Ontario Trails News - despite negative media - we are forging ahead with our conferences to enlighten and educate the public!

Trailhead Ontario - Renfrew 2016

Trailhead Ontario Itinerary - June 20, 21, 22, 2016 ( we are adding a third day for Eastern Canada Trails Training the only federally sponsored trail training in Eastern Canada this year - provided by IMBA Canada)

Monday
8:30-9:00AM	Registration	Coffee Served
9:00-9:15AM	Welcome remarks	Dignitaries
9:15-10:00AM	Presentation	Ontario Landowners Association (Invited)
10:00-10:30AM	Presentation	Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization
10:30-10:45AM	Break	Coffee Break
10:45-11:15AM	Presentation	Petawawa - the development of our Regional Trail Association
11:15-11:45AM	Presentation	Adirondack to Algonquin Trail Development
11:45-12:15PM	Presentation	Parks of the St. Lawrence
12:15-1:00 PM	Lunch
1:00-2:00PM	Presentation	Updates on the Trails Act and the Ontario Trails Strategy with the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport
2:00-2:30PM	Presentation	City of Ottawa Trails
2:30-2:45PM	Break	Coffee Break
2:45-3:15PM	Presentation	Trans Canada Trail Ontario
3:15-3:45PM	Presentation	National Capital Commission
3:45-4:15PM	Presentation	Ontario Federation of Agriculture (Invited)
4:15-4:45PM	Presentation	Understanding and Preventing Lyme Disease
4:45-5:15PM	Presentation	Sentiers Prescott Russell and Glengarry Trails
5:15-6PM	Networking	Cash Bar
6PM - 9PM	Dinner & Keynote Speaker	Federal Climate Change Initiatives and Trails
Tuesday
8:30 – 9:00AM	Registration	Coffee Served
9:00-9:15 AM	Welcome remarks	Dignitaries - Madawaska Valley
9:15-9:45AM	Presentation	Madawaska Valley and Township Trail Developments
10:00-10:30AM	Plenary Session	Principles of Trail Risk Management
10:30-10:45AM	Coffee Break
10:45-11:30AM	Plenary Session	Trails Risk Management - How to Say Yes to Trails
Noon-1PM	Lunch	Networking Lunch
1:00-2:00PM	Plenary Session	Water Trails - Developing trails for Use
2:00-2:45PM	Plenary Session	Ottawa River-Keeper - programs and plans for development
2:45-3:00PM	Break
3:00-3:30PM	Plenary Session	Hunting and Fishing Trail Use of MNRF Lands
3:30-4:00PM	Plenary Session	Mattawa Trail Development
4:00-4:30PM	Plenary Session	First Nation Tourism and Trails
4:30PM	Wrap-up and Next Steps	Trailhead Canada 2017!

https://trailheadontario2016.com

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Trailhead North - Marathon

 

Trailhead North Symposium Itinerary - April 20, 21, 2016

Event Outdoor Hike with Pic River First Nation - REGISTER

Wednesday			Presenters
8:30 - 9:00AM	Registration
9:00-9:30AM	Welcome remarks	Coffee Served	Mayor Dumas and Chief Michano
9:30-10:30AM	Marathon, Pic River and our Northern Trails	Sponsor	Bob Hancherow, and Chief Duncan Michano Pic River FN
10:30-10:45AM	Break
10:45-12:30AM	Presentation	Parks Experiences - Pukaskwa National Park and Neys Provincial	Roel Teunissen, Park Planning, Ontario Parks. Sharon Hayes, Pukaskwa National Park.
	Presentation	Group of Seven Trail	Kirsten Spence, Quercwood Consulting
	Presentation	Northern Ontario Experiences	Carole Caputo and Paul Pepe, Director of Tourism Thunder Bay
12:30-1:00 PM	Lunch
1:00 - 1:30PM	Presentation	Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport	Jim Antler and Carol Oitment
1:30 - 2:00PM	Presentation	Trans Canada Trail	Mike Goodyear, Trail Director Trans Canada Trail
2:00-2:30PM	Presentation	Path of the Paddle and Trail Auditing	Carrie Nolan, Executive Director POPA
2:30-2:45PM	Break	Trans Canada Trail Ontario - Sponsor
2:45-3:15PM	Presentation	Importance of Trails for Northern Ontario Tourism	David McLaughlan and Susan Forrest, NOT
3:15-3:45PM	Presentation	World Class Cross Country - Destination Marathon	Marathon X-Country Ski, Dr. David Juliano
3:45-4:15PM	Presentation	Northern Snowmobile Trails	Dennis Burns with Craig Colbourne
4:15-4:45 PM	Presentation	OAC - Ontario Access Coalition - Places to Climb	Jana Wells
	Break
5:30-6PM	Networking	Cash Bar
6:00PM - 9:00PM	Dinner & Keynote Speaker	Trails, Travels and Experiences, A personal perspective	Michael Haynes, Trails Ambassador and Author
	Silent Auction
Thursday
8:30 - 9AM	Registration	Coffee Served
9:00-9:15 AM	Welcome remarks		Kirsten Spence, Patrick Connor
9:15-10AM	Presentation	Funding for Trails with NOHFC, FedNor and Ontario Trillium Foundation	Maureen Brophy OTF,  Sean Irwin NOHFC, and Jamie Taylor FedNor
10:00-10:15AM	Break	Coffee Break
10:15-11:15 AM	Presentation	Aboriginal Tourism Ontario Summit Report	Kevin Eshkawkogan, Aboriginal Tourism Summit
11:15-Noon	Presentation	Hunting and Fishing Trail Use of MNRF Lands	Greg Farrant, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters with Greg Rivard
Noon-1PM	Lunch	Networking Lunch
1:00-2:00PM	Presentation	Outfitters and Tripping - How to Get North	Steve Bruno, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership
2:00-3:00PM	Presentation	Voyageur Trail - Developments along the Trail	Carole Blacquiere, President VTA
3:00-3:45PM	Presentation	Outdoor Recreation - the Tourism Experience	Dr. Harvey Lemelin, Lakehead University
3:45-$:00PM	Wrap-up and Next Steps		Kirsten Spence, Patrick Connor

As at 11/2/2016 Program content subject to change based on availability.

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Trailhead Georgian Bay

May 11th, Killarney Park Lodge.

Wednesday			Presenters
8:30 - 9:00AM	Registration
9:00-9:30AM	Welcome remarks	Coffee Served	Kirsten Spence, Patrick Connor
9:30-10:30AM	About The Georgian Bay Coast Trail	Sponsor	GBCT Board
10:30-10:45AM	Break
10:45-12:15AM	Presentation	Killarney Provincial Park - A Lead Partner in Development	Killarney Provincial Park
	Presentation	Friends of Killarney	Friends of Killarney
	Presentation	Trail Experiences - Explorer's Edge	James Murphy, RTO12
	Presentation	Auditing and Planning our Route	Niall Lobely
12:15-1:00 PM	Lunch
1:00 - 2:00PM	Presentation	Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport	Carol Oitment
	Presentation	Indigenous Peoples Economic Development	Local First Nations
2:00-2:30PM	Presentation	Trail Inventories Georgian Bay Partners	Kirsten Spence
2:30-2:45PM	Break	Trans Canada Trail Ontario - Sponsor	Al McPherson
2:45-3:15PM	Presentation	Importance of Variety of Trails	GBBR and GBCR
3:15-3:45PM	Presentation	Great Lakes Guardian Plant and Trail Inventory	Henvy Inlet and Ontario Trails
3:45-4:15PM	Presentation	Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry	Local MNRF
4:15-4:45 PM	Presentation	Relations with Local Landowners	Georgian Bay Landowners Association
4:45 - 5:15	Wrap-up	Thanks	GBCT

As at 11/2/2016 Program content subject to change based on availability.

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Trails Talk

Join us every other Tuesday at 1pm EST for a lively half hour discussion on trail issues of importance to the trails community. We are pleased to have added an additional topic to the Agenda - see January 12th.

We will be using our Google Hangout to facilitate our Trail Talks. So make sure you have a gmail account and the hangout app added to your gplus account.

How to Join a Hangout

Invited presenters include:

February 16th, 2016 - Explorer's Edge - all about the great trails in RTO 12 with James Murphy of Explorer's Edge. Register on Eventbrite

March 1, 2016 - The Georgian Bay Coast Trail - who supports it, what is happening and all about our spring community meeting in Killarney. With Luke Wassegijig and Kirsten Spence. Register on Eventbrite

March 15, 2016 - Trans Canada Trail - with Jane Murphy and Al McPherson. You've heard about it, how is it progressing? How can you support it? Register on Eventbrite

March 29, 2016 - Hiking, what is it? Who does it? What you need to know about community programs, and trail leadership programs - with Bill Mungall Register on Eventbrite

April 12th, 2016 - Trail Building - are you interested? What is trail building all about? Who does it and the skills you need, with stories from trail builder Zane Davies. Register on Eventbrite

Ontario Trails News - every other Tuesday why not join us for Trails Talk? from Ontario Trails!

Send us your trail event!

Trails Talk

Join us every other Tuesday at 1pm EST for a lively half hour discussion on trail issues of importance to the trails community.

We will be using our Google Hangout to facilitate our Trail Talks.

January 5th, 2016 - Kinghorn Trail Association - all about the development of this important northern trail with Kirsten Spence.

January 12th, 2016 - Land Acquisition - with Robert Orland and Kate Potter of Orland Conservation, on land acquisition issues, how to secure land for trails, or offer your land for trails from a landowner perspective.

January 19th, 2016 - Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations - with Thomas Allgoewer - a half hour discussion about how to facilitate your organization goals and objectives through fundraising efforts.

February 2nd, 2016 - Edge Auditor - the program that helps you know and log in all the facts about your trail, with Niall Lobely.

February 16th, 2016 - Explorer's Edge - all about the great trails in RTO 12 with James Murphy of Explorer's Edge.

March 1, 2016 - The Georgian Bay Coast Trail - who supports it, what is happening and all about our spring community meeting in Killarney. With Luke Wassesgijig and Kirsten Spence.

March 15, 2016 - Trans Canada Trail - with Jane Murphy and Al McPherson. You've heard about it, how is it progressing? How can you support it?

March 29, 2016 - Hiking, what is it? Who does it? What you need to know about community programs, and trail leadership programs - with Bill Mungall

April 12th, 2016 - Trail Building - are you interested? What is trail building all about? Who does it and the skills you need, with stories from trail builder Zane Davies.

Ontario Trails News - Trails Talk - a google hangout - watch the date and calendar for times to talk Ontario Trails!

Ontario Trails News - we're talking trails, why not join us for Trails Talk? - a Google Hangout - watch the calendar for dates and topics

Send us your trail event!

Trails Talk

Join us every other Tuesday at 1pm EST for a lively half hour discussion on trail issues of importance to the trails community.

We will be using our Google Hangout to facilitate our Trail Talks.

January 5th, 2016 - Kinghorn Trail Association - all about the development of this important northern trail with Kirsten Spence.

January 12th, 2016 - Land Acquisition - with Robert Orland and Kate Potter of Orland Conservation, on land acquisition issues, how to secure land for trails, or offer your land for trails from a landowner perspective.

January 19th, 2016 - Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations - with Thomas Allgoewer - a half hour discussion about how to facilitate your organization goals and objectives through fundraising efforts.

February 2nd, 2016 - Edge Auditor - the program that helps you know and log in all the facts about your trail, with Niall Lobely.

February 16th, 2016 - Explorer's Edge - all about the great trails in RTO 12 with James Murphy of Explorer's Edge.

March 1, 2016 - The Georgian Bay Coast Trail - who supports it, what is happening and all about our spring community meeting in Killarney. With Luke Wassesgijig and Kirsten Spence.

March 15, 2016 - Trans Canada Trail - with Jane Murphy and Al McPherson. You've heard about it, how is it progressing? How can you support it?

March 29, 2016 - Hiking, what is it? Who does it? What you need to know about community programs, and trail leadership programs - with Bill Mungall

April 12th, 2016 - Trail Building - are you interested? What is trail building all about? Who does it and the skills you need, with stories from trail builder Zane Davies.

Ontario Trails News - Pan-Am Funds support Trans Canada Trail; Bruce Trail Day and more

Find and use your favorite today!

Pan-Am and Parapan Funds complete Trans Canada Trail

Ontario is expanding its world-class trails system as a key legacy initiative of the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

The Pan Am and Parapan Am Trails initiative (PPAT) will help complete 250 kilometres in gaps in Ontario's Trans Canada Trail and connect communities from Ottawa to Windsor and Fort Erie to Huntsville. The province has invested more than $3.5 million in the Pan Am and Parapan Am Trails initiative to help create a continuous trail of more than 2,000 kilometres. Since 2009, Ontario has invested more than $80 million in trails.

QUICK FACTS

• The Pan Am and Parapan Am Trails (PPAT) are part of Ontario’s Promotion, Celebration and Legacy Strategy for the Games.
• Completing these gaps will provide a continuous route along the Trans Canada Trail of over 2,000 km, from Windsor to Ottawa and from Fort Erie to Huntsville.
• PPAT will also connect to four major Pan Am and Parapan Am Games venues – CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletes’ Village, CIBC Pan Am Park, CIBC Hamilton Soccer Stadium and Pan Am/Parapan Am Fields.
• All consultations related to Pan Am and Parapan Am Trails will address accessibility requirements under the new Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
• Ontario will also work with First Nation and Métis communities and organizations to incorporate Aboriginal markers along the trails to honour the history and culture of Aboriginal communities in Ontario.
• The province has approximately 2,500 trails and more than 80,000 kilometres of trail; the second-largest network in Canada.
• As part of this initiative, Trans Canada Trail has been contracted to complete 250 km of trail gaps along the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) in Ontario.

Ontario Parks protects and manages approximately 2,200 kilometres of trails and boardwalks.

Thousands of kilometres of trails and roads are on provincial Crown land that are open for the public to use free of charge.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Ontario’s Pan Am and Parapan Am Trails

View full press release (PDF)

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Free Guided Hikes on Bruce Trail Day.
 

The access trail to Bruce's Caves, which are found along the face of the Niagara Escarpment in Bruce's Caves Conservation Area, northeast of Wiarton on the Bruce Peninsula. (Postmedia Network files)

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. -- In the Niagara wine region, students from Niagara College will lead hikes to explore a reclaimed wetland.
At Owen Sound's Pottawatomi Conservation Area, members of the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club will show visitors striking rock formations and a variety of forest types.
The Oct. 4 outings are part of this year's Bruce Trail Day, an annual celebration of Canada's oldest and longest footpath. The main trail spans more than 885 kilometres along the Niagara Escarpment, from Niagara to Tobermory, Ont.
Clubs in the Bruce Trail Conservancy will host free guided hikes and family activities.
The events include hikes in City View Park in Burlington; Limehouse and Scotsdale Farm in Halton Hills; Blue Mountain and Kolapore Uplands west of Collingwood; Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in Caledon; and Mono Cliffs Provincial Park near Orangeville.

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Hike Awenda

Ontario Trail News - TCT tackles development issues, OTC sent letter of support, we await New Tecumseth Membership

Find your favorite cross country ski trail!

TCT approval to push forward with eye on spring construction

Posted January 20, 2015

The Trans Canada Trail (TCT) coordinator for Southern Ontario reassured New Tecumseth councillors last night that most of the route between Windsor and Ottawa, and Niagara Falls to North Bay was built along abandoned rail corridors (ARC) and had to overcome many of the same concerns and obstacles raised locally by adjacent landowners and farmers.

Jim Paterson's delegation to council was an 11th hour effort to avert passage of the previous week's committee decision to suspend any further work on the TCT in town "until all matters pertaining to the whole phase two of the trails are resolved." Because the motion did not include a deadline, there was a sense it could be delayed indefinitely.

"Over 2,000 km of (TCT) in southern Ontario, and knowing the geography of southern Ontario, the majority of that is through rural agricultural land. A great deal of that trail has been built on abandoned rail lines. So, there has been a lot of public consultation on the development and completion of those trails, and during that consultation, there has been a great deal of similar issues and concerns that have been raised there that have been raised here in the town of New Tecumseth," said Mr. Paterson. "Those are issues such as trespassing, the impacts on agricultural activities, and crops and livestocks, concerns about unauthorized use of the trail, so they're very common. ... And as a result there has been a great deal of efforts to mitigate those issues. Things such as clear and proper signage, control of access at rights of way road crossings to control unauthorized use. Also a number of agreements in place for fencing, and that takes a different variety of forms to mitigate trespassing and crop and livestock issues."

Mr. Paterson said he was in attendance last week when Ward 5 councillor Donna Jebb raised a concern for food safety/security, which propelled him to review how Leamington dealt with similar issues raised by its tomato and cash crop farmers adjacent to their proposed trail, which opened last summer.

"Now, they did have some issues raised, and they were dealt with, with the adjacent landowners - fencing, and signage." When Ms. Jebb suggested "we have not had a full crop year to see if there are any issues," Mr. Paterson replied, "the trail was built over last summer; it was built during the growing of the crops... they did deal with those."

He told Ward 1 councillor Marc Biss that realistic cost estimates put trail development at between $80,000 to $100,000 per km, while assuring Ward 7 councillor Shira Harrison-McIntyre there are many other properties intersected by the TCT.

"With the abandoned rail line, which is the nature of that strip of land that cuts through so many agricultural farms, there are so many crossings," he said. "Where I'm from, we have 44 km of abandoned rail line trail as part of the TCT. We have over 56 agricultural crossings, those crossings are all posted and signed where trail users would come up to it, we have worked with the landowners to make it proper. People know they're coming up to a crossing. On the other side, we recognize the farmer's historical rights to use the trail to get to one side or the other. We honour those."

Ms. Harrison-McIntyre also asked how he would deal with the property issues in New Tecumseth.

"The option to go around is quite costly," he said. "But I think there are always going to be deviations, and it's council's decision to do that. I think the WD Potato, the access along the driveway and back up the road to bypass it, I don't think it's unreasonable. I think from a trail user perspective, it's not as safe as staying on the trail. From our perspective, trail use and trail safety and the quality of trail, is first and foremost, but we know that we can't always have the trail in the best location. And other factors come into play, but we do have areas where it does deviate and go onto roads as long as its safe..... Those are reasonable options."

The approximate hour long debate regarding the trail's fate, circled around "friendly" amendments to Ms. Jebb's original motion. Ward 4 councillor Fran Sainsbury's attempt failed to win support because it didn't provide a sunset clause on negotiationing with the adjacent landowners.

Ward 6 councillor Richard Norcross pointed to a draft recommendation that was prepared for council as part of the 2015 budget package. It stated the Town proceed to tender the trail between the 9th and 10th Line, and between 10 and 20 Sideroad for spring 2015 construction, while simultaneously directing mitigation measures and easements for trail section reroutes be worked out with WD Potato and the bison farmers on the 13th Line. It was approved by council.

Click here to send a Letter to the Editor.

Join Ontario Trails Today!

 
• HOME
 
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• LEND A HAND
 
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• Join the OTC
 
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•  MORE

Join the OTC

The Ontario Trails Council is a charitable organization, established in 1988, that promotes the creation, development, preservation, management and use of recreational trails.

Over past years membership got: a working Ontario Trails Strategy, new Regional Trail Committees, $25 Million in federal funding for communities (NOT OTC!), 84 trail projects in Ontario equaling 16.4M, and work to enhance the Waterfront Trail, Toronto Trails, Lake Erie Coastal Trail, Trans Canada Trail and 2,000 other trails in Ontario. We do this with your support!

MEMBERSHIP FORM - PDF                              MEMBERSHIP FORM - WORD DOC

Membership Dues

Large $772.50 CAD             Medium $257.50 CAD             Small $103.00 CAD             Friend of Trails $25.75 CAD             Student $20.60 CAD

Benefits to Individual

• Savings on conference/seminar registration
• Monthly e-bulletins
• Access to OTC trails database
• Great gift price!
• Savings on trail literature/maps

$25.75 + $3.38 = $29.13 (includes 13% HST)

Benefits to Student

• 4 editions of the OTC newsletter Greenways
• Access to OTC trails information
• Conference and selected literature savings

  * must provide student verification
$20.60 + $2.67 = $23.27(includes 13% HST)

Types of Members

Our members include municipalities, conservation authorities, parks, trail management groups, trail clubs, trail user groups, health units and other trail-related supporting organizations.

Benefits to Organization

• Access to Trail Insurance package
• OTC Web page representation
• Option on registration in Trillium Trail Network
• Access to Professional Development sessions, i.e. Trails Tourism Practices, Trails Tort Reform, Trail Design Build Workshops
• User conflict resolution
• Representation on OTC trails maps
• Regional Trail Management Committee development
• Knowledge exchange
• Office services and networking support
• Advocacy benefits - provincially and nationally
• Savings on conference/seminar registration

PRICING - Buy fax, credit card or mail (all include 13% HST)

	Base	HST	Total
Less than 200 users	$103.00	$13.39	$116.39
Between 200 and 5000 users	$257.50	$33.47	$290.97
Greater than 5000 users	$772.50	$100.42	$872.92

These prices do not include PayPal fees.              

You can support the OTC in a number of ways. One way is to add one of the badges below to your website or blog. Or become a member! Options below.

Simply cut and paste the text beneath a badge into your HTML:

Ontario Trails Council - Join Today Support Ontario Trails Development!

 
• HOME
 
• /
 
• LEND A HAND
 
• /
 
• Join the OTC
 
• /
 
•  MORE

Join the OTC

The Ontario Trails Council is a charitable organization, established in 1988, that promotes the creation, development, preservation, management and use of recreational trails.

Over past years membership got: a working Ontario Trails Strategy, new Regional Trail Committees, $25 Million in federal funding for communities (NOT OTC!), 84 trail projects in Ontario equaling 16.4M, and work to enhance the Waterfront Trail, Toronto Trails, Lake Erie Coastal Trail, Trans Canada Trail and 2,000 other trails in Ontario. We do this with your support!

MEMBERSHIP FORM - PDF                              MEMBERSHIP FORM - WORD DOC

Membership Dues

Large $772.50 CAD             Medium $257.50 CAD             Small $103.00 CAD             Friend of Trails $25.75 CAD             Student $20.60 CAD

Benefits to Individual

• Savings on conference/seminar registration
• Monthly e-bulletins
• Access to OTC trails database
• Great gift price!
• Savings on trail literature/maps

$25.75 + $3.38 = $29.13 (includes 13% HST)

Benefits to Student

• 4 editions of the OTC newsletter Greenways
• Access to OTC trails information
• Conference and selected literature savings

  * must provide student verification
$20.60 + $2.67 = $23.27(includes 13% HST)

Types of Members

Our members include municipalities, conservation authorities, parks, trail management groups, trail clubs, trail user groups, health units and other trail-related supporting organizations.

Benefits to Organization

• Access to Trail Insurance package
• OTC Web page representation
• Option on registration in Trillium Trail Network
• Access to Professional Development sessions, i.e. Trails Tourism Practices, Trails Tort Reform, Trail Design Build Workshops
• User conflict resolution
• Representation on OTC trails maps
• Regional Trail Management Committee development
• Knowledge exchange
• Office services and networking support
• Advocacy benefits - provincially and nationally
• Savings on conference/seminar registration

PRICING - Buy fax, credit card or mail (all include 13% HST)

	Base	HST	Total
Less than 200 users	$103.00	$13.39	$116.39
Between 200 and 5000 users	$257.50	$33.47	$290.97
Greater than 5000 users	$772.50	$100.42	$872.92

These prices do not include PayPal fees.              

You can support the OTC in a number of ways. One way is to add one of the badges below to your website or blog. Or become a member! Options below.

Simply cut and paste the text beneath a badge into your HTML: