Introduction

This inventory is an attempt to catalogue the notable points of interest which draw outsiders to North Bruce and the work their respective organizations conduct or offer. In this sense, the inventory is a first cut at the Learning Community that currently exists in our area. A small section is included on southern Ontario’s colleges and universities that expressly offer programs germaine to the environment and might therefore have a strong interest in a future Learning Community partnership.

The inventory does not include any work on local religious, charitable, business or sporting groups although they would have at least a tangential relationship with community learning and could be sources of strong partnership.

The Bruce Beckons…North Bruce Points of Interest

While the following are specific points of interest, we should also not forget that a considerable number of hikers, kayakers, birders and tourists of all descriptions visit North Bruce each year on their own journeys. Ecotourism has a solid base here.

Bruce Peninsula National Park

The Bruce Peninsula National Park is operated by Parks Canada on 156 square kms. It has a number of significant points of interest within its area including Cyprus Lake, The Grotto, portions of the Bruce Trail and considerable examples of the geographical and biological diversity within the area. The Cyprus Lake campground has 242 sites for campers. The park’s information centre is a modern facility with an exhibit hall, theatre and meeting rooms co-located with a 20 meter viewing tower.

Fathom Five Marine Park

Fathom Five is Canada’s first marine conservation area and offers an excellent showcase of a freshwater ecosystem both above and below the surface. Its area includes some 20 islands and a number of shipwrecks. These draw an average of 5,000 scuba divers a year to North Bruce and have made the area a focus for divers and dive technology.

The Parks Learning Experience

The parks offer a broad, deep and very rich learning experience. A number of interpretive hikes and science programs are offered geared to many age groups. Parks employees often become experts in their field and conduct their own research or collaborate with many outside researchers who are drawn to the area. A Teachers Resource Guide is available on-line, to assist teachers with a wide array of science-based topics. As well a comprehensive data base is maintained on research conducted in the area. Many subjects are hyper-linked and available to the public. As such the parks have become an enormously rich learning resource to North Bruce.

Alvar Bay Nature Preserve

This is a private campground allowing tourists to experience the rare alvar environments found in our area.

Parks Ontario

The provincial park system includes eight parks in North Bruce, which are not operating parks but are classed as nature reserves.

These are Ira Lake, Black Creek, Johnson harbour, Little Cove, Cabot Head, Smoky Head, Lion’s Head and Hope Bay.

Lighthouses

Lighthouses are a unique tourist draw and our area has seven structures extant. These are at Lion’s Head, Flowerpot Island, Big Tub, Knife Island, Lyal Island, Cape Croker and Cabot Head.

The Cabot Head Lighthouse Learning Experience

While the lighthouses at Lion’s Head, Flowerpot, Big Tub and Cape Croker are both operating and easily accessed, the Lighthouse at Cabot Head deserves special mention as it has been restored to its original pristine condition and operates as both a museum and teaching centre. Interpretive tours are given and people can participate in “lightkeeper experiences”.

Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory

The bird observatory is located at Cabot Head and is dedicated to the study of birds unique to the Bruce…”we strive to use research and education to preserve the bird diversity of the Bruce Peninsula”.

The Bird Observatory Learning Experience

While unique to birds and their environment, the observatory represents a very deep learning opportunity. A number of educational programs are offered including the popular “Weekends on the Bruce”. The observatory also acts as a research station and conducts educational projects many of which are published. It is linked to more than a dozen partner organizations.

Grebe Lodge

The lodge was restored by the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory and offers unique local accommodations for adult educational groups interested in nature, photography, birding or art.

E’Terra Eco-Lodge

This up-scale lodge has a very contemporary focus on “green building” and low carbon footprint built into its facilities. It has become a destination for special retreats/corporate workshops owing to its remarkable construction and programs.

The Bruce Trail

This walking trail snakes along the Niagara Escarpment through North Bruce and draws thousands of dedicated hikers to our area.

The Trail Learning Experience

The Bruce Trail Club is one of the nine constituent groups of the Bruce Trail Conservancy and maintains/builds trails in North Bruce. It is very active organizing hikes, hike related activities, publishing trail guides and holding a number of special hike oriented activities through the summer months. While the Bruce Trail has become famous beyond our borders, North Bruce in particular offers one the richest hiking experiences along the length of the Trail owing to our special biodiversity.

Ferndale Wind Farm Learning Experience

Bullfrog Power operates three wind turbines at Ferndale and offers weekly interpretive tours during the summer for alternative energy fans.

Neyaashiinigaamiing

Cape Croker area which is unceded First Nations land, home to the Chiipewas of Nawash. It offers breathtaking vistas and a park for campers in summer months.

Others… St. Margarets Chapel, Northern Bruce Peninsula and St. Edmunds Township Museum, Local artisans and Landscape Gardens.

Learning Organizations

Friends of Bruce District Parks Association

This organization is a non-profit organization managed by a board of directors and is membership driven. It supports both parks and is very active not only promoting awareness of the parks but also helping coordinate programs. The “Friends” sponsor 6 to 8 programs in the summer including the famous Orchid Festival and the Butterfly Count. The “Friends” include a Dark Skies component in the Orchid Festival and also maintain a hub website called Supporting Science.

Park Advisory Committee (PAC)

PAC advises Parks Canada on park management and communicates information with member organizations. It undertakes initiatives that benefit the parks and the community. Its members are drawn from 15 local or related organizations.

Bird Observatory

The Bird Observatory is run by a 10 member Board of Directors and encourages both volunteers and membership.

Friends of Cabot Head

This non-profit group took over the restoration of the lighthouse and currently acts to manage and maintain it. It is run by a Board of Directors and encourages membership.

Bruce Trail Club

This group is run by a Board and has a number of volunteers and members.

Bruce Peninsula Environmental Group (BPEG)

This environmentally-focused group was established some 20 years ago to out of concern for the effects of modernity on the fragile environment of the Bruce. It is run by a Board of Directors and has a very active membership of some 200 people. BPEG has a strong educational-learning focus and its monthly meetings usually feature experts in community-environmentally focused topics. BPEG has several active committees which focus on recycling and other environmental issues. It has produced brochures/publications on Local Foods, Renewable Energy, Dark Skies etc.

North Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association

This group was formed specifically to uphold and strengthen the North Bruce component of the Niagara Escarpment’s biosphere designation by UNESCO some 10 years ago. It is a non-profit federally recognized charity run by a 10 member Board of Directors. Its project work is framed by the three pillars of biospheres globally; building community capacity, supporting biodiversity and sustainable development. It was instrumental in achieving the UNESCO school designations for St. Edmunds and Bruce Peninsula District School. The current strategic Plan for the NBPBA envisions the further enhancing of a Learning Community in North Bruce.

Tobermory Maritime Association

This group is largely Tobermory based and was formed to promote tourism and enhance scuba diving in particular in the Tobermory area. Its website links a number of tourist attractions with a  special dive bent.

Tobermory Regenerative Group

This is a recently formed and still informal group of some 40 local people who are using a community empowerment model to build a stronger local community with projects which focus on meeting-networking capabilities, in-situ resource development, youth and to some extent craft and general learning opportunities.

Lion’s Head Community Group

This group is still in its genesis but has a focus similar to its Tobermory sister-group.

The Learning Community – Formal  Educational Context

North Bruce has two schools. These are St. Edmunds in Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula District School in Lion’s Head. Both are UNESCO designated schools and are active in environmental learning and offer many hands-on experiential opportunities. Of note is the Outers Program which allows senior students to experience both winter and summer environmental contexts.

Southern Ontario Community Colleges

The closest community college to North Bruce is some 90 kilometers away in Owen Sound. College programs offered in southern Ontario which deal with either local interests or the environment specifically are as follows: Georgian-Hospitality&Tourism and Marine Technology, Conestoga-Recreation&Leisure Studies and Environmental Engineering, Fanshawe-Tourism&Hospitality, Environmental Technologies and  Lambton-Alternative Energy.

Southern Ontario Universities

While the five universities in southern Ontario would all teach/research biology or life sciences the following are stronger focuses…. University of Waterloo-Faculty of Environment is strongest in the area with 1,500 undergraduate students 300 graduate students studying in 5 distinct schools. University of Guelph-strong agriculture focus with separate campuses in Kemptville and Ridgetown. Faculty of Environmental Science at Guelph also under the aegis of the Agriculture School, has 350 students. UWO has a limited environmental focus but conducts considerable research in several world class institutes in agriculture and health sciences. University of Windsor- Environmental Engineering.