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j O-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, February 15, 2000 48 7 Laurier Ave., 878-2881 'lam dysse dfarro 0jeaa About 55 per cent of Bruce Trail lands privately owned Asocato sets out to secure entire route By LISA CARTWRIGHT The Champion The Bruce Trail Association wants to 'Realize the Dreamn' by securing unprotect- ed lands by 2015. White about 45 per cent of the trait is oecured (land either owned by tic association, the govemrment or conservation areas), the rest of the trait - approximately 440 km or 55 per cent - is atili privately owncd. In Halton, the Bruce Trait oinds acroas more than 90 km of land, witb 19 km of it stili unsccurcd. And white moat of the landowners have given tic ssociation permission to use their lands, contracta have neyer been aigncd. *"It'a thc grace of thse landiorda or landiadies," Uiat people arc allowcd on their propcrty, aaid Richard Bochnke, president of the Bruce Trait Association. "It's uaually a handshake deal which makea it a tite tenuous." Making deala time-consuming Tfli problcmi wiUi a verbal agreement is Uiat the deal often bas to be rencgotiatcd whcn owncrs change. To help fund initiativea to secure Uic entire trait, the Bruce Trait Association has launchcd ita 'Realize the Drcam by 2015' pro- gram. Thle prograro works by aclling footatepa of land. The associa- tion figures Uierc arc approximatcly 1.5 million footsteps Icft to accure along Uic Bruce Trait. When a person purchasea one footstcp for $25, Uic association onili purchase Uioee more. "TMe Niagara Escarpment is a rich ecological ayatcm," said Roger Taylor, a member of Uic Bruce Trait Association and for- mcr chair of' Uic group's environmental committee. "tt's also fragile and easily dcstroyed. It definitely needa protction." Several options for securing lands TMc association bas sevcral options. It can buy thc property out- rigbt, buy acceas to it or havc thc landowncrs donate Uic land. And Uic goal is to havc Uic trait complctcly securcd by 2015. "lIt took 30 ycars to get 45 per cent of'thc land ightcned down," Mr. Boehnke said. "We didn't want it to takc another 30 to 40 years to get the oest. We set a tight target that is realiatic and kceps us moving." Thei Bruce Trait is a path Uiat runs 800 km along thc Niagara Escarpment. I 1990, it was designated a World Bioaphcre Reserve by thc Photo by GRAHIAM PAINE About 45 per cent of th. land iocat.d aiong the Bruce Treil le secured (elther owned by. the conservation arase, the govemmirent or the association). By 2015, the group hopea ta secure the reat of it. Richard Boehnke, president of the aesociation, strolis along the accesa ta the trait-at Kelso Conservation Ares . Unitcd Nations on Education and Scicntific and Cultural Organization. It bas thc samne importance as the Galapago Isalands and Uic Quick facts on Bruce Trail Association - T'he Bruce Truit Association bas mesare from othcr clubs. 8.5mÔ emenit. a People wiho join the association cati " There arc nine clubs ta Ontario. do as much or as littie as they want. Tfley " Haif of thse members are froni thse cas bike the trait by theniselves, juin Toronto club, a third corne froni thse group hikes and attend meetings. Iroquoia club (Hamulto>n ares) aid Uic Memtbets a"s get a copy of thse ncwslet- ter aid magazine, -Thse goal for moat associationt mens- bers is to lieke thse entire trait. Many do it in several sections over a number of ycsrs. Whcn complete, they receive a badge. Flonida Everglades. "Thic Niagara Escarpmcnt offers some unique featurca onto itaclf and somc unique featurco onto Southcrn Ontario," Mr. Boehnkc said. "People don't realize how significant thse cacarpment reslly ia. It bas pretty hcavy company." The Bruce Trait Association formed in 1961 afler membera of the Ontario Naturaliat Association wanted a walking trait along Uic Niagara Escaopment. The group set out to provide public acceas to Uic cscaopmcnt so people could cnjoy its bcauty and promote conservation in the prucesa. People can help the Bruce Trait Association 'Rcalizc the Drcam by 2015' by calling 1-800-665-IHKE (4453). Corporate as oncîl as individual donations arc accepted. u i ttfl% 1NI :r'r e-.-etm COQECO 14 Programming Schedule - February l5th, 2000 - February 2lst, 2000 M2»umZ9n rl' 0m lamNo Id Otan, Ilant Nom ni 08m lisIanti Nom Wd NMhlPp.p w n 0a, llamn No tIn! ~ /e t- - 5:3062 .10p NM Èi 5306:3:30r 1 Wi#ni 530630720p iuged In 4:3p N caSmar 5:06:30,1:0r Plged In! 6:0m Sano 90S 6M C&a* n e î 6:06Ia NLSmas 5:30pm enomshaase 6:0r WCe ognthe E4e www.cogeco.ca 7:0m M e, :0m sa atW!eS m h âe s ton0 TotBe ki.re Actan 8t0p HSak hiIs Coni Pl ' Same' o foie 800p atn 1o onl8e SPDItIC L 21 Main Street North, Pot 11h benefts - Fe I Acton, ON L7J lV9 519-853-1270, or 853-4700 Feature this week: Your dally news & Info program on Cogeco 14 -Mon-Thurs, 5:30, 6:30 & 7:3Opm.