The Bruce Trail, within the Brock District was traditionally the territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement. It is a 2.9 km trail that is located within the City of St. Catharines, Ontario bordering the communities of Marsdale and Glenridge. It is part of Canada's longest and oldest continuous footpath which runs 895 km from Niagara to Tobermory through a "prominent geological formation" known as the Niagara Escarpment (Eagles et al, 2008).

Figure 1. Prominent white paint blazes mark the route of the Bruce Trail throughout its length.

The Niagara Escarpment is "an area with a steep slope that separates two level surfaces" formed by erosional processes and glaciation (Niagara Escarpment Commission). It is made up of sedimentary bedrock and is the "outer rim of an ancient lake-bed geologically known as the Michigan Basin" (McKibbon et al, 1987). The Bruce Trail, within the Brock District Plan passes through Ontario's Carolinian Biotic Zone and is located in the Twelve Mile Creek and Beaverdams Watershed. It passes alongside the urban area of the main campus of Brock University and through land owned by public and private landowners. Trail elevations reach 195 metres and there are many lookouts to the surrounding neighbourhoods of the City of St. Catharines and Lake Ontario. Prior to the 1960s the Niagara Escarpment was not recognized as an important geological feature by local or Provincial government. The creation of the Bruce Trail during the 1960s changed the Provincial government's viewpoint and many different acts and legislation were implemented to protect the Niagara Escarpment such as the Niagara Escarpment Plan, Canada's largest environmental land use plan and the Greenbelt Act which connects the Bruce Trail to the Oak Ridges Moraine and protects 2 million acres of land. In 1990 the Niagara Escarpment was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Today the Bruce Trail, within the Brock District Plan provides a "natural resource for public use and is a meaningful place to recreate" (Garrett & Montgomery, 2011).

Municipality: City of St. Catharines

Local area name: Bruce Trail, Brock District

Other identifying names or descriptions: Marsdale and Glenridge Neighbourhood

Latitude: 43.12772174222245

Longitude: -79.22838671417237

Physical Dimensions

Length: 2.9 km

Width: ~6 feet

Surface Area: 3535 m2 (trail section); 335 hectares (Brock District)

Elevation:

Highest / lowest point: 195m/164/m

Bruce Trail, Brock District, St. Catharines, Ontario

The 2.9 kilometre section of the Bruce Trail runs through an escarpment area protected by the Niagara Escarpment Plan, Canada's first large scale environmental land use plan and the Greater Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt, the world's largest permanent greenbelt (Niagara Escarpment Plan). The map below shows the escarpment running through the Niagara Region (Niagara Escarpment Commission).

Figure 2. Niagara section of the Niagara Escarpment Plan. (Niagara Escarpment Commission).

The area is designated by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve due to human effort to balance local economies with the conservation of local ecosystems (UNESCO). The 335 hectares surrounding the trail is defined as the Brock District, a mixed use, high density development plan (Niagara Region, Brock District Plan). The trail is close to both the urban centres of St. Catharines and Thorold and it borders Brock University. It is located in the Twelve Mile Creek Watershed and runs through the Carolinian Forest (Bruce Trail Conservancy)

The trail can be accessed at Tremont Drive at 161 metres in elevation and travels northwest 2.9 kilometres to Headworks Road at 174 metres elevation. The trail is marked by blazes. White blazes mark the main trail and blue blazes mark side trails. Two blazes indicate a turn. (Bruce Trail Conservancy).

Figure 3. Tremont Drive Entrance to the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The entrance to the Bruce Trail, Brock District is at the top of Tremont Drive as shown in the image above, in the neighbourhood of Glenridge. It is marked by a Bruce Trail sign, a Brock University sign, a No Hunting sign and a Private Land sign that permits hikers to use the trail because of the courtesy of the landowner.

Figure 4. Access sign to the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

At the first turn blaze there is a field owned by Brock University to the left and to the right the trail travels northwest. The sound of the 406 Highway can be heard.

At the next turn blaze to the right the trail travels to the lower part of the escarpment which connects to Allanburg Drive and travels northwest along the escarpment to Woodside Drive. To the left the main trail continues traveling northwest and reaches elevations of 195 metres through the Carolinian forest. Views of the City of St. Catharines and the neighbourhood of Glenridge can be viewed easily when the trees are without leaves.

The trail comes to a tree marked by a wooden clog. To the right of the wooden clog the trail takes you to the lower trail which leads to Woodside Drive. Continuing straight there is a side trail to the large clay borrow pit pond of the Glenridge Quarry and many deer trails. At 1.2 kilometres there is an information map.

Figure 5. Deciduous forest at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

At the next turn blaze to the right is a very steep side trail that connects to Woodside Drive to the west and Allanburg Road to the east.

At the next turn blaze to the left is the Glenridge Quarry. The trail continues to the right. After another sharp right turn the trail goes to the top of the ridge, where Glenridge Avenue can be viewed. The trail continues northwest along the escarpment and then travels down to a crossing at Glenridge Avenue at 1.6km.

Figure 6. Glenridge Avenue sign at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The trail crosses Glenridge Avenue and travels up the sidewalk for 0.3 km. Turn right where the guard rail ends. There is Brock University sign, a Bruce Trail Sign and a blaze.

Continuing straight to the left is a trail to the Brock Campus. To the right is a side trail to Lockhart Drive.

The trail travels for 1.3 kilometres from elevations of 154 metres to 195 metres. To the left is Facilities Management, Brock University.

Figure 7. The wide, flat section of the Bruce Trail, Brock District after crossing Glenridge Avenue heading west.

The setback between Ray Woodfield Drive of Brock Campus and the Bruce Trail is narrow during this section of the trail. At 2.0 kilometres the buffer between the road and the trail widens and the escarpment becomes very steep.

There appears to be two steps to the escarpment during this portion of the trail. The upper part of the escarpment is Brock University Campus and then there is a flat area with the trail and then a steep cliff and the lower part of the escarpment.

Travelling northwest to the left is Residence Road, the Decew Dining Hall and Decew Residence. The trail travels behind Schmon Tower and Thistle Complex on maintained campus grounds. The blazes are on the lampposts and sidewalk. The trail continues on the road on Alphie's Lane past the Walker Sports Complex down University Road West.

To take the side trail through the escarpment forest the trail travels past Alphie's Trough (Faith and Life Centre) and a waterfall. The trail travels up and down and winds through the forest with a good buffer between the trail and the University with views of the neighbourhood Marsdale and Lockhart Road.

Figure 8. The forest of the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The escarpment turns into more of a slope during this section of the trail rather than the step the trail travelled through in the previous section between Glenridge Avenue and Alphie's Trough.

Figure 9. The slope of the escarpment along the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

To the left are the Athletic Fields of Brock University. To the right is a side trail to the lower part of Headworks Road.

At the next turn blaze to the left the trail travels up a steep incline. To the right is the Twelve Mile Side Trail which is marked in blue blazes. There are great views of Lake Ontario, Western Hill and the City of St. Catharines.

Figure 10. The Bruce Trail, Brock District Trail.

At the next turn blaze to the right is the Twelve Mile Side Trail connection. The trail descends down a steep incline with many loose rocks. The trail ends across from Gate 71C of the Ontario Power Generation Decew Falls Generating Station No. 2. There is a Bruce Trail sign and a Brock University sign. (This is the end of the 2.9 kilometre section of the Bruce Trail within the Brock District.b

Figure 11. Headworks road terminus of the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

To the left after a steep incline the trail takes you all the way to Brock Road – Gate 74 (not part of Brock District). There is a side trail which offers a view (lookout) of West Hill, Power Glen, downtown St. Catharines, the CN Tower, Toronto waterfront, Lake Ontario, and Burgoyne Bridge.

Figure 12. View from the escarpment, Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The trail continues past Brock Road and the Decew Power Generating Station Number 2 at 0.6 km where you can see 12-Mile Creek below. Continuing on the path there is a turn blaze. To the right is Lake Moodie. To the Left is another blaze. To the right is a marsh lookout of Lake Moodie. To the left you will cross Brock Road and travel along Brock University's athletic field. The trail continues in the forest behind the Brock tennis courts and the Walker complex. Turning left will take you back to the entrance on Headworks road, turning right the trail travels East towards Glenridge Avenue.

a) Biota

The Bruce Trail, Brock District is classified as ecosystem 7E (Lake Erie-Lake Ontario) which is also part of the Carolinian life zone (Government of Ontario). The forest is primarily deciduous and the dominant trees are Maple, Beech and Oak as shown in the image below.

Figure 13. Gentle sloping forest of the Bruce Trail, Brock District..

The most common shrubs are Narrowleaf Meadowsweet which is pictured below, and Poison Ivy.

Figure 14. Narrowleaf Meadowsweet at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The ground is made up of trilliums (shown in the image below) and bracken fern in the spring,

Figure 15. Trillium in early spring at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

In the summer and fall the shrubs are mainly Goldenrod, Aster, Pearly Everlasting, Currant (shown in the image below), Thistle and Mullein. The soil is home to nurse logs, mosquitoes, yellow jackets, bumblebees.

Figure 16. Currant in fall at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

There are many mammals living alongside the Bruce Trail, Brock District including raccoon, white tailed deer, (shown in the image below) skunk, coyote, red fox, woodland jumping mouse, eastern chipmunk, red squirrel, eastern grey squirrel, eastern cottontail, and opossum.

Figure 17. One of many deer that frequent the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

Bird sightings can include: Canadian goose, turkey vulture, broad-winged and red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, pileated woodpecker, blue jay (shown in the image below), black capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, robin, and starlings.

Figure 18. Baby robin spotted at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

Amphibians that may be spotted include: Eastern red backed salamander, eastern newt, American toad, American bullfrog, green frog, common garter snake, and milk snake.

Species at risk sighted on the trail include: Peregrine Falcon (Special Concern), Red-headed Woodpecker (Special Concern), Monarch (Special Concern), Woodland vole (Special Concern) (Ontario Government).

The habitat has become fragmented by the development of roads, residential neighbourhoods, commercial and institutional development and the Glenridge Quarry. Native plants have been replaced by dandelions and grass in certain places. Deer have to cross a very busy Glenridge Avenue to continue along the escarpment.

b) Geomorphology:

The Bruce Trail, Brock District travels east to west along the Niagara Escarpment landform. Today, the escarpment has a "dolostone ridge and step slope or long scarp or cliff that separates two level surfaces" (Niagara Escarpment Commission). Almost 450 million years ago a shallow sea covered the area. Over millions of years sediment was deposited by rivers and organic material from sea life. The layers were compressed to form sedimentary rocks as shown in the image below.

Figure 19. Compressed sedimentary rock at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

"Then 300 million years ago the sediment was pushed from the sea by tectonic activity. Newly formed rivers removed large amounts of sediment and "this 'carving effect' was intensified when the ice that covered the Escarpment during glaciation started to melt" about 12,000 years ago (Niagara Escarpment Commission). The image below shows evidence of this carving effect.

Figure 20. The carving effect from the glacier melting 12,000 years ago at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

The Niagara Escarpment is still affected by weathering and erosion as shown in the image below (Brown et al, 2010).

Figure 21. Weathering and erosion of sediment at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

There are many boulders alongside the trail as shown in the following image. The soil is mainly lacustrine silty clay surrounding the escarpment and variable alluvial deposit at the bottom of the escarpment (Brock University).

Figure 22. Large boulders deposited by rivers during glacial melt at the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

Below the Bruce Trail, Brock District the topography is generally flat. The trail changes elevations from 195 metres at its highest point to 154 metres at its lowest point.

c) Hydrogeology

The Bruce Trail, Brock District hydrogeological features have changed over time due to human use. The Trail is part of the Twelve Mile Creek watershed with total drainage of 178 square kilometres and 6 subwatersheds (Durley, 2006). The Bruce Trail, Brock District is part of the Beaverdams Creek subwatershed. It flows from groundwater that starts at Fonthill Kame Moraine which is "a deposit of sand, gravel, and glacial till that serves to hold rainwater and snow melt and flow north towards the Niagara Escarpment where the 6 watersheds combine. The map below depicts 12-mile creek in purple (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry).

Figure 23. 12-Mile Creek Map (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry).

There is no notable cataract or waterfall over the Niagara Escarpment, due to the soft glacial till within the watershed. Deep valleys have instead been eroded into the till soils" (Durley, 2006). The subwatershed of the Bruce Trail, Brock District was affected by the hydroelectric power and municipal drinking water supply construction. Water was diverted from Lake Erie and the Welland Canal. This "changed the creek from a cold water stream to a warm water system. The Beaverdams creek was then dammed to provide a reservoir for hydroelectric generation at the Decew Falls Generation Station" (Reyes & Murali, 2020).

The commercial, residential and institutional development along the escarpment has also affected the hydrogeology of the area. There have been concerns of contaminated groundwater and subsurface gas migration onto the escarpment as a result of the mining activities and the operation of the municipal landfill at the Glenridge Quarry (Niagara Observatory). The image below shows 12-mile creek which receives runoff from the Bruce Trail, Brock District.

Figure 24. 12-Mile Creek.

The largely impermeable footprint of Brock Campus has caused washout of the escarpment in many areas. There is evidence of stormwater drains on the trail closest to Facilities Management and Decew Residence.

Bruce Trail, Brock District - Climate/Microclimate

The Great Lakes – Lake Erie to the South and Lake Ontario to the North have a moderating influence on the climate of the Bruce Trail, Brock District (Niagara Region). Spring, summer and fall range between 12° and 30°C and the precipitation is uniform with minimal winter snowfall (Niagara Peninsula).

Climate change has had an impact on the Bruce Trail, Brock District including: more rain water causing increased runoff from the largely impermeable footprint of Brock District down the escarpment and more summer droughts and dry spells making it harder to maintain the tree canopy (Penney, 2012).

Archeological influences and Land use history:

The Bruce Trail, Brock District was traditionally the territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement. Native villages were set up alongside the Niagara Escarpment (Canadian Encyclopedia, 2006). In 1790 the area surrounding the escarpment became known to travellers for the services along the native trails (City of St. Catharines). A map of the probable trails used by Indigenous people is shown below (Vital Collections).

Figure 25. Probable Indigenous Trails, 1790.

The area surrounding the Bruce Trail, Brock District has been used for different purposes. The area was first "settled by 3,000 Empire Loyalists at the end of the 18 ^th century and sawmills were set up in the Twelve Mile Creek watershed" (City of St. Catharines). In 1870 the Waterworks Reservoir to supply water to the residents of St. Catharine was built and in 1925 the DeCew Falls Water Treatment Plant was constructed. "It uses gravity flow and the natural elevation of the Niagara Escarpment to help distribute the treated water throughout its service area"(Niagara Greenbelt). In 1898 a hydroelectric power generating station was built to provide power to Hamilton, Ontario. It was later expanded in 1940 to build Decew Power Generating Station Number 2 which is located at the Bruce Trail, Brock District terminus at Headwaters Road. The area grew as an agricultural community as shown in the air photos of the Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1934 (1934 Air Photo Mosaics of Niagara).

Figure 26. Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1934 (1934 Air Photo Mosaics of Niagara).

In 1930 a Sanatorium was built at the top of the escarpment and the Bruce Trail, Brock District was named Sanitorium Hill. In the 1960s urban expansion exploded at the top and bottom of the escarpment. A major shopping centre was built, the main campus of Brock University was constructed and the neighbourhoods of Marsdale and Glenridge were developed for residential purposes. It was during this time that the Bruce Trail was conceived by Ray Lowe. The Bruce Trail Committee was formed in 1960. Throughout the 1960s committee members contacted landowners and started blazing the trail with the first blaze being made at the Bucknall farm in Beamsville. In 1963, the Escarpment Trail Council was formed to oversee the Niagara Escarpment Trail. When the Niagara Escarpment Trail was completed in 1963, it did not pass through the Brock District as shown in Figure 27 - Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1963 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club, 2017)

Figure 27. Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1963 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club, 2017)

In 1964 the Niagara Escarpment Trail was officially opened. The Niagara section was completed before any of the other sections of the Bruce Trail and was estimated to cost $127 with about 1,600 hours of work (Niagara Bruce Trail Club, 2011). In 1968 the Escarpment Trail Council joined the Bruce Trail Association in 1968, at which time the Niagara Bruce Trail Club was formed. (Niagara Bruce Trail Club, 2011)

By reviewing the Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds it is evident that the Bruce Trail, Brock District was created between 1971 and 1975. As shown in Figure 28 - Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1971 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds), the trail does not run through the Brock District.

Figure 28. Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1971 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

However, by 1975 the Bruce Trail does run through Brock District as shown in Figure 29 - Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1975. It was called the Brock Side Trail. (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

Figure 29. Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1975 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

By 1978 the trail traveled past the front lawn of Brock University as shown in Figure 30 and the Bruce Trail Guide Book of 1978 says that meals were available year round and lodging from May to August (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

Figure 30. Bruce Trail, Brock District - 1978 (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

In 1997 Brock University and the Bruce Trail Association signed a licence agreement. For $1 Brock University agreed to grant the BTA the right in the nature of license to maintain a portion of the trail. The BTA agreed to be responsible for construction and maintenance of the Trail while holding the University harmless from any claims, costs, or damages (Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

Sometime after 1990 the trail was rerouted from below Alphie's Trough to a concrete pedestrian walkway along Alphie's Lane.

In 2020, the Bruce Trail, Brock District is experiencing further urban development including the construction of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games Park and Residence 8, Brock University.

Education / Interpretation:

The Bruce Trail, Brock District has numerous signs and blazes along its route. There is a Bruce Trail sign at the Tremont Entrance and Headworks Road Terminus. There is a wooden sign marked Tremont Drive. There is a wooden sign marked Glenridge Avenue where the trail crosses the road. The wooden signs were made by Dave Dewey with the help from his mother. His job was to router the name on the cedar boards and then his mother would paint the name to highlight it (Niagara Bruce Trail Club, 2015). There are blazes marking the trail.

Figure 31. Bruce Trail, Brock District Blaze.

There are commemorative plaques like the one shown below honouring the generosity of fundraising activities and an educational map showing the trail and other connecting trails where the Bruce Trail, Brock District meets the Glenridge Quarry trails.

Figure 32. Bruce Trail, Brock District Commemorative sign.

There is also an archival resource collection available through Brock University (Bruce Trail Club Fonds).

The Bruce Trail Conservancy "consists of nine Bruce Trail Clubs. Each Club manages a section of the Bruce Trail and is responsible for maintaining, stewarding and promoting that section" (Bruce Trail Conservancy). There is also a Bruce Trail App, Bruce Trail Guidebook and a Bruce Trail Newsletter.

Recreational Uses:

The Bruce Trail, Brock District connects pedestrians, bicyclists, cross country skiers and snowshoers to Brock University and the neighbourhoods of Marsdale and Glenridge. The picture below shows the permitted uses on the trail.

Figure 33. Bruce Trail, Brock District permitted uses sign.

The Bruce Trail, Brock District permits passive use only as shown by the sign below.

Figure 34. Bruce Trail, Brock District passive use sign.

The Niagara Bruce Trail Club runs organized interpretive hikes as well.

Ownership, jurisdiction, access, and management

The Six Nations of Grand River have treaty rights to the Bruce Trail, Brock District. The Government of Ontario, local municipalities, local conservation authorities, private landowners and the Bruce Trail Conservancy currently own the land and it is open to public use. 67% of the Bruce Trail is safe and secure from development as of 2019 (Bruce Trail Conservancy). The remaining land runs through roads or private property. If the land is sold it will be subject to development.

Jurisdiction and Land Use Controls:

The Bruce Trail, Brock District is limited from development and protected due to the land use controls described below. The City of St. Catharines, Niagara Region, the City of Thorold and all municipalities inside the Niagara Escarpment must adhere to the following when making planning decisions.

Planning Act (1990): The Planning Act is the legislation for the Province of Ontario that governs how land is used and controlled (Government of Ontario, 1990).

Local Planning Appeal Tribunal: Formerly the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is an independent administrative board that is responsible for hearing appeals and deciding on a variety of contentious municipal matters. It has a major role in dealing with land use planning matters under the Planning Act. It holds public hearings on: land use planning applications, such as subdivisions, land severances and minor variances; and, planning documents and applications, such as official plans and zoning by-laws. As the OMB is the primary source for appealing land use designation it is constantly used by those looking to develop areas inside the Niagara Escarpment (Ontario Land Tribunals).

Figure 35. Government of Ontario Image (Government of Ontario)

Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act (1990 - updated 2017): The NEPDA established a planning process to sustainably protect and preserve the Niagara Escarpment (Niagara Escarpment Commission). The Niagara Escarpment Plan was initially approved by Ontario government in 1985 and revised in1994, 2005 and 2017. The Plan provides controls for new development and criteria for permitted uses within the Niagara Escarpment (Government of Ontario).

Figure 36. Niagara Escarpment Plan Image (Government of Ontario).

Greenbelt Act (2005) - Greenbelt Plan (updated 2017): The Greenbelt Act provides the authority for the Greenbelt Plan (2017). The Greenbelt Plan protects about 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive and agricultural land and encompasses the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine (Government of Ontario). The Plan protects the Bruce Trail, Brock District from development. In 2015 the Niagara Region undertook a comprehensive review of challenges and opportunities related to the Greenbelt plan. Downtown St. Catharines was chosen as an area for intensification and revitalization. This reduced pressure on development closer to the Escarpment (Niagara Region's Greenbelt Review. 2012).

Figure 37. Greenbelt Plan Image (Government of Ontario).

Places to Grow Act (2005) - Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006 - Revised in 2017): The plan identifies density and intensification targets, urban growth centres, strategic employment areas, and settlement area restrictions designed to mitigate negative environmental, economic and human health impacts associated with sprawling, uncoordinated growth in the region (Government of Ontario).

Figure 37. Places to Grow Image (Government of Ontario).

Brock District Plan (2016): The Plan was prepared by Niagara Region in cooperation with City of Thorold, City of St. Catharines and Brock University. The objective of the plan is to transition the area from a lower density employment area to a higher density mixed use centre (Niagara Region).

Figure 38. Brock District Plan Image (Niagara Region).

Brock Campus Plan (2016): The Brock Campus Plan outlines the growth of Brock University including development on the lands below the escarpment on Lockhart Drive and above the escarpment by the Glenridge Quarry (Brock University).

Figure 39. Brock Campus Plan Image (Brock University).

City of Thorold Brock Business Secondary Plan: The Plan will increase development to support employment in the area above the Bruce Trail, Brock District (City of Thorold).

Figure 40. Brock Business Park Area Secondary Plan Image (City of Thorold).

Organizations responsible for managing the Bruce Trail:

Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC): Established in 1973 through the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act to administer the Niagara Escarpment Plan and "develop, interpret and apply policies that maintain and enhance the vitality of the Escarpment's unique environmental and landscape features. Its decisions are made independently, impartially, and according to a risk management framework. The Niagara Escarpment Commission acts as the central convener of the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve" (Niagara Escarpment Commission).

Niagara Bruce Trail Club and the Bruce Trail Conservancy

The Niagara Bruce Trail Club is "an organization dedicated to the preservation of nature and conservation of the environment, particularly of the Niagara Escarpment" (Niagara Bruce Trail Club). The Bruce Trail Conservancy is committed to "securing and protecting a natural corridor along the Niagara Escarpment" (Bruce Trail Conservancy).

UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve: The Niagara Escarpment was designated as World Biosphere Reserve in 1990. "For UNESCO the Escarpment represents nationally and internationally significant landforms that include representative and scientifically valuable examples of sustainable relationships between human activities and ecosystems" (Niagara Escarpment Commission. 2017).

The Bruce Trail, Brock District is set within southwestern Ontario in an area known as the Niagara Peninsula or Niagara Region, "a 40 X 70 kilometre spit of land separating the great waters of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and bracketed at its eastern tip by the flowing waters of the Niagara River" (Brown et al, 2010). The map below shows the location of the Niagara Region (Niagara Region).

Figure 41. Map of Niagara Region (Niagara Region).

"It is bounded on the east by the Niagara River and the State of New York, and on the west by the City of Hamilton and Haldimand County. The Region is at one end of the band of urban development around the western end of Lake Ontario" (Niagara Region). "Physically, the peninsula comprises 2 contrasting plains separated by the Niagara Escarpment. The Ontario Plain, with fertile, sandy soils and a favourable climate, contains the Niagara Fruit Belt, where much of Canada's soft fruits and vines are grown" (Canadian Encyclopedia). In 2020 there are 12 local municipalities in Niagara as shown in the map below which grew from the original 26 municipalities in 1966 (Niagara Region).

Figure 42. Map of Niagara Region Municipalities (Niagara Region).

Bruce Trail Conservancy
55 Head St., Unit 101
Dundas, ON L9H 3H8Phone: 905-529-6821 or 1-800-665-4453
Fax: 905-628-8081
Email: info@brucetrail.org
https://brucetrail.org/

Niagara Bruce Trail Club
P.O. Box 331,
Beamsville, Ontario, L0R 1B0
niagarabrucetrailclub@gmail.com
http://niagarabrucetrail.club/wp/

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
250 Thorold Road West; 3rd Floor
Welland, ON L3C 3W2
Phone: 905-788-3135
Fax: 905-788-1121
Email:info@npca.ca
https://npca.ca/

Friends of Greenbelt Foundation
661 Yonge St. Suite 500
Toronto, ON M4Y 1Z9
Phone: 416-960-0001
Fax: 416-960-0030
https://www.greenbelt.ca/

Literature Cited

Brown, David T., Middleton John., & Vaughan, Katelyn S. (2010). The Land Between the Lakes – An Overview of the Niagara Region. Pp. 41-55 in Black, J.E. and K.E. Roy. 2010. Niagara Birds. Brock University Printing and Digital Services. ISBN 978-0-9811-489-0-8.

Brock University. (2016). "Brock Campus Plan". Retrieved from: https://brocku.ca/facilities-management/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/Campus-Plan.pdf

Bruce Trail Conservancy. (n.d.) "About Us". Retrieved from: https://brucetrail.org/pages/about-us

Bruce Trail Conservancy. (n.d.). "Bruce Trail and BTC facts". Retrieved from: https://brucetrail.org/pages/about-us/bruce-trail-btc-facts

Bruce Trail Conservancy. (n.d.). "Following the Blazes". Retrieved from: https://brucetrail.org/pages/explore-the-trail/know-before-you-go/following-the-blazes

Canadian Encyclopedia. (2006). "Niagara Peninsula". Retrieved from: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/niagara-peninsula

City of St. Catharines. (n.d.). "History of the City". Retrieved from: https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/historyofthecity.asp

City of Thorold. (2015). "Brock Business Area Secondary Plan". Retrieved from: https://www.thorold.ca/en/city-hall/resources/Documents/Brock-Business-Park-Plan-Area-Secondary-Plan.pdf

City of Thorold. (2015). "Brock Business Park Secondary Plan Map-Image". Retrieved from: https://www.thorold.ca/en/city-hall/resources/Documents/Brock-Business-Park-Plan-Area-Secondary-Plan.pdf

Durley, Jennifer. (2006). Twelve Mile Creek Watershed Plan. Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. https://doi.org/10.5683/SP/NMCPGQ

Eagles, Paul F.J., Gibson, Robert B., & Seasons, Mark L., Whitelaw, Graham S. (2008). Roles of environmental movement organisations in land-use planning: case studies of the Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario, Canada, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 51(6), 801-816. https://doi.org/20.2080/09640560802423616

Garrett, Hutson., & Montgomery, Diane. (2010). Stakeholder views of place meanings along the Niagara Escarpment: an exploratory Q methodological inquiry. Journal of Leisure, 34(4), 421-422. https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.2010.544121

Government of Ontario. (2005) "A Place To Grow. A Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe". Retrieved from:

https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-greater-golden-horseshoe-place-to-grow-english-15may2019.pdf

Government of Ontario. (n.d.). "Government of Ontario - Image". Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90p13

Government of Ontario. (2017). "Greenbelt Plan". Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/document/greenbelt-plan-2017

Government of Ontario. (2017). "Niagara Escarpment Plan". Retrieved from: https://files.ontario.ca/appendix_-_niagara_escarpment_plan_2017_-_oc-10262017.pdf

Government of Ontario. (2005). "Places to Grow Act". Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05p13

Government of Ontario. (1990). "Planning Act". Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90p13

Government of Ontario. "The ecosystems of Ontario – Part 1: ecozones and ecoregions". Retrieved from:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ecosystems-ontario-part-1-ecozones-and-ecoregions

Government of Ontario. (1990). "The Planning Act". Retrieved from:

https://www.ontario.ca/document/citizens-guide-land-use-planning/planning-act

Greenbelt Foundation. (n.d.). "Wetlands, rivers and lakes". Retrieved from: https://www.greenbelt.ca/learn

McKibbon, George., Louis, Cecil., & Shaw, Frank. (1987). Protecting the Niagara Escarpment. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 42(2), 78-82.

National Trust Canada. (n.d.) "The Heritage of Power Generation". Retrieved from: https://archive.nationaltrustcanada.ca/sites/www.heritagecanada.org/files/magazines/F1E_1%2012-20120210%20FINAL2.pdf

Niagara Bruce Trail Club. (n.d.). "About the Club". Retrieved from: http://niagarabrucetrail.club/wp/about-the-nbtc/

Niagara Bruce Trail Club. (2011). "From the Archives". The Niagara Bruce Trail Grapevine.

Niagara Bruce Trail Club. (2015). "From the Archives". The Niagara Bruce Trail Grapevine.

Niagara Bruce Trail Club. (2017). "Map of Bruce Trail". The Niagara Bruce Trail Grapevine.

Niagara Bruce Trail Club Fonds RG 420 p. 2 RG 420, Niagara Bruce Trail Club fonds, 1962- 2012, n.d., Brock University

Niagara Escarpment Commission. (n.d.). "Geology". Retrieved from: https://www.escarpment.org/NiagaraEscarpment/Environment/Geology

Niagara Escarpment Commission. (2017). "Niagara Escarpment Plan". Retrieved from: https://www.escarpment.org/LandPlanning/NEP

Niagara Greenbelt. (n.d.). "DeCew Falls Water Treatment Plant". Retrieved from: https://brocku.niagaragreenbelt.com/listings/59-industrial-heritage/779-decew-falls-water-treatment-plant.html

Niagara Peninsula. (n.d.). "Climate". Retrieved from: http://www.niagarapeninsula.com/?pg=13

Niagara Region. (2016). "Brock District Plan". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/projects/brock-district-plan/pdf/brock-district-plan.pdf

Niagara Region. (n.d.). "Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/exploring/gqns/background.aspx#:~:text=The%20Glenridge%20Quarry%20Naturalization%20Site,1%2C%202002.

Niagara Region. (n.d.). "History of Niagara Council". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/about-niagara/history-of-niagara-council.aspx

Niagara Region. (n.d.). "Local Municipalities". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/government/municipalities/default.aspx#:~:text=12%20local%20municipalities%20are%20in%20Niagara

Niagara Region. (2013). "Niagara Region's Greenbelt Plan Review. Summary Report". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/government/planning/pdf/Greenbelt%20Report.pdf

Niagara Region. (n.d.) ."Origins of the Niagara Region". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/about-niagara/history-of-niagara-region.aspx#:~:text=Niagara%20Region%20is%20the%20successor,townships%20and%20villages%20were%20born

Niagara Observatory. (n.d.). "Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site. Brock University Policy Brief #4". Retrieved from: https://brocku.ca/niagara-community-observatory/wp-content/uploads/sites/117/Niagara%E2%80%99s-Natural-Park.pdf

Ontario Land Tribunals. (n.d.). "About LPAT". Retrieved from: https://olt.gov.on.ca/tribunals/lpat/about-lpat/

Penney, Jennifer. (2012). Adapting to climate change: Challenges for Niagara. https://www.niagararegion.ca/government/planning/pdf/climatechangerport.pdf

Reyes, Javier. Murali, Chandana. (2020). "The Upper Twelve Mile Creek Watershed". Retrieved from: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/43c21538d0744582af25fc699d9a1ab0

UNESCO. (n.d.). "Niagara Escarpment". Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/canada/niagara-escarpment

Map & Air Photo References

[1934 Air Photo Mosaics of Niagara] [computer file]. (2011). St.Catharines, ON: Brock University Map, Data & GIS Library, Available: Brock University Maps, Data & GIS ftp://ftp.library.brocku.ca/Niagara_1934/ (Date Accessed).

[1954-55 Air Photo Mosaic of Niagara] [web map]. (2014). St.Catharines, ON: Brock University Map, Data & GIS Library, Available https://brock.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=f1c51961537441f6962a3c28f3ae8ca5 (Date Accessed).

[1954-55 Air Photo Mosaic of Niagara] [computer file]. (2014). St.Catharines, ON: Brock University Map, Data & GIS Library, Available ftp://ftp.library.brocku.ca/Niagara1954-55/StCatharines-3.tif (Date Accessed).

Brock University. (1989). Soil Maps of Niagara. Retrieved from: https://brocku.ca/facilities-management/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/Campus-Plan.pdf

Niagara Escarpment Commission. (n.d.). "Figure 2". Retrieved from: https://escarpment.org/InteractiveMap?layers=Niagara%20Escarpment%20Plan%20Designations,Minor%20Urban%20Centre,Niagara%20Escarpment%20Parks%20and%20Open%20Space%20System

Niagara Region. (2014). "Figure 41 - Map of Niagara Region". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/living/icp/pdf/2015/Chapter-1-Imagine-Niagara.pdf

Niagara Region. (2014). "Figure 42 - Map of Niagara Region". Retrieved from: https://www.niagararegion.ca/living/icp/pdf/2015/Chapter-1-Imagine-Niagara.pdf

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. "Figure 23 - Twelve Mile Creek Map". Retrieved from: http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/0c53047f849c20c3367497f8a27f7377

Vital Collections. (1980). "Figure 25-Probable Indigenous Trails, 1790". Retrieved from: http://vitacollections.ca/notlheritage/3579135/page/19?n=

This Local Landscape Report was prepared by Hawkin Paleczny for the Brock University course TMGT 2P94: Human Dominated Ecosystems on November 07, 2020.

Thanks to the support of David Sharron, Head of Archives and Special Collections at Brock University, Dr. David T. Brown, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies at Brock University and the generous donation by Merle Richards of the files from the Niagara Bruce Trail Club to Brock University this project was made possible as a virtual field experience.

To support the acquisition of land and maintenance of trails please consider donating to the Bruce Trail Conservancy.

All copyrights for cited material rest with the original copyright owners.