Happy trails, Debbie. Snowflakes are one of nature s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together Vesta M.

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WINTER 2018-2019 Landowners Appreciation Potluck Dinner, Friday, November 2 at the Rockway Community Centre Photo: Margaret Northfield

For those of us who hate the heat and humidity of summer, there is relief in sight. Winter is my favorite season to hike.

First, with no leaves on the trees, you can enjoy unobstructed views atop the escarpment and across Lake Ontario.

Second, you can soak in the sunlight to absorb vitamin D.

1 WINTER Landowners Appreciation Potluck Dinner, Friday, November 2 at the Rockway Community Centre Photo: Margaret Northfield President's Message DEBBIE DEMIZIO I am so excited that winter hiking is nearly here! For those of us who hate the heat and humidity of summer, there is relief in sight. Winter is my favorite season to hike. There are several benefits to winter hiking. First, with no leaves on the trees, you can enjoy unobstructed views atop the escarpment and across Lake Ontario. You can also see birds more clearly cardinals, chickadees and even robins can be spotted in the winter months. Second, you can soak in the sunlight to absorb vitamin D. Finally, you will burn more calories trudging through the snow and working to keep warm. 1 The Grapevine Winter I invite you to strap on your icers and take a winter hike! On New Year s Day, please join me for the first hike of 2019 followed by a hot beverage and snack. Please see the hike schedule for details. Snowflakes are one of nature s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together Vesta M. Kelly Happy trails, Debbie

2018-2019 NBTC Board of Directors PRESIDENT Debbie Demizio PAST PRESIDENT Corrie Kellestine VICE-PRESIDENT Vacant CLUB SECRETARY Janet Davey CLUB TREASURER Marinus Koole PUBLIC RELATIONS AND

2 NBTC Board of Directors PRESIDENT Debbie Demizio PAST PRESIDENT Corrie Kellestine VICE-PRESIDENT Vacant CLUB SECRETARY Janet Davey CLUB TREASURER Marinus Koole PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY DIRECTOR Margaret Northfield LAND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR Vince Zvonar TRAIL MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR Rick Waters LAND SECUREMENT SECRETARIAT DIRECTOR Ruth Moffatt LANDOWNER RELATIONS/LSS ALTERNATE Koosje Stassen BTC BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Corrie Kellestine MEMBERSHIP/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR George Prins HIKE COORDINATOR Alicia Aitchison NEWSLETTER EDITOR Kathleen Orth ARCHIVIST Jean Stephenson-Lucente SOCIAL CONVENER Diane Marlatt DIRECTOR AT LARGE Vacant NIAGARA BRUCE TRAIL CLUB Website: niagarabrucetrail.club.org Facebook Niagara Bruce Trail Club VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! HIKE LEADERS We are seeking hike leaders to lead 1.5 to 2-hour hikes, leisurely to moderate pace. Training will be provided. If you are interested, and can commit to leading at least 3 hikes per schedule (the hike schedule is published quarterly), please contact Alicia Aitchison, Hike Coordinator, aliciaaitchison1@gmail.com VICE PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT As you are aware, the Niagara Bruce Trail Club is managed by a committed board comprised of volunteers. To ensure that the club continues to operate at a highly functioning level, we need to recruit dedicated and capable people to contribute to the ongoing success of the club. We are in urgent need of a Vice President, for immediate appointment, with a view to taking over in the role as President effective May 1, 2019, for a two-year term. The candidate will be mentored and supported by the board, and specifically the Past President. (If we are unable to recruit for this position, we will need to explore other options.) If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity or wish to apply, please contact niagarabrucetrailclub@gmail.com Trail Monitors Wanted! Niagara Bruce Trail Club offers a new volunteer opportunity. The volunteer Trail Monitor is an extra pair of eyes on the trail. The role is necessary to help discover and report problems along the trail, such as overgrowth, erosion, wet areas, damaged blazes, vandalism, graffiti, garbage, fallen trees, and broken structures, such as steps, bridges, boardwalks and stiles. 1. Trail Monitor is assigned to a specific portion of the trail reporting to the Trail Captain. 2. Regular communication by phone or is an important part of the job. Urgent problems should be reported immediately with location and photos of the problem where possible. 3. As a Monitor you are expected to walk your section once per month. Keep track of time spent on volunteer duties and report these hours to Trail Development & Maintenance Director (TD&M) twice a year April 30th and October 31st. 4. When inspecting your section, light pruning and garbage pick-up would be helpful. Any other maintenance issues should be reported to the Trail Captain or the TD&M Director. Enjoy your role as a volunteer Trail Monitor. You play an important role for safe hiking on the Bruce Trail in Niagara. Trail Development and Maintenance Director November 11, The Grapevine Winter

Hikes ALICIA AITCHISON HIKE COORDINATOR Youth Hiking Program I am excited to announce the launch of our new Youth Hiking Program in our Winter Hiking Schedule.

Blazers Badge which requires that a hike on the Niagara Bruce Trail is completed and a write up submitted that describes how you used one or more of your five senses on the hike what did you see,

John s Catholic Elementary School in Beamsville, to carry out an artwork competition for the two new badge designs.

John s, are shown displaying their badge artwork. We will be selecting the final badge artwork from these finalists not an easy job with all the great choices!

There are a series of four 90- minute Youth Hikes in our winter hiking schedule, allowing those who participate in all four to earn their Young Trail Blazer Badge.

3 Hikes ALICIA AITCHISON HIKE COORDINATOR Youth Hiking Program I am excited to announce the launch of our new Youth Hiking Program in our Winter Hiking Schedule. With this program comes the launch of two new Youth Hiking Badges the Young Trail Blazer Badge which requires the completion of four 90-minute hikes on the Niagara Bruce Trail, and the Young Nature Blazers Badge which requires that a hike on the Niagara Bruce Trail is completed and a write up submitted that describes how you used one or more of your five senses on the hike what did you see, touch, taste, smell or hear during your hike? Both badges are for youth 15 and under. We partnered with a local school, St. John s Catholic Elementary School in Beamsville, to carry out an artwork competition for the two new badge designs. The schools Eco-Team, student body and teachers worked together to select the finalists for both badges. The seven finalists, all Grade 6 students at St. John s, are shown displaying their badge artwork. We will be selecting the final badge artwork from these finalists not an easy job with all the great choices! Thanks to all the students for creating these beautiful designs! There are a series of four 90- minute Youth Hikes in our winter hiking schedule, allowing those who participate in all four to earn their Young Trail Blazer Badge. Bring out your kids and grandkids for some winter hiking fun! FINALISTS FOR THE YOUTH HIKING BADGES ARTWORK COMPETITION Grade 6 Students from St John s Catholic Elementary School Jesse Pook, Abygale Price, Eton Binfield, Ruby Milan Schuster, Alyssa Calconi, Brianna Lee and (missing from photo) Arianna Arjani Our winter hike schedule includes several badge earning opportunities. In addition to the youth badges, you can also earn the Beaver Valley Falling Water Badge on December 1st & 2 nd ; work towards your winter hiking badge starting December 21 st or complete the Niagara End to End Saturdays in January and on February 2 nd. Some specialty hikes in our schedule include a tour of the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls on December 5 th, a Citizen Science hike on December 9 th as well as a Christmas Day Hike and the President s Hike on New Year s Day. Out of town hikes include the Beaver Valley Falling Water Hikes December 1st and 2 nd, Mono Cliffs in Winter on December 8 th, Terra Cotta Forest in Winter on January 5 th and Scotsdale Farm on February 2 nd as well as a Ganaraska Trail E2E (details are on the online calendar). Check out all the great options on the schedule and don t forget to check the hiking calendar on the website in case of any changes or cancellations due to inclement weather this winter! Thanks to all our hard-working Hike Leader volunteers for filling our winter schedule with such great hikes! Happy Hiking! 3 The Grapevine Winter

BTC Awards BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DEBBIE DEMIZIO New Bridge and trail reroute DEBBIE DEMIZIO Service Recognition Award Corrie Kellestine, Past President of the Niagara Bruce

org/pages/about-us/boardof-directors#corrie_kellestine Susan Oleskevitch Award Vince Zvonar was this year s recipient of the Susan Oleskevitch Award.

outstanding trail worker. Vince received a special plaque, hand-crafted by Caledon Bruce Trail Club Member Dave Moule. The plaque is made of cherry wood from a tree that has fallen on the Bruce Trail.

4 BTC Awards BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DEBBIE DEMIZIO New Bridge and trail reroute DEBBIE DEMIZIO Service Recognition Award Corrie Kellestine, Past President of the Niagara Bruce Trail Club, received a service recognition award for three years service on the board of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Photo courtesy of Susan Oleskevitch Award Vince Zvonar was this year s recipient of the Susan Oleskevitch Award. This award is given to a Bruce Trail volunteer who has been actively involved in the physical work of trail maintenance and development, has a long-standing commitment to trail work, and is an outstanding trail worker. Vince received a special plaque, hand-crafted by Caledon Bruce Trail Club Member Dave Moule. The plaque is made of cherry wood from a tree that has fallen on the Bruce Trail. The diamond sign is decommissioned and has provided guidance to many hikers on the trail. Vince s name is also added to the Susan Oleskevitch plaque that can be found on display at the Bruce Trail Conservancy office. Photo: Debbie Demizio With a little help from our friends a group of volunteers from PCL Construction worked to construct this new bridge on the rerouted trail, just east of the Staff Ave. parking lot. They also helped construct the stone landing and stone steps nearby. As with any big project, there was a lot of preparatory work. Credit for this goes to volunteers Rick, Vince, Jacques, Marinus, Bob who mapped, bushwhacked and cleared the route to make way for the new trail. A team of blazers Margaret, Debbie, Willard, Bob and Jacques re-blazed the trail. Thanks to all! Bruce Trail Guide Collection NBTC Land Stewardship Director Vince Zvonar with NBTC President Debbie Demizio Photo: Rick Waters Photo courtesy of Andrew Costley The Bruce Trail Guide collection is almost complete and will hopefully soon be donated to the Niagara Bruce Trail Club archives. Some of the very first editions have been very difficult to find as they differed only in the way they were bound. The photo shows a different binding on each of the first four editions and I m still searching for the first three as shown above and Edition 12. If you have any of these Bruce Trail Guides and would like to donate them, please contact Ruth Moffatt at or ruthdmoffatt@gmail.com 4 The Grapevine Winter

Holiday Gift Ideas NBTC Neck Scarves Only $15! The neck scarves would make a great stocking stuffer for the hiker in your family. Contact one of the following Directors to purchase one.

com 226-755-0362 Bruce Trail Day DIANE MARLATT SOCIAL CONVENER Bruce Trail Gift Memberships Gift memberships are a great way to introduce a friend or family member to the wonders of the

Great Egret, Jefferson Salamander, Massasauga Rattlesnake. Funds allocated for habitat preservation. See https://brucetrail.

org/store/view/24 5-2019-bruce-trail-calendar Niagara College greenhouse was the place to be on Sunday September 30 th to celebrate with friends, new and old.

Photos: Diane Marlatt Niagara College students of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Sandra and Elijah, gave a presentation about the nearby flora and fauna.

5 Holiday Gift Ideas NBTC Neck Scarves Only $15! The neck scarves would make a great stocking stuffer for the hiker in your family. Contact one of the following Directors to purchase one. Margaret Northfield, margaret.northfield@gmail.com Debbie Demizio, ddemizio@bell.net, Janet Davey, needstogolf@gmail.com Bruce Trail Day DIANE MARLATT SOCIAL CONVENER Bruce Trail Gift Memberships Gift memberships are a great way to introduce a friend or family member to the wonders of the Niagara Escarpment. A one-year membership with the Bruce Trail Conservancy is $50. You receive a charitable donation tax receipt for the full amount of the gift membership. For more info, see ship/gift-membership Bruce Trail Conservancy Presents for Preservation $50 (tax receipt) allows you to adopt one of these species: Ancient White Cedar, Bobcat, Bobolink, Great Egret, Jefferson Salamander, Massasauga Rattlesnake. Funds allocated for habitat preservation. See sents 2019 Bruce Trail Calendar Full-colour, 9 x 12 $15.00 for BTC members; $18.00 for non-members. To order, see bruce-trail-calendar Niagara College greenhouse was the place to be on Sunday September 30 th to celebrate with friends, new and old. The Niagara Bruce Trail Club hosted about 80 guests. Photos: Diane Marlatt Niagara College students of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Sandra and Elijah, gave a presentation about the nearby flora and fauna. Sandra pointed out a few of the features on the hike to 60 hikers. The Ontario Power Generation sponsored the Bruce Trail Day by providing packets of wildflower seeds and a free copy of the 29 th Bruce Trail Reference Guide to new members who joined on Bruce Trail Day. The Niagara Club attracted 27 new members to the Bruce Trail Conservancy. The Niagara Club appreciates the generous support of the Niagara College by providing the space to host our event and the tasty treats Bruce Trail Calendar Draw Long-time hike leader Diana Knight (right) drew the name of the winner for the 2019 Bruce Trail calendar. Ian Butler (left) was the happy winner! 5 The Grapevine Winter

Thanksgiving Festival at Balls Falls MARGARET NORTHFIELD PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY DIRECTOR The wet Thanksgiving Weekend did not dampen the spirits of our dedicated Niagara Bruce Trail Club

Thank you, Debbie Demizio, Martin Vandenberg, Jim Gibson, Franck Healey, Karen Couch, Stephen Connacher, Susan Meinzinger, Lisa Etienne, Chuck Taylor, MaryAnn Fischer, Sheila Massey, Trudy Senesi,

KOOSJE STASSEN LANDOWNER RELATIONS The annual Landowners Appreciation Potluck Dinner, held Friday, November 2 at the Rockway Community Centre, was once again a success.

6 Thanksgiving Festival at Balls Falls MARGARET NORTHFIELD PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY DIRECTOR The wet Thanksgiving Weekend did not dampen the spirits of our dedicated Niagara Bruce Trail Club members who volunteered at the annual Balls Falls Thanksgiving Festival, October 5-8, Thank you, Debbie Demizio, Martin Vandenberg, Jim Gibson, Franck Healey, Karen Couch, Stephen Connacher, Susan Meinzinger, Lisa Etienne, Chuck Taylor, MaryAnn Fischer, Sheila Massey, Trudy Senesi, Lou Gaudier, Judy Gaudier, Marinus Koole, Wendy Howick, Merle Richards, Derek Richards, and Doug Thoms. We are thankful to have such great representation at this harvest event Thank You, Landowners! KOOSJE STASSEN LANDOWNER RELATIONS The annual Landowners Appreciation Potluck Dinner, held Friday, November 2 at the Rockway Community Centre, was once again a success. NBTC Members organized the event, prepared food and invited landowners to come and enjoy a fine dinner to thank them for allowing us to cross their property as we hike the Bruce Trail. Thank you to all members for their contributions; it takes a team to put this evening together. Thank you to members who organized and delivered the calendars and invitations and to members who looked after setting up the hall, the sale of tickets and bartending. Thank you to the kitchen team, our poet, and the piano player. Many landowners expressed how they enjoy the event and look forward to the dinner each year. Words of Welcome: NBTC Landowners Relations Director Koosje Stassen (right) with Sheila Massey (left), welcoming landowners and NBTC members Kudos to Our Landowners By Sheila Massey The amazing display of wildflowers in spring Which makes our hikers gallop in A time when leaves of tress unfold After winter is done and it has been so cold Migrating birds happy to be in this place After their flight at an awesome pace And, then after several months, it is summer The dark green moss is so abundant There are still lots of sights to see And the Bruce Trail is where you want to be Trudging the trails; it is hot and muggy But brave souls still enjoy the sunny Then it is fall, with the splendour of colour It is a sight to behold, full of wonder A most spectacular time of year Something that can almost bring a tear Oh, winter how any will complain In some minds, it is better than rain We can still be a child at heart And make snow angels to our delight There is wonder everywhere Where on the trails, no one gives a care People own some of the lands we hike along And in their goodness, we can have our fun So, to the landowners who allow us to embark A special thanks from the bottom of our heart! Presented at the annual Landowners Dinner, hosted by the Niagara Bruce Trail Club, on November 2, Sheila Massey reads her tribute to Niagara Landowners Kudos to Landowners Photos: Margaret Northfield 6 The Grapevine Winter

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland Picture yourself at the top of Gros Morne! A trip is being planned for one week, August 11-August 18, 2019.

(Number of participants will be limited to availability of accommodations.) If you are interested (and you are a member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy), please contact ruthdmoffatt@gmail.

Ruth Moffatt (left) (Niagara Bruce Trail Club) and Pat Leggat (Thames Valley Trail Association) Waterloo University Research Survey looks at how being in nature affects our wellbeing Do you sometimes

Rebecca Koroll, a graduate student in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo, is interested in answering these questions and also knowing more about your

7 Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland Picture yourself at the top of Gros Morne! A trip is being planned for one week, August 11-August 18, We will stay in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and hike most of the 20+ trails in Gros Morne National Park including the one to the summit. (Number of participants will be limited to availability of accommodations.) If you are interested (and you are a member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy), please contact ruthdmoffatt@gmail.com or by phone at Ruth Moffatt (left) (Niagara Bruce Trail Club) and Pat Leggat (Thames Valley Trail Association) Waterloo University Research Survey looks at how being in nature affects our wellbeing Do you sometimes think about how being in nature raises your wellbeing? Do you think your use of the trails is a reason? Rebecca Koroll, a graduate student in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo, is interested in answering these questions and also knowing more about your experience from using the trails. With the encouragement of the Conservation Areas and the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, Rebecca hopes that what she discovers could provide them with information that might help improve programs and services, and could increase users commitment to environmental conservation. Rebecca is conducting a survey of trail users and would really appreciate your help. She is asking about trail users experiences, why they use the trails, how strongly connected they are to nature and the trails, and what characterizes users trail use, such as how often they visit and how long they stay. To learn more about Rebecca s study and participate in her online survey, which will only take about 10 minutes and is completely anonymous, please go to this website: If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca directly by at rkoroll@uwaterloo.ca. PROJECT FEEDERWATCH SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR ITS SEASON For more than 32 years, people who feed wild birds have been reporting their observations to Project FeederWatch to track trends in bird populations. The data they provide helps scientists better understand what happens to birds facing challenges, such as climate change, disease, and habitat loss. No experience is necessary to take part. Bird Studies Canada provides material to help with bird identification. The PFW Season runs from Saturday, November 10, 2018 to Friday, April 5, 2019 FeederWatchers select periodic two-day intervals throughout the winter and count birds for at least 15 minutes on those days. They submit their sightings online. In Canada, you must be a member of Bird Studies Canada (BSC) to participate. To join Project FeederWatch, make a donation of any amount to Bird Studies Canada. FeederWatchers in Canada will receive a poster of common feeder birds, a calendar, last season s results, and access to online data tools. Those making a minimum donation of $35 will receive a subscription to Bird Studies Canada s magazine, BirdWatch Canada. For more info, contact Bird Studies Canada/Etudes d'oiseaux Canada at Reviewed by Ruth Moffatt This book is loaded with ideas for hiking with children of all ages - from babies to teenagers. It contains great content on how to start, how to build distance and even backpacking overnight. There are checklists for what sort of gear you should carry for children of all ages and helpful tips for what to eat and drink while hiking. As mentioned in the Hike Coordinator s Report, Niagara Bruce Trail Club is introducing badges for children. This book is an excellent Companion to getting your kids hiking. 7 The Grapevine Winter

RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES HERE MARK THE DATES FOR 2019 EVENT HIKES

Copy due date for the Spring 2019 issue is January 31 st. For editorial guidelines and for rates to advertise, contact btcgrapevine@gmail.

8 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES HERE MARK THE DATES FOR 2019 EVENT HIKES Fort-to-Fort Saturday, April 8 & Sunday April 9 Niagara End-to-End Saturday May 18 to Monday, May 20 Annual Laura Secord Hike Saturday, June 15 Steeltown Stomp Sunday, September 29 Merritthon Saturday, November 9 The Grapevine is the newsletter of the Niagara Bruce Club, one of the nine member clubs of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. The Grapevine appears four times a year. NBTC Members are invited to submit stories and photos. Copy due date for the Spring 2019 issue is January 31 st. For editorial guidelines and for rates to advertise, contact btcgrapevine@gmail.com BROWN RABBIT CABINS PHONE: 1 (709) BROWNRABBITCABINS@GMAIL.COM BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY MISSION Preserving a ribbon of wilderness, for everyone, forever. 8 The Grapevine Winter

President's message. A group of Happy Hikers proudly display their badges for completing the Fort to Fort Hike in April. Happy trails, Debbie

President's message. A group of Happy Hikers proudly display their badges for completing the Fort to Fort Hike in April. Happy trails, Debbie Summer 2018 A group of Happy Hikers proudly display their badges for completing the Fort to Fort Hike in April. President's message DEBBIE DEMIZIO PRESIDENT The Annual General Meeting was held April 29th