// CONSERVATION PROPERTIES
Keeping Georgian Bay wild
Our goal is to preserve the land and waters of eastern Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron. This area is home to the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, boasting more than 30,000 islands. Designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the region supports an incredible diversity of plant and wildlife and is core habitat for many at-risk species.
EXPLORE OUR INTERACTIVE PROPERTIES MAP
Managed to protect unique natural features and to provide quiet, low-impact, nature-based activities like picnicking, swimming and hiking. All visitors are required to follow the best practices outlined in the Georgian Bay Land Trust Visitor’s Guidelines and to avoid use of areas with “Ecologically Sensitive Area” signs.
Managed to protect more fragile ecosystems. If you’d like to visit, please contact Aaron Rusak at (416) 440-1519 x 103 or aaron.rusak@gblt.org. Staff guided nature walks on these properties will be posted on our EVENTS page.
These are properties that are better left alone due to fragile ecosystems. Public access is NOT allowed at these properties except for occasional visits by volunteer stewards or staff for monitoring purposes.
These are privately-owned properties whose owners have signed Conservation Agreements with the Georgian Bay Land Trust. We monitor these properties to ensure they remain protected in their natural state forever. Since they are still owned by private individuals, these properties are not open to public use.
Visitor’s Guidelines
Thank you for visiting one of the Georgian Bay Land Trust’s protected properties! These places have been set aside for the conservation of nature, and our public-access community properties welcome visitors for daytime low-impact use. The following are a few simple rules to follow to help keep these special places safe for people, and healthy for the wild species inhabiting them. When visiting a Georgian Bay Land Trust property, please always:
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Remove all Trash
If you brought it in, take it out. This also includes all biodegradable materials, especially human and pet waste.
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Keep Wildlife Wild
Respect wildlife by observing it from a distance and leaving it in peace. Avoid any conflict, and don’t feed the animals.
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Manage Your Dog
Keep your dog nearby and under control and pay attention to signage. Ask others before allowing your pet to say hello and always pick up after your dog.
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Leave it as You Find it
Please don’t pick the flowers or collect the rocks. With many people visiting the properties, the less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have.
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Eat Cold, Not Hot
Please never use portable stoves or BBQs, and never light fires on Georgian Bay Land Trust properties. Even small fires damage rocks.
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Keep it Small and Short
To reduce the impact of visits, please keep your group small and only stay for a couple of hours so others can enjoy a visit too. Read the signs about access and recognize that a red flag means a property is at capacity.
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Keep it Light
Georgian Bay Land Trust public-access properties are great for low-impact daytime activities like picnicking, swimming, taking photographs, hiking and bird watching. Prohibited activities are camping overnight, lighting fires, leaving garbage, damaging or removing natural materials, making loud noise and using motorized vehicles.
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Spread the Word
Please share this guide with others in the Georgian Bay community so they can help too.