected countryside of Ontario’s Greenbelt. Enjoy lush forests, winding rivers, welcoming communities, and family farms, as you ride across this stunning landscape.
The one-of-a-kind Greenbelt Route was developed by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, building on their leadership creating the Waterfront Trail, and adding to a growing network of long distance cycling routes across Ontario. With several connecting routes mapped and signed to and from the Waterfront Trail, you can now make use of existing non-motorized trails and ravine pathways to create your own custom Greenbelt cycling holiday.
The Greenbelt Route is also part of 27 municipal active transportation plans, and owned and maintained by those municipalities. As the latest addition to an impressive and growing provincial bike route network across Ontario, the Greenbelt Route is enhancing the richness of life in and around the protected green space and fertile farmland that surrounds the Greater Toronto Area. Catering to the growing cycle tourism industry in Ontario by connecting cyclists to natural features, cultural attractions, and local amenities, the Greenbelt Route makes it easy to explore everything the Greenbelt has to offer.
The launch of the Greenbelt Route in summer 2015, celebrates a decade of the Greenbelt—the solution for fresh air, clean water, delicious local food, a thriving economy, and a place for all Ontarians to recharge and connect with nature. Permanent protection of Ontario’s Greenbelt means this experience is something that will be here for generations, a place for your children’s children to cycle and explore. To learn more visit www.greenbelt.ca/route
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