Dear Bruce Trail Conservancy Members,
Over the last few weeks, I have had many conversations with members
about the closure of the Bruce Trail. I understand how significant the
Trail is in all our lives - how much we all miss the exercise, mental
health benefits, and access to nature.
We acknowledge the difficulty of staying at home and the impact it has
on our lives. But we’re confident that extending our cancellations of
events and organized hikes until June 30 is the best way for all of us –
hikers, volunteers, and our local communities – to stay safe and reduce
the impact on our health system.
In addition, the Bruce Trail Conservancy has over 700 handshake
agreements with private landowners that are critical for the
connectivity of our conservation corridor. Many of these essential
stakeholders have politely requested hikers stay away during the
pandemic. The Bruce Trail Conservancy respects these wishes, and we ask
the same of you.
As we continue to work together to support public health officials and
the wishes of our landowners, I want to share with you the latest
measures the BTC is taking.
Extending our Cancellations & Closures
- All BTC and Club in-person events and organized hikes are suspended until June 30.
- Everyone is asked to continue to stay off all areas of the Bruce Trail until further notice; the Bruce Trail is closed.
- Our Dundas office remains closed as required by law via the
provincial shutdown. Employees continue to be reachable by email and
phone.
Connecting, Sharing & Learning Virtually
The BTC is working hard to find innovative ways to keep our member
community engaged and connected. We have found new ways to connect to
nature.
Our spring webinar series for members
filled within 24 hours of its announcement, but I am happy to report
that we have been able to increase the capacity and spaces are now
available for the upcoming webinars:
Future webinars are in the works and will be listed on the Events
section of our website as they are confirmed. If you have an idea for a
BTC webinar speaker or a topic, let us know by sending an email to communications@brucetrail.org.
I also invite you to “Share your Bruce Trail Story”
– an initiative we launched in the spring issue of Bruce Trail
Magazine. Now, more than ever, we are craving connection to each other,
to the natural world, and to all those things that are important to us.
Stories can help us make those connections and help us get through
these difficult times. Learn more on our website here and submit your story today. We look forward to sharing them.
I send special thanks to volunteers in our Bruce Trail Clubs for their
adaptability and creativity in response to this crisis. And thank you to
all who have chosen to renew your membership, make a donation, and show
your support during this time.
All of us are craving a great reunion with nature and the Trail. I look
forward to seeing many of you on the Trail when the time comes. Until
then, please take care of each other, stay home and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Michael McDonald
CEO
For updates, frequently asked questions, and events affected by COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 Updates page. |
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