Bruce Trail Conservancy and APGO Education Foundation celebrate the launch of GeoHikes in time for March Break
DUNDAS, ON, March 7, 2025 /CNW/ - The Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) is excited to celebrate the launch of the Bruce Trail GeoHikes Hub, a free virtual geology education program developed in collaboration with the APGO Education Foundation and the McMaster University School of Earth, Environment & Society.
Bruce Trail GeoHikes are interactive digital tools that offer Bruce Trail users an accessible and innovative way of learning more about the geology of the Niagara Escarpment. Each GeoHike is a one to three-hour non-intensive self-guided tour that highlights the significance of the local geology. GeoHikes can be used as guides while walking the Trail in person, or as a virtual alternative at home or in the classroom.
Most GeoHikes include virtual 3D models that show the locations of fossils and other geological features, 360-degree photos or drone videos, slide bars with overlays of important features or geologic information, and written and audio descriptions of the geology.
"For over 60 years the Bruce Trail has brought people into greater connection with nature, and specifically the Niagara Escarpment. In addition to the incredible biodiversity that can be found here are geological features that tell the fascinating history of the landscape we love. We are so grateful for the work and collaboration of the APGO Education Foundation team in creating the Bruce Trail GeoHikes Hub, which offers another layer of information that can enhance your next adventure through our ribbon of wilderness," said Michael McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
"Over the past 3 years we have taken our goal of covering the Bruce Trail with interesting and informative GeoHikes from concept to realty," said Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo. Founder and Chair of the APGO Education Foundation. "We are delighted to make all these GeoHikes readily available to BTC members and the public to enjoy. GeoHikes provide a fun, interesting, and accessible method of communicating geoscience information to a large and diverse public audience."
There are currently nine Bruce Trail GeoHikes available, which include popular destinations such as Ball's Falls in the Niagara Region, Tiffany Falls in Hamilton, and the Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon. An additional 12 Bruce Trail GeoHikes throughout the 1,300 km Bruce Trail system will go live this spring, including four on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula.
"The GeoHikes contained within the Bruce Trail Hub are easily accessible guides that aim to inform the public about the fascinating geological features they can see at selected sites along the Bruce Trail. The GeoHikes have been researched and compiled largely by undergraduate students at McMaster University who have not only learned about the geology of the Niagara Escarpment but also have gained experience in communicating scientific information to the public. We are looking forward to creating many more informative GeoHikes in collaboration with the BTC," said Dr. Carolyn Eyles, Professor Emerita at McMaster.
For more information and to access Bruce Trail GeoHikes visit geoscienceinfo.com/bruce-trail-hub/.
About the Bruce Trail Conservancy
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario's largest land trusts that secures, protects and restores the vulnerable habitat and biodiversity of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For more than 60 years we have responsibly connected people to nature through the Bruce Trail. We are a member-driven, volunteer-based, charitable organization governed by a 19-member Board of Directors. Working with each of the nine Bruce Trail Clubs, we are committed to caring for the Bruce Trail and to preserving land along its route. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a leading Canadian environmental charity and has been named one of the Top 100 Charities in Canada by Charity Intelligence.
About the APGO Education Foundation
The APGO Education Foundation is a registered charitable organization under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. The purpose of the charity is to advance the education of the public in the area of geoscience – see https://apgoef.ca. GeoscienceINFO.com, developed by the Foundation, is an innovative one-stop spot for the public to gather information about the earth beneath their feet. This website provides interesting information on all facets of geoscience. A particularly exciting feature of GeoscienceINFO.com is the highlighting of virtual field trips in different areas in Ontario. This enables viewers to experience and learn about the geology of an area while traversing it digitally in ESRI ArcGIS OnlineTM and StoryMapsTM.
Bruce Trail Conservancy staff and APGO Education Foundation board members are available for interviews upon request.
SOURCE Bruce Trail Conservancy
Media Contacts: Bruce Trail Conservancy: Ali Schofield, Manager of Communications, [email protected] | 905.529.6821 ext. 252; APGO Education Foundation: Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., Chair, Email: [email protected]; Dr. Deana Schwarz, P.Geo., Manager, Email: [email protected]
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