Part of the Stories from the Greenbelt series
Protecting What Matters Most: The Greenbelt Foundation’s 2025 Year in Review
A Letter from Ed McDonnell, Greenbelt Foundation CEO
As we wrap up the Greenbelt’s 20th anniversary, I am profoundly inspired by all we have accomplished this year, and by the plans we have put into motion for the years ahead. Our collective work to keep the Greenbelt protected, prosperous, and permanent reached new heights in 2025. We expanded partnerships, supported new and returning grantees, launched major initiatives, and strengthened the many programs that have long defined our work. It has been an honour to lead this organization during such a milestone year.
The Ontario Greenbelt is a globally unique and irreplaceable asset—one that protects two million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, rivers, and lakes in one of North America’s fastest-growing regions. Investing in the Greenbelt is an investment in Ontario’s future, our food security, climate resilience, biodiversity, economic stability, and the health and well-being of our communities.
The Greenbelt remains one of Ontario’s most vital resources, and with your support it will continue to be for generations to come!
Below are just some of the many highlights of our shared work in 2025.
🎉 Celebrating 20 Years of the Greenbelt
February 28th marked the official 20th anniversary of the Ontario Greenbelt! In support of this milestone, we launched an extensive social media campaign featuring images and videos from supporters, partners, staff, and grantee organizations sharing their favourite things about the Greenbelt. We also released a 20 year recap video, highlighting some of our biggest accomplishments over the last two decades.
This October, we brought together our community for our 20th anniversary event at the Toronto Botanical Garden, celebrating 20 years of impact. The evening included reflections, artistic performances, and our annual Friend of the Greenbelt Award ceremony. This year we were thrilled to award 6 different individuals who have uniquely contributed to our work and the prosperity of the Greenbelt as a whole.
This milestone was not just about looking back but an opportunity to strengthen our resolve for tomorrow. As we reflected on two decades of stewardship, we renewed our commitment to sustaining the 2 million acres of protected farmland, forests, wetlands, rivers, and lakes across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
🌱Supporting Agriculture: Supporting Soil, Farms, and Rural Livability
Our soil health program reached new depths in 2025. In November, we proudly released our first-ever Regional Soil Health Report, developed in partnership with the Soil Health Institute. Based on two years of on-farm data across 264 sampled sites, the report provides actionable, regionally relevant benchmarks for soil health across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, empowering farmers to adopt sustainable, resilient practices.
Soil health is just one piece of the broader picture of rural resilience. In June, we also published the Housing Needs and Actions for the Agricultural Sector in Rural Greenbelt Communities report, which examines the intersection of housing, farmland viability, and community well-being. Developed with Caldwell Consulting, this research highlights how housing shortages in rural Greenbelt communities challenge the long-term sustainability of farm operations and the rural economy.
By advancing soil health on the land and addressing the needs of the people who steward it, we are helping build agricultural systems and rural communities that are more resilient, adaptive, and prosperous in the face of climate change and other pressures.
🥾 Expanding Access: Trails, Recreation & Connecting People with Nature
One of our most significant accomplishments this year was the release of the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail Strategy, developed in partnership with the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail Association and Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust. This strategy lays the foundation for a sustainable, inclusive, and ecologically grounded trail system with long-term plans for improved access, land securement, route realignment to prioritize nature over roads and Indigenous-led governance.
The Trail Strategy contributes to a more inclusive, connected, and accessible Greenbelt, a cornerstone of that is meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. Through collaboration with Williams Treaties First Nations, the Trail Strategy represents a step toward Truth and Reconciliation —supporting Indigenous leadership, knowledge-sharing, and stewardship of the lands that have been cared for since time immemorial. By drawing people to the Moraine and connecting them with the land in an intimate, meaningful way, the Trail can create spaces where First Nations and other Indigenous Peoples’ presence on these lands are made visible, and where histories can be shared in a manner defined by Indigenous People.
This year, we also invested in expanding opportunities for youth, seniors, and others without regular access, to explore the Greenbelt! We provided funding to a myriad of partners, including Scadding Court Community Centre, Kawartha Region Conservation Authority, Transportation Options, Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg, to host guided trips, stewardship activities, educational workshops, and other opportunities for hundreds of community members to connect with nature.
In 2025 we also supported a suite of other public events and adventures that encourage recreation in the Greenbelt. For example, the Oak Ridges Moraine Adventure Relay 2025 relaunched, thanks to a grant from the Foundation, inviting community members to explore the Moraine in a team challenge across its trails. Similarly, we continued our collaboration with Waterfront Regeneration Trust on the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure, this year celebrating not only the 20th anniversary of the Greenbelt but the 10th anniversary of the Greenbelt Cycling Route.
As well, we supported the Bruce Trail Conservancy during Bruce Trail Day 2025 to host guided hikes along the trail, spanning the entirety of the Niagara Escarpment. We were thrilled to have staff attend a few of the hikes, giving people meaningful experiences in protected spaces and strengthening their connection to nature. These recreation and access initiatives deepen our mission, reminding everyone that the Greenbelt isn’t just for conservation, but also for people, communities, and shared experiences.
🌍 Climate Resilience & Biodiversity: Strengthening Nature for People and Planet
In 2025, the Greenbelt Foundation deepened its commitment to protecting and enhancing the ecological systems that make the Ontario Greenbelt a cornerstone of climate resilience and biodiversity.
This year we continued our partnership Birds Canada, who are working on the final field season of data collection for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3. The Greenbelt’s two million acres of forests, wetlands, and grasslands provide essential breeding and migratory habitat for dozens of bird species, including at-risk species such as Common Nighthawk, Least Bittern, and Red-headed Woodpecker. Volunteer-led surveys and data collection help fill critical knowledge gaps, generating scientific data that will inform conservation planning, species protection, and habitat stewardship for years to come.
In tandem with on-the-ground biodiversity work, the Foundation advanced systems-level climate solutions through its Natural Asset Management (NAM) Program releasing a report, Natural Asset Management: Advancing Policy Innovation and Municipal Leadership as a guide to help municipalities recognize, value, and manage forests, wetlands, streams, and other natural systems as essential infrastructure.
Tree planting continued to be a cornerstone of the Foundation’s climate and biodiversity action. Together with Forests Ontario, the 1 Million Trees in the Greenbelt Program has now planted 750,000 trees since 2022, making us 75% of the way to achieving our goal! These trees help enhance forest cover, strengthen habitat connectivity, store carbon, protect water systems, and make landscapes more resilient to climate extremes.
By protecting the living systems that sustain healthy watersheds, habitats, and communities, we are not just safeguarding species and ecosystems but building a more climate-ready future for all who live, work, and play within and beyond the Greenbelt.
📚 Education and Outreach: Inspiring the Next Generation
Education remains a cornerstone of our work, and in 2025 we deepened our commitment to engaging young people, families, and future leaders in environmental stewardship. Through continued partnerships with youth-focused environmental organizations, such as Ecoschools and Earth Rangers, we helped deliver hands-on activities that build a deeper understanding of biodiversity, climate resilience, and the importance of protected landscapes. These programs empower young Ontarians to recognize the Greenbelt as a living classroom and a source of belonging, connection, and inspiration.
We also continued one of our most beloved initiatives: the Foundation’s Women in Agriculture campaign. To honour our 20th anniversary, we released a special edition video series featuring meaningful reflections from past participants— farmers, entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders— who shared wisdom, challenges, and hope for the next generation of women shaping Ontario’s agricultural future. Their voices continue to elevate the vital role women play in sustaining our food systems and rural communities.
To bring these stories and values to life for an even broader audience, we partnered with North Country Media House to produce Protecting What Matters Most, a powerful short film that captures the Greenbelt’s immense contributions to Ontario’s well-being. From clean water and climate protection to thriving farms and recreational spaces, the film beautifully illustrates why the Greenbelt is essential, not just today, but for every generation to come.
Gratitude & Looking Ahead
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our partners, grantees, funders, community members, staff, and every individual who stepped up in 2025. Whether you planted a tree, joined a hike, submitted data, or simply shared your love for the Greenbelt, your commitment strengthens this vital landscape and safeguards its future.
As we step into 2026, we carry forward not just momentum, but a renewed sense of purpose and love for Ontario’s Greenbelt. Together, we’re building a legacy of resilience and growth, one tree, one farm, one community, and one connection at a time.
With gratitude,
Edward McDonnell
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