Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth, its interdependence, and how it interacts to support all of us. A loss of one species through habitat destruction affects the lives of other species, including human beings. Protecting and reintroducing species helps us all thrive. 

Our Biodiversity Committee’s mission, Biodiversity education through action and activities, supports the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s mission of Preserving a ribbon of wilderness, for everyone, forever.  We do that through education, monitoring native and invasive species, removing invasive species, and replanting native species. Join us!

Thanks to iNaturalist for recognizing and promoting the work of our Biodiversity Committee!

The theme of diversity and interconnection describes our volunteers, audiences, and activities. Over the past two years, our small and energetic committee, in collaboration with BTC experts, Mara McHaffie, Ecologist, and Lyndsey Wilkerson, Project Restoration Coordinator, has organized numerous activities appealing to different audiences. Our committee members bring a variety of expertise and backgrounds that make for thoughtful, constructive, and creative discussions that produce our action and activities.

Read more about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how you can participate.

Biodiversity Events

BTC is holding a Spring Bioblitz in the Caledon Hill section for budding to expert naturalists to participate in data collection needed for valuable conservation work. Your contribution will help identify species along the Bruce Trail, build an observation map, and provide data needed for evidence-based initiatives. We need volunteers with diverse interests to identify species across a variety of groups, including plants, birds, insects, fungi and more! Learn more and register.

Join members of the DHBTC Biodiversity Committee and BTC Ecologists to restore the natural habitat around the perimeter of the recently established Pine River Parking Lot. Help us remove burdock plants and replace them with a variety of native tree species. Learn more and register. 

Participate in the ongoing monitoring and maintenance of approximately 90 American Chestnut tree samplings planted in September 2024. Volunteers will assist DHBTC Biodiversity Committee members and BTC Ecologists to mulch, replace tree guards, and assess trees to determine survival rates. Some invasive species removal may be required. Learn more and register

BTC is holding a Spring Bioblitz in the Beaver Valley section for budding to expert naturalists to participate in data collection needed for valuable conservation work. Your contribution will help identify species along the Bruce Trail, build an observation map, and provide data needed for evidence-based initiatives. We need volunteers with diverse interests to identify species across a variety of groups, including plants, birds, insects, fungi and more! Learn more and register