Oak Ridges Moraine

Exploring the Oak Ridges Moraine

Unique Landscape

Rolling over the southern Ontario landscape, the Oak Ridges Moraine stretches from Lake Ontario to the Niagara Escarpment in the west and the Trent River in the east. This geographical phenomenon was formed by glaciers during the last ice age (70,000-10,000 BC), as channels in the ice created piles of sediment that were to become the Moraine.

Water, Water Everywhere

Composed mainly of gravel, sand and some silt, the Moraine acts as a giant sieve, purifying and filtering rainwater into an aquifer that in turn supplies local and regional ground water flows. The Moraine is essentially a rain barrel, supplying around 250,000 people with drinking water. It acts as the watershed divide between Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario and releases water into over 65 watercourses that flow north and south into Georgian Bay, and the Lakes Simcoe, Scugog, Rice and Ontario. The Oak Ridges Moraine is also the headwater for a number of rivers, including the Humber, the Don and the Rouge Rivers.

Diverse Flora and Fauna

Boasting an impressive array of flora and fauna as well as a variety of landforms ranging from woodlands to wetlands, the Oak Ridges Moraine supports a distinctive and fragile ecosystem. Many regionally and provincially rare species live here, such as the Hooded Warbler and the Jefferson Salamander, two of the multitude of plants and animals that call the Moraine their home. Many of these creatures are considered threatened or endangered, accentuating the importance of this special area of the Greenbelt.

Explore the Moraine

Incredible hiking trails wind across the Moraine, allowing for a closer look at the irreplaceable natural environment and varied wildlife. With 250km of trails currently completed and future plans to extend the paths along the entire length of the Moraine, both those who enjoy a leisurely stroll in the countryside as well as more serious hikers can enjoy the beauty of the Moraine. The Oak Ridges Trail Association offers an extensive array of organized hikes, ranging from bird watching excursions to exploration of the Oshawa Wetlands. These outings cater to both dedicated and casual hikers, ensuring that there is a way for anyone to appreciate the Moraine. Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation Natural Resources Canada: Oak Ridges Moraine

The Greenbelt Foundation is

Engaged Hamilton schools to switch to Greenbelt food for their students
Supporting the development of multi-cultural crops and training new Canadian Farmers
Engaging with over 170 million Ontarians directly through our marketing, events and communications activities
Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter
Funding research and analysis on greenbelts around the globe which concluded that Ontario’s Greenbelt is the most robust in the world, with a strong legal and policy framework
Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas
Supporting the Credit Valley Conservation Authority to protect and restore wetlands
Participating strategically in growing the Greenbelt by working with Toronto, Peel, Halton, and Guelph
Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic
Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO
Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel schools, City of Toronto, City of Markham and others
Hosted the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference in Toronto in March 2011 with speakers and delegates from over nine countries
Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities
Increasing amount of Greenbelt food in food share program 140%
Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond
Assisting in designing new policies to protect Lake Simcoe through timely research
Funding visionary planning processes such as the new Cootes to Escarpment Park Management Plan, and a massive reforestation plan in Rouge Park
Supporting changing the City of Toronto policy to adopt a local food purchasing bylaw for city facilities
Bringing thousands of Ontarians out into the Greenbelt each year through grantee activities and the Annual Tour de Greenbelt cycling event
Partnering with Harbourfront Centre to tell the story of Ontario’s Greenbelt to 12 million people via a year-long, outdoor photography exhibit
Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products
Reaching over 75 million by placing 220 permanent highway and regional road signs to ensure Ontarians and visitors know about this valuable protected area
Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students
Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns
Funding policy changes to encourage more local food to be sold in Durham
Creating a network of Farmer’s Markets to help improve our local food economy
Supporting the creation of an award-winning Greenbelt granola bar
Supporting the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance to foster strong Greenbelt Plan implementation at the municipal level
Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara
Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination
Contributing $2.65 million to Greenbelt farmers to improve their operations (leveraging millions of dollars from federal sources), and to employ the opportunities of the Green Energy Act
Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel, U of T. City of Toronto Facilities and Markham
Providing grants and support to significantly increase sales at farmers’ markets
Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to source local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers
Building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels
Supporting the creation of new multi-cultural crops and development of ethnic local food guides in Toronto and York Region
Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions
Bridging farming and hiking interests to acknowledge environmental progress by farmers

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