Greenbelt River Valley Connector Program

The Resilient Circle of Green project is a community-inspired outreach and engagement project aimed to educate the public on the ecological, cultural and economic significance of the Bowmanville Creek Valley System.  Through the development of both trail-side and digital wayfinding stations this project will engage the public in both guided and self-directed learning that will tell the story of the valley and broader Greenbelt system.  

This project supports existing City initiatives, such as the City-wide Vaughan Super Trail which proposes to create an integrated trails system throughout the City and the Great Walks of Vaughan program which encourages residents to explore the City’s trail system. The project will create greater community awareness of its trail network through an open-house event and hands-on planting activity.  The community will be educated on the importance of the Humber River Urban River Valley located within the Greenbelt Natural Heritage System.

Through a learning-by-doing approach, this community-powered project will deepen participants’ understanding of watershed health, the Greenbelt, and our interconnectedness with these natural systems.  Decades of urban and agricultural development have put additional pressure on the carrying capacity of the Rouge River watershed. Since 1991, Friends of the Rouge Watershed has been leading hands-on restoration initiatives throughout the watershed to improve and enhance this natural feature.  This project will engage over 2000 participants in naturalization activities that will increase tree canopy cover and biodiversity to enhance viable wildlife habitat, improve water quality and off-set climate change impacts. 

Ontario Streams is dedicated to the conservation, enhancement and rehabilitation of streams and wetlands across the GTA.  The Adopt-A-Stream program will engage participants in hands-on riparian restoration and stewardship activities at key sites within river valleys in Richmond Hill, Markham and Brampton.  Volunteers will gain broad appreciation for these natural systems by participating in native plantings, in­stream litter clean ups, installing in­stream habitat enhancement structures and biological monitoring.

Riverwood Park in Mississauga is a Greenbelt-protected 150-acre oasis of wetlands, forests, creeks, and ravines on the banks of the Credit River, and is home to The Riverwood Conservancy. Through hands-on community events, the Wings, Wildflower and Wilderness Project will address the growing threats to airborne wildlife within the river valley system such as habitat loss, invasive species and climate change. The Riverwood Conservancy champions community-focused environmental stewardship of this natural area, and strives to connect people with nature. Local events will engage over 800 participants in activities such as native wildflower plantings, invasive species removals, and the construction and installation of a ‘Bee Hotel’ – the ideal habitat for a wide variety of solitary nesting bees and insects.