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It's green, it's clean – and it's free
Tony Ricciuto, Review Staff Writer
Local News - Tuesday, September 06, 2005 @ 02:00
NIAGARA FALLS – It’s green, lush, quiet – and just minutes
from the hustle and bustle of Niagara Falls.
And, thanks to Dan Bouwman, everyone is invited to come out and enjoy its
natural beauty.
"It has been a long haul, but we’re getting there," said
Bouwman, who bought the property in south Niagara Falls in 1999 and worked
three and a half years to get it rezoned resort commercial.
Heartland Forest is near Kalar Road and Brown Line, just 4.4 kilometres
away from Niagara Falls.
On Saturday, 600 metres of fully accessible forest trails was officially
opened to the public, and be available every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Another 800 metres of trail will be completed this fall.
Heartland Forest Nature Experience is the largest privately owned forest
in Niagara, said volunteer Elizabeth Forsyth.
It has 93 acres of mature forest that will be protected in perpetuity,
to be enjoyed by all the community.
The property is wheelchair accessible and portable classrooms have been
set up so school teachers can bring in classes to study nature and also
take a tour.
"It’s very exciting to have 349 acres just 10 minutes away from
Niagara Falls," said Bouwman, who managed to turn his life-long dream
into a reality.
"My goal has always been to preserve and protect. We’ve made it a
non-profit organization. This is for the public. It’s for all the people
to enjoy."
Nature experience co-ordinator Norman Kreger said they are looking for
volunteers to help do work on the trail.
"The trail has already been cut, so all it really means is putting
down fabric and resurfacing. People will be doing some raking, rolling
some fabric and driving a little Gator – that’s the type of work we
will be looking at in doing the next 800 metres."
He said that work will take place from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1.
"When you walk the trail, you won’t believe that you are still in
Niagara Falls," said Kreger.
Two visitors who took a walk through the forest Saturday were Hayley
Nesbitt, and six-year-old Kiran Larson, both of St. Catharines.
"This is beautiful. I saw the ad in the newspaper and wanted to come
out and take a look," said Nesbitt. "I encourage everyone to
come here and have a nice, relaxing day."
Larson said he couldn’t wait to get back to school so he could tell his
classmates about his experience.
"This is good. I like it," he said.
Bouwman said he was pleased with Saturday’s turnout. His next project
will be getting ready for Halloween. On Oct. 22, Tender Wishes will hold
its pumpkinfest and it promises to be bigger than the one held last year.
Bouwman said he really enjoys having the kids come out for a visit. They
get candy, they have their picture taken in the pumpkin house, and they
get to take home a carved pumpkin.
"We have a few irons in the fire to keep things on the go," said
Bouwman. "My heart is in sharing and caring with others."
Anyone who wishes to volunteer should contact Elizabeth Forsyth at
905-356-7384 or volunteer@heartlandforest.org.
Niagara Falls Nature Club
Newsletter
January/06 issue
Heartland Forest has grand plans for eco-tourism in Niagara Falls. Dan
Bouwman has had the zoning on this 349-acre parcel changed to
resort-commercial to facilitate his plans to potentially include camping,
a hotel, a golf course, an outdoor amphitheatre and a man-made lake. The
focus will be on family oriented entertainment and nature education. Near
the forest are portable classrooms, which in partnership with I CAN-T.E.R.,
will offer outdoor education for schools and other groups. Bird of prey
demonstrations are planned and talks are underway on a plan to house and
display them on the site.
The paths through the forest as well as all the planned buildings will
be handicapped accessible.
Heartland Forest plans to protect its 94 acres of forest in perpetuity
for the people of Niagara. There is public access to walk the forest on
weekends. The entrance is on Kalar Road between Brown and Chippewa Creek
Road.
With so much land being cleared for development in Niagara, it is good
to know that this forest will be protected. Perhaps if they succeed in
this eco-tourism endeavor, other tourism providers will take note and
strive to protect more of our natural heritage.
On a beautiful November afternoon, one that Emily Carr would describe
as “perfect in the pauses when the wind forgets and the sun remembers”,
twenty NFNC members met for a walk at Heartland Forest.
Paul Philp, who is participating in Heartland Forest’s education endeavors,
was our guide. Paul is developing a natural history education project for
children based on Woody the Wood Frog. Being a slough forest with many
vernal pools, Wood Frogs are plentiful at Heartland and we found a Wood
Frog still active in mid-November. John Potter helped us with tree
identification. He pointed out the abundant Pin Oak with many galls,
branches that curve to the ground and sharp points. We examined the spongy
bark from Black Ash, Elm bark with its layers like a cake, and Swamp White
Oak with whitish plates in the bark. We also had help in identifying Black
Gum, Hop Hornbeam, Beech and Hickory. Up high in the trees were two pair
of raccoons snoozing in the sunshine.
We are eager to walk the forest in the spring to what flowers grow and
what amphibians live in the vernal pools.
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