• Rouge Park and OPG: Back on the Trail of Biodiversity
• Rouge Park and OPG: Celebrating Biodiversity
• Plenty of Reasons to Celebrate
• Report Calls for National Rouge Park
• Rouge Park Alliance honours the Rouge Valley Foundation
• Rouge Park's 6th Annual Winter Bird Count
• Rouge Park Volunteers Do Some Heavy Lifting
• Ron Christie Recieves Rouge Park Award
• Rouge Park Receives Exceptional Support from Province
• Rouge Park Affirms Greening Partnership with York Region
• Rouge Park: Connecting Toronto and York Region
• Ontario Government Dedicates 6km2 to Rouge Park

(Toronto, Ontario - September 3, 2011)

Celebrating the International Year of the Forest, Rouge Park and Ontario Power Generation invite residents of the Greater Toronto Area to explore a wilderness close to home with a guided walk. Rouge Park's Fall Biodiversity Walks in partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) celebrates its second year, offering 7 themed walks a week with trained guides, free to the public, through October 30th.

Take a walk with us on these specially-themed outings. We'll introduce you to Rouge Park and help you learn more about the diverse wildlife and landscapes that make up this natural quilt. Look for walks just for kids, just for adults, for everyone and dog-friendly outings. With trained leaders to guide the way and some special guests adding extra colour to the walks, we promise you'll fall in love with Rouge Park!

Located in Toronto, and in the Ontario Greenbelt, Rouge Park represents Canada's largest natural environment park in a near-urban setting. Join us to explore a truly unique area of biodiversity within a half hour's drive of downtown Toronto. Rouge Park is over 40 km2, encompassing a mosaic of river valley, creek, forest, meadow and rural landscapes, within the Rouge River, Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds.

WHEN: September 3rd to October 30th, 2011 - Wednesdays at 9:30am, Weekends 9:30am, noon and 2pm. Walks go rain or shine. Please dress and have footwear appropriate for trail walking.

WHERE: Meeting at various points in the Toronto area of Rouge Park. Check out the schedule for details and meeting points at rougepark.com/hike. For further details on the walks, contact Diana Smyth, Trail Coordinator, at hike@rougepark.com or 905 713 3184 (Monday to Thursday).

EXAMPLES OF WALK THEMES:
Welcome to Rouge Park If you are new to Rouge Park or a regular visitor, this walk will get you ready for further adventures with us! As we always say, "You never know what will happen."

Get Your Binoculars! It's Fall Bird Migration! We're coming on to the peak of fall bird migration. Join us to see who's around and about as our winged neighbours get ready to make a move… or stay right here in Rouge Park!

Fall Fit Join us for a walk in the woods to stay Fall Fit! We take things faster than our usual pace, but always stop when something catches our eyes or ears. Trail walks at a fitness pace are a great natural workout, training you in different ways than you'd expect. Come away from this walk feeling the challenge but having seen lots more than you would in a gym! It's a win win for your body and spirit.

Fall Colours It's that time again! Time for Rouge Park to show off it's colourful autumn coat. Come often for these walks on different trails to watch the progression and profusion without the long drive in search of a 'colour corridor'. Learn more about how this hallmark of Ontario's fall landscape happens, and captivates us every year.

Rouge Park Junior Hikers Kids are the focus of these walks, as we will take to the trail for a mix of activities to awaken the nature nut within your little ones. Don't forget to dress for the sun as well as the rain; we go either way!

Animals Getting Ready for Winter Let's talk about the types of habitats Rouge Park's wild residents need to thrive, and how our actions can help keep their homes and food sources safe. How are our winged, shelled and furry neighbours getting ready for winter? Along the way, it's likely we'll hear and see some of the creatures that call the Park home.

About Rouge Park
Rouge Park is over 40 km², located in East Toronto (Scarborough) and Markham, encompassing a unique mosaic of river valley, creeks, forests, meadow and rural landscapes, within the Rouge River, Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds in the Greenbelt, and represents Canada’s largest natural environment park in an urban setting. The Park offers a range of enhanced visitor experiences, from exploring 16 kilometres of rustic hiking trails to participating in exciting wildlife monitoring programs.

About OPG Biodiversity
OPG Biodiversity is a program of province-wide, conservation-focused, family-friendly action and education initiatives sponsored by Ontario PowerGeneration (OPG) in partnership with local and provincial not-for-profit conservation and biodiversity organizations. Its goal is to get people involved in protecting and conserving biodiversity in our urban parklands and forest ecosystems. OPG Biodiversity builds on OPG's commitment to conserving, sustaining and protecting nature. For further information, visit opgbiodiversity.ca.
For detailed information about the Fall Biodiversity Hikes Series, visit rougepark.com/hike or opgbiodiversity.ca

(Toronto, Ontario - October 23, 2010) – A series of Fall Walks aimed at getting families involved in protecting and conserving biodiversity in urban parklands and forest ecosystems was officially launched today as part of OPG Biodiversity 2010.

To mark the International Year of Biodiversity (2010), Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has partnered with Rouge Park to present Fall Biodiversity Walks – a series of themed walks with trained guides taking place every weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, at 9:30 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. through to November 28.

"At OPG, we believe that industry has a key role to play in conserving, sustaining and protecting nature and fighting climate change," said Tom Mitchell, OPG’s President and CEO. "We’re pleased to work with Rouge Park and all our partners to encourage awareness of the importance of biodiversity.”

"Rouge Park is pleased to join OPG in celebrating biodiversity. The thriving forests, meadows, wetlands and farmlands that Rouge Park protects offer a unique classroom, raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity," said Alan Wells, Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance. “Our partnership with OPG for a series of guided walks is a great opportunity for families to experience this incredible reservoir of biodiversity first hand, all nestled within Canada’s largest city, and home to Toronto’s only working farms. Accompanied by local experts, these walks will unveil many hidden treasures in this natural sanctuary.”

Quick Facts
Since 2000, OPG and its conservation partners have planted more than 4.4 million trees and shrubs on 2,200 hectares of land, helping to conserve forest biodiversity, capture carbon dioxide and help woodlands cope with climate change.

About Rouge Park
Rouge Park is over 40 km², located in East Toronto (Scarborough) and Markham, encompassing a unique mosaic of river valley, creeks, forests, meadow and rural landscapes, within the Rouge River, Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds in the Greenbelt, and represents Canada’s largest natural environment park in an urban setting. The Park offers a range of enhanced visitor experiences, from exploring 16 kilometres of rustic hiking trails to participating in exciting wildlife monitoring programs.

About OPG Biodiversity
OPG Biodiversity is a series of province-wide conservation-focused, family-friendly initiatives sponsored by OPG and its partners — Rouge Park, The Bruce Trail Conservancy, Ontario Nature, Trees Ontario, LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests), and Earth Rangers. The goal of OPG Biodiversity is to get Ontarians involved in protecting and conserving biodiversity in our urban parklands and forest ecosystems. The program builds on OPG’s commitment to conserving, sustaining and protecting nature and fighting climate change.

For detailed information about the Fall Biodiversity Walks Series, visit rougepark.com/hike or opgbiodiversity.ca.

June 11, 2010 - The Rouge Park Alliance gathered Friday to celebrate two long-standing supporters, and to look ahead to an exciting future, one that could include adding the title "National Park."

At the 2010 Rouge Park Annual General Meeting, the Alliance honoured both 10 000 Trees for the Rouge Valley, and Honourable Tom McMillan with the Rouge Park Award. The award is given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the Park, and it's legacy as a large urban wilderness area.

Both recipients were actively involved in preserving Rouge Park before the Park existed. Honourable Tom McMillan was Federal Minister of the Environment and played a key role in securing the funds needed to establish the park, a $10 million grant from the federal government, which continues to provide almost half of the funds needed to operate the park today. 10 000 Trees for the Rouge Valley is a grassroots organization that hosts annual tree planting events, attracting thousands of dedicated volunteers. The winners' commitment to the Park continues through their actions today - 10 000 Trees for the Rouge Valley held their 21st planting in April, and Hon. McMillan has announced his support for the campaign to make Rouge Park a National Park.

Additionally, keynote speaker Caroline Schultz, Executive Director of Ontario Nature declared her support of the national park campaign. "With Ontario Nature's support, in addition to the unanimous support of all Alliance member organizations, it is clear that the National Park campaign has great potential," said Alan Wells, Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance. "We are optimistic and encouraged by the overwhelming support of our peers."

Rouge Park is Canada's premier urban wilderness park protecting two National Historic Sites, and the only working farms in Toronto. It is protected park land in the Rouge River, Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds, in and near Toronto, Canada's largest city. The award-winning Park provides a reservoir of biodiversity in Ontario's Greenbelt.

February 5, 2010 - The Rouge Park Alliance today received a consultant's report which recommends that transitioning the Park into Canada's first near urban national park is the best way to preserve and enhance this vitally important area.

"The founding partners have made incredible contributions in bringing Rouge Park to this stage. National park status will allow us to fully develop and reach the potential of these lands as North America's premier urban wilderness park," said Alan Wells, Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance.

The lands in Rouge Park are a nationally significant ecological area located in the heart of the GTA, making a national park the preferred option. Additionally, many of the GTA's 7 million residents are new Canadians whose first experience with a national park would be in Rouge Park.

The report also calls for the addition of nearly 5000 acres of federal lands in Markham to the Park, as an agricultural preserve, expanding the total Park area by 1/3 to 15,000 acres (nearly 6100 hectares). "This allows us to fulfill our vision of a park from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine," said Wells. "We will continue to protect natural areas while supporting agriculture, cultural heritage, and recreation."

Since its inception, the Park has grown considerably, and continues to evolve. While the goal and vision of the Park remain true today, the Rouge Park Alliance has reflected on its structure, funding and partnerships so that the Park can continue strongly into the future. The next step is for Alliance members to consider the recommendations in the report over the next 60 days.

Rouge Park is a remarkable environmental asset combining nature, trails and farms. But to fully realize the vision of the Park, the consultant feels change is required. Rouge Park needs new funding commitments and a new structure to give it stronger leadership. In the consultant's view, the best means of achieving this is to designate Rouge Park as a national park.

The Rouge Park Alliance is a voluntary partnership consisting of 12 organizations, including multi-levels of government and other Park stakeholders that oversee the implementation of Rouge Park Plans.

Rouge Park is Canada's premier urban wilderness park protecting two National Historic Sites, and the only working farms in Toronto. It is protected park land in the Rouge River, Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds, in and near Toronto, Canada's largest city. The award-winning Park provides a reservoir of biodiversity in the Greenbelt and the only link to Lake Ontario in the Greenbelt in Toronto.

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The Rouge Park Alliance has honoured the Rouge Valley Foundation by presenting the important conservation group with the 2009 Rouge Park Award.

"Members of the Rouge Valley Foundation played an essential role in the creation of Rouge Park, and the group continually shows their commitment to their park through fund raising, volunteer efforts and a strong dedication to the preservation of Rouge Park," said Alan Wells. Rouge Park Alliance Chair.

The Rouge Valley Foundation has supported and fostered many conservation initiatives including 10 000 Trees for the Rouge, Citizen Scientists, and the Pearce House education centre.

The Rouge Park Alliance recognizes members of the community who have made outstanding contributions to the Rouge Park goal, vision and objectives through the Rouge Park Awards.

Toronto, Markham - Dozens of volunteers emerged from their warm homes early Sunday morning to participate in Rouge Park's 6th Annual Winter Bird Count. The keen observers were able to spot nearly 5000 birds from 67 different species, including woodpeckers, wild turkeys and a variety of hawks. Birds that typically migrate, such as robins, bluebirds and red-winged blackbirds, were also seen.

"The Winter Bird Count was a huge success this year," said Sheryl Santos, the Stewardship Coordinator with Rouge Park. "The data we collect is used to document the species that inhabit the park and monitor migrant bird populations. Based on this important information we create habitats for the benefit of these and other species. The volunteer response was great this year; it shows us that more people within the local community are interested in wildlife and its conservation."

Rouge Park is Canada's premier urban wilderness park. At over 47km2, the Park provides a reservoir of diversity in Ontario's Greenbelt, and continues to create new wilderness habitats and monitor the health of existing ones. The Winter Bird Count is an annual event, and volunteers of any skill level are welcome. To be notified for next year's event, please email birdcount@rougepark.com.

TORONTO - Over 3500 pounds of litter were tidied up in Rouge Park as over 70 volunteers came out to lend a hand. Participants cleaned up during three separate events this fall - Rouge Beach and Marsh, the Finch Meander Area, and along Littles Road in Toronto. This was a great opportunity for community organizations, families and friends to come together and take part in enhancing the Park for wildlife and people alike.

"The cleanups were a huge success and without the volunteers that would not be possible" said Sheryl Santos, event organizer from Rouge Park. "We are raising awareness about the impact that human activities are having on our environment. Litter can entangle or be ingested by wildlife; it also ends up in our streams and waterways polluting our water supply. By picking up litter we can create healthier habitats for both plants and animals. "

Working together with City of Toronto staff and donations from the Home Depot, members of the community worked tirelessly to tidy up important habitats. The most prevalent type of litter was drink containers, and over 40 tires were removed.

The cleanup events at Rouge Beach and Marsh and the Finch Meander Area were part of the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a cross-Canada event with over 63 000 volunteers.

Rouge Park is Canada's premier urban wilderness park. At over 47km², the Park provides a reservoir of diversity in Ontario's Greenbelt, and continues to create new wilderness habitats and monitor the health of existing ones.

Markham, April 2008 - The Rouge Park Award was presented to Mr. Christie in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the creation, development and administration of Rouge Park from 1995 to 2005 when he served as Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance; and for his dedication and commitment to the protection, restoration and enhancement of Rouge Park.

Former Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance, Gord Weeden reflected on Mr. Christie's contributions:

"Ron Christie was appointed the first Chair of the Rouge Park Alliance in 1995, then known as the “Rouge Park and Watershed Council”. Ron brought with him knowledge and understanding of the Rouge having been on the Rouge Valley Advisory Committee for many years. It was under Ron’s leadership that the solid foundation for the Rouge Park Alliance and the development of the park was built.

Ron established a trust fund with David Crombie for $10,000,000 contribution that the Honourable Pauline Browes was able to get from the federal government. This trust fund now provides a stable source of annual income for the Rouge Park Alliance. Ron also negotiated a provincial grant for Rouge Park for land acquisition and land use planning.

Ron was very supportive of the community and groups in Rouge Park, attending the annual plantings for 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley, the Milne Park Conservation Association and the Friends of the Rouge Watershed."

Rouge Park received a $2 million commitment from the Ontario government at a ceremony in Markham held on April 16th. The funds are earmarked for Rouge Park programmes that improve Park infrastructure such as restoring and maintaining historic homes, developing exciting trails and interpretive signage, as well as undertaking necessary archaeological studies and detailed restoration plans in Rouge Park, Canada's premier urban wilderness park.

"The outstanding support from the Government of Ontario brings us closer to meeting our natural, cultural and agricultural heritage objectives," said Gord Weeden, Chair of Rouge Park's board of directors, the Rouge Park Alliance. "These funds will be dedicated to restoring lands and historical properties in the Park, increasing public awareness of the Park's assets, and providing an enjoyable and memorable experience for our visitors."

This funding will allow Rouge Park to maintain the quality of many of the historical properties within the Park, particularly in Bob Hunter Memorial Park. It will also be used to develop a management plan for the newly acquired lands in eastern Markham, a process which will encourage public input and consider the natural, cultural and agricultural needs of the area. This funding will also support initiatives that enhance the Park's visitor services.

The ceremony was held in Markham as York Region and Rouge Park celebrated a greening partnership to increase ecological restoration work in Rouge Park .

Rouge Park is home to a variety of landscapes: forests, meadows, wetlands, river valleys and upland areas, providing a major reservoir of biodiversity in the most urbanized portion of Ontario's Greenbelt. The only working farms in the City of Toronto are within the Park and a mosaic of essential ecological restoration and sustainable farming will be maintained over the long-term. Rouge Park is committed to protecting its historic heritage, including two National Historic Sites, which represents thousands of years of continuous human habitation.

Rouge Park was expanded by six square kilometres in eastern Markham this week, bringing the size of Canada’s premier urban wilderness Park to over 46 km2, or 13 times the size of Central Park in New York City.

“Rouge Park is all about protection and connections: ecological, cultural and recreational,“ observed Gord Weeden, Chair of the Park’s board of directors, the Rouge Park Alliance. The new park lands in the Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds will connect to important forests, meadows, sensitive areas and valley systems east of the Park. The expansion of Rouge Park enhances the major ecological corridor joining the Oak Ridges Moraine to Lake Ontario, bridging Steeles Avenue East. “Planning for transportation in this area can now consider how to best maintain this link for the free and safe passage of people and wildlife,” emphasized Mr. Weeden.

“This major increase to Rouge Park’s land base by the Ontario Government demonstrates a new view: that ‘green infrastructure’ is as important for Ontario as conventional infrastructure of transportation, water and sewage servicing,“ pointed out Lewis Yeager, the Park’s general manager. The Park plays an important role in improving air quality in the Toronto area since natural lands with healthy vegetation filter pollutants from the air and absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the undesirable impacts of climate change.

The newly expanded Park will also make a significant contribution to protecting the sources of drinking water for thousands of Toronto area residents, minimizing negative erosion, and mitigating stream flow and water quality impacts from new growth in the surrounding urban areas. These natural lands will also help Markham and York Region reach their natural cover goals. Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, noted that these new lands will increase the “greenprint” for Markham, as the municipality enters a new phase of sustainability planning.

“Rouge Park’s ecological and recreational benefits are important amenities for the rapidly-growing population in the GTA. This park expansion has not only ecological benefits, but enables better connections between regional trail systems such as the Oak Ridges Trail and Trans-Canada Trail systems and our planned trails,” said Mr. Yeager.

Rouge Park is home to a variety of landscapes: forests, meadows, wetlands, river valleys and upland areas and provides a major reservoir of biodiversity in the most urbanized portion of Ontario’s Greenbelt. The only working farms in the City of Toronto are within the Park and a mosaic of essential ecological restoration and sustainable farming will be maintained over the long-term. The Park is also committed to protecting its historic heritage, which represents thousands of years of continuous human habitation.

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The Ontario government is protecting greenspace and curbing urban sprawl by dedicating an additional 1,500 acres of significant natural land to expand its total contribution to Rouge Park to 5,500 acres (22.3 square kilometres), Gerry Phillips, Minister of Government Services announced today. This will add an additional 15 per cent more land to Rouge Park, making it one of the largest natural preserves in an urban area in North America.

"Ontarians want to know their communities will be healthy and clean - that local natural areas will be protected and accessible," said Phillips. "By expanding greenspace and preserving natural areas, we're creating a legacy for families to enjoy for years to come."

The Ontario government is delivering 1,500 acres of significant land, which is equivalent to almost four times the size of Toronto's High Park, on the condition that this land remains protected. The park's ecological and recreational benefits will be important amenities for the Greater Toronto Area as Southern Ontario's population continues to grow.

The Ontario government previously donated more than 3,500 acres to Rouge Park. It has been designated part of the provincial Greenbelt, 1.8 million acres of permanently protected greenspace in Ontario.

Rouge Park, now over 11,500 acres (46 square kilometres) in size, protects natural areas, national historic sites, and greenspace that stretch from the Oak Ridges Moraine to Lake Ontario. It offers visitors hiking, camping, a beach and spectacular views.

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