Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Ontario Trail News - Trail Hikes, Trail Counts, Benefits of Outdoor Activity, and more from Ontario Trails!

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Wolf Lake Ancient Forest Is Endangered Ecosystem
RedOrbit
New research from the University of Guelph, published Tuesday in the journal Biodiversity andConservation, says that allowing industrial extraction in a northern Ontario old-growth red pine forest – the largest remaining in the world – would ...
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New urban park, waterfront trail to be centrepiece of Ontario Place revitalization
National Post
The shuttered Ontario Place will get a new urban park and waterfront trailOntario's Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan announced on Wednesday. Mr. Chan told a Wednesday morning press conference on the former tourist attraction's now-empty ...
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See and feel how good nature is for you by getting out at least once a day

Research has shown that early-morning cardio in a fasted state can burn up to 20 percent more calories; however hitting the grass versus the treadmill provides a number of further benefits that may just surprise you. Fitting in some nature, or vitamin N, may just be the secret to unlocking a better mood, faster metabolism and stronger memory.

Smiling female
                biker drinking water
1. Beat belly fatResearch shows that people who live near trees and parks have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their saliva than those who live in a concrete jungle.
Japanese study found that a forest walk can render a 12 percent decrease in cortisol levels, a seven percent decrease in sympathetic nerve activity (which would contribute to anxiety), a one percent decrease in blood pressure, and a five percent decrease in heart rate. The more you can get yourself into a green space, the better it is for your body composition — and sanity, for that matter.
2. Go green to beat the bluesForget retail therapy, try nature therapy. I recently saw an anonymous quote posted on my Facebook page that said, “There’s no Wi-Fi in the forest, but I promise you will find a better connection,” and I couldn’t agree more.
Whether you’re having a bad day, or a tough year, seeking out an area with a lot of greenery has been shown to improve both mood and memory in depressed individuals.
In one Michigan study, participants exhibited significant increases in memory span and mood after walks in nature versus urban walks. This is perhaps why many people battle the cottage traffic every Friday night to spend a couple of days in the great outdoors before heading back into the city for another week in the grind.
If you don’t have a cottage escape, look up some local trails. It’s an inexpensive, instantly gratifying and calorie-free way to lift your mood.
3. Combat brain fog
If you’re drawing a blank with a project at work, a study from Scotland suggests getting outside for a walk in the park.
Researchers took volunteers through three areas: a historic shopping district with old buildings and light traffic, a park-like setting and a busy commercial district with heavy traffic while they wore portable EEGs on their heads to relay their brain waves.
While the participants were in the commercial area they produced brain wave patterns conducive with frustration versus the parkland that showed patterns similar to meditation.
Bottom line: If you can get out for your lunch and head to a park for 20 minutes you may find yourself more productive the rest of the day.
4. Help nurture creativityBetween our iPhones, laptops and tablets we’re continuously plugged in. However, spending time away from battery-operated devices and in nature has been linked to a 50 percent increase in creativity, something scientists refer to as attentional restoration theory.
Bottom line: If you’re heading into a green space this long weekend, be sure to leave yourself unplugged for optimal health benefits.
5. Sleep more soundlyIf you find yourself doing everything right and still tossing and turning at night, head outdoors for a walk down your favourite nature trail.
Researchers found that forest walking improved actual sleep time, immobile minutes, self-rated depth of sleep and sleep quality. And for even better results, according to the study, you should aim to have this walk later in the day versus earlier.
Bottom line: With the longer summer days I recommend taking advantage of an after-dinner walk not just to influence your waistline, but also your bedtime.
6. Get green at homeIf you live in the city and you can only escape on the weekends, there are many benefits to adding a little greenery around the house and the office. According toresearchers at Kansas State University, adding plants to hospital rooms speeds recovery rates of surgical patients. Compared to patients in rooms without plants, patients in rooms with plants request less pain medication, have lower blood pressure, experience less stress, and are released from the hospital sooner.
Bottom line: Feeling stressed at work? Add a potted plant and you will find yourselffeeling healthier and taking less time off to battle the seasonal cold.
         Submitted by Peter Ochal via Sherri Ochal. Thanks guys. 

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INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANISED CLUB HIKES
The Toronto Bruce Trail Club runs an extensive hiking program, numbering in excess of 300 hikes each year. The hikes are described in the club's newsletter, "Footnotes", which is published quarterly and distributed to its members.  
All Club endorsed hikes are lead by hike leaders who are trained and certified by the Toronto Bruce Trail Club.
On all hikes, the hike leader will be collecting a voluntary donation to the Escarpment Fund. The suggested amount is $1.
https://media6.magma.ca/www.torontobrucetrailclub.org/indexhttps.php

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Local wineries honour war of 1812
Windsor Star
The STOWAWAY 1812 wines are considered limited edition collector's items. ... It's called the Coastal Trails: Sails to See Tall Ships Festival in Windsor, ...


Celebrate Canada Day with Fort York walking tour
insideTORONTO.com
A Fort York Historic District Walking Tour titled 'Building a Great Canadian City: Early Lakefront Development in Toronto' will explore the evolution and history of the Lake Ontario shoreline in the Fort York historic site area from the early British ...
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Trail Counts - Are you being Counted?



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Friday, September 14, 2012

Ontario Trails - Windsor Ganatchio Trail, Hiking, Canoeing, Cycling and 2599 other Ontario Trails!

Walking for the exploited
Hamilton Spectator
The stop in Hamilton, where the largest human trafficking ring in Canadian history has unfolded, is part of the 200-kilometre hike from London to Toronto that began last week. For Burditt, the journey will take nine days. He's walking just over 20 ...
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City seeks solutions for railroaded cyclists
NOW Magazine
Transportation staff are expected to report back to the committee by the end of 2012, and despite Egan's words of caution, Jared Kolb of Cycle Toronto is hoping that staff return with workable solutions. Kolb favours warning signs, pavement markings ...
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Sidewalks for walking - Toronto article - News - MSN CA
The bikes have taken over. I have been wondering lately why so many people are riding their bicycles on the sidewalks. Are sidewalks not for pedestrians?
news.ca.msn.com/ontario/markham/article.aspx?cp...


Bike Stuff at PWIC This Wednesday -- Action Alert! | Cycle Toronto
Hi All,. There are a several cycling-related items on the agenda for city's Public Works & Infrastructure Committee meeting that will be held this Wednesday.
bikeunion.to/ward.../bike-stuff-pwic-wednesday-action-alert 


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Lindsay Exhibition will be quite the 'Ride'
Kawartha Media Group
The Musical Ride is performed by a full troop of 32 riders and horses, plus the member in charge, executing a variety of intricate figures and cavalry drills choreographed to music. ... "There's already been a huge response from all over Ontario," he said.
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View our Page of Projects


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Surveys - Trail Priorities!

Trail Priorities
- How do you determine which projects, which planners, who does what and how the OTC can work to support you. New August 17, 2012 - next meeting Sept 11 or 12.
Trail Reform Now - Legislative, legal, operational, management and use - and - the Ontario Trails Strategy - tell us about the changes you'd like to see  to make putting trails on the ground easier.

Economic Impact of Recreational Trails
 - Ever wonder about the value of trails? This survey questions how communities value and communicate that value to the public, government and other stakeholders

Membership Survey
- This survey gives members the chance to comment on our services so that we remain in step with meeting your needs.
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ONTARIO TRAILS COUNCIL E-NEWS - Every Friday

    • Local Trail News 

    • Trail Education Program

    • Trail Heros

    • Trailhead Ontario

    • Activity and User Updates

     View it Here
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Trails Education Courses 2012
Trail Education Courses -  23 Sessions and Counting We have it all - 14 modules - and soon On-Line! Book Today.
Course Calendar  - click the link on the course name to download the flyer for that course!
Course Descriptions 
Register - click on your choice, register on-line 
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We appreciate the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation
Courses are for information and knowledge exchange purposes only. All courses are offered on a first come first serve basis. Instructors reserve the right to limit class sizes. Courses may be offered more than once in the calendar year. Some minimum student levels are necessary to run certain courses, so offered courses may change without notice
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Hello! I hope you are enjoying the summer in spite of the extreme heat. We are in the process of planning another Tour de Greenbelt in Rouge Park and would ...ontario.sierraclub.ca/node/
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Check out all our regional listings

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Special thanks to our sponsors of the Hike Haliburton Festival/ They are Carole Finn Artist, Pinestone Resort, Earthways Parker Pad and Printing, Cordell Carpets, Canoe FM, Haliburton Echo and Minden Times, Haliburton Media Arts Wilderness Medical Associates, Haliburton County Folk Society. If you would like to be sponsor or make a donation please contact us at 705-754-3436
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Plans are now set for this year’s special 40th Anniversary conference. Our theme, “Honouring Roots...Standing Tall...Branching Out!” reflects our commitment to create a unique conference framework within which many of COEO's original “elders” and long-time “sustainers” will be personally invited to return to share in the celebration of: a) how our organization was born and nurtured, b) its current “best practices”, and c) what it is already in the process of becoming!
Please plan to join us as we explore new ideas and perspectives, learn and share, refocus and rejuvenate for the special “40th anniversary year” ahead! Our host site will be Camp Pine Crest, located near Torrance in beautiful Muskoka, Ontariohttp://www.coeo.org/important-details.html
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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Ontario Trails News - Paddle, Bike, Hike and Ride Ontario's Trails


Yesterday Ontario Parks Association launched their Green Infrastructure report with a press conference and then on to Question Period where they were introduced to the legislature to applause from both sides of the house. 

Following that OPA had a tremendous turnout at the reception where over 30 MPPs and there offices were in attendance along with about 50 invited guests.  At one point the room was completely full.  Later OPA headed to the CBC building were Paul Ronan did an interview with Laura Di Battista, formerly with City TV and now host of the Here and Now show.  

The members and Board of OPA are part owners of a report that we can hold up and proudly promote Protecting Tomorrow Today through Green Infrastructure.  We have over 100 copies of the report in the OPA office, please  go towww.greeninfrastructureontario.org to view an online copy of the report. It is a terrific, well written and very scientific document which any of you can use to educate staff, elected officials, media and park patrons

Ontario Trails Education Program - Book Now
Trail Education Courses - 
23 Sessions and Counting

We have it all - 14 modules - and soon On-Line! Book Today.

Course Calendar  - click the link on the course name to download the flyer for that course!


Register - click on your choice, register on-line



Courses are for information and knowledge exchange purposes only. All courses are offered on a first come first serve basis. Instructors reserve the right to limit class sizes. Courses may be offered more than once in the calendar year. Some minimum student levels are necessary to run certain courses, so offered courses may change without notice.

Windsor Star
Bicycling was the “hot” sport in those days; the Walkerville Wheelman Bicycle Club began hosting annual road races. Here is Walkerville resident Charlie ...


SX LITES: Frustration For Pro Circuit In Canada
SPEEDtv.com
... Ontario, on Saturday for an exciting night of Monster Energy Supercross. ... in off-road motorcycle and ATV exhausts and aftermarket performance parts.


First person to canoe solo across Atlantic makes it in 76 days
Toronto Star
Associated Press BUDAPEST, HUNGARY— After 76 days, Gabor Rakonczay — isolated and incommunicado for nearly 50 of those after his canoe capsized — has become the first person to paddle across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the Caribbean.
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Great Trails - Great People - June 17-20, 2012
Trails Tourism a Cohesive RTO Approach working with leading trails and tourism experts this panel explores the variation in trail tourism products across Ontario. It also introduces trail products, assessments, valuations and development from the national support, provincial Ministry support and RTO resourcing levels. All 13 RTO’s are different. Not all regions provide similar products or services.  Come bring your regional approach – this session provides a broad overview that will enable the encapsulation of an “Ontario Trails Tourism” picture.

Trails Training Day - Our 14-point program is moving along, and while we are still determining whether this is an on-the-ground trail building, or an in classroom educational session(s) one thing is for sure – staff who require practical hands on building or functional useable skill development they can use on your trails will want to attend. We’ll let you know as soon as the decision is made!


The Cycle Seen » Cycling in Toronto
At last. Though if i'm truly honest, it came much sooner than expected. When I created my gym program for my 'winter training' (something that has taken a back ...
www.cycleseen.com/tag/cycling-in-toronto


Would you call a tow for your bicycle?
CBC.ca
By Community Team The Canadian Automobile Association's North and East Ontario(CAANEO) will soon offer roadside assistance to cyclists. (iStock) Motorists with memberships in the Canadian Automobile Association will soon receive roadside assistance ...
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Howden among Canada's best
The Barrie Advance
Last week, on a day that felt more like a Florida vacation than a ski race, Barrie cross-country skierBella Howden finished 11th at nationals. Colleen Winter photo BARRIE - Last March if you asked Grade 10 student Bella Howden if she would be racing ...
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Ontario Trails - Update


People heading back to work or planning more holiday travel this week may want to bring along a snow brush.
A low developing over the southern United States will push into central Canada on Tuesday and rapidly intensify.
Precipitation will start as light rain, but as temperatures drop Tuesday evening, the rain will change to snow. Parts of eastern Ontario, including the Ottawa Valley, could see up to 15 cm by Wednesday.

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