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Trails Update January 2012

WINTER ACTIVITIES

Snow has finally arrived in Simcoe County and should make for some great winter outings. Take advantage of the many local trails, conservation areas, etc. to get some fresh air, enjoy the scenery, and benefit from a great workout!

Snowshoeing:

when you can walk you can snowshoe!! Check out our loop trails… they are ideal for snowshoeing. There are even 3 brand new loop trails in Simcoe County (see below)

There are also many commercial outfits where you rent snowshoes and enjoy great outings, such as the Wye Marsh, the Wasaga Beach Nordic Centre, Horseshoe Valley Resort, etc.

Or join a local hiking club, many of which have regular snowshoe or cross country ski outings in winter.

Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association www.ganaraska-hiking-trail.ca/

Dufferin Hi-Land Bruce Trail Club www.dufferinbrucetrailclub.org/hikes.html

Blue Mountain Bruce Trail Club www.bmbtc.org/HS.html

Oak Ridges Moraine Trail www.oakridgestrail.org/hikes.htm

Cross Country Skiing:

some of our loop or linear trails are very suitable. Look for the permitted uses on the right hand corner of the maps!

For groomed i.e. track-set cross country skiing, you are probably best off at the Wye Marsh, Hardwood Ski & Bike, Horseshoe Valley, Duntroon Highlands, Wasaga Beach Nordic Centre, etc.

Snowmobiling:

check for trail status on www.ofsc.on.ca

NEW LOOP TRAILS

Thanks to a grant from the Government of Ontario – Healthy Communities, we have been able to blaze and map 3 new loop trails.

• Barrie area: Ardagh Bluffs Loop Trail
• Penetanguishene: Thompson Forest Loop Trail
• Tay Township: Sturgeon River Forest Loop Trail

See www.simcoecountytrails.net/trails/looptrails/looptrails.htm for maps of the above new trails.

COPELAND FOREST

The Couchiching Conservancy is studying appropriate uses for the Copeland Forest in Oro Township. Trail user meetings continue to take place and Huronia Trails and Greenways is represented as the “voice of many trail users” at these meetings.

LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. In Ontario, these bacteria are spread by the bite of blacklegged ticks (formerly called deer ticks), Ixodes scapularis. The blacklegged tick can be found sporadically throughout the province.

What are ticks?

Ticks are closely related to spiders. They are typically small when unfed, (1 to 5 mm in length), and all active stages feed on blood. They cannot fly and they move quite slowly. Ticks usually come in contact with people or animals by positioning themselves on tall grass and bushes. They may take several hours to find a suitable place on the host to attach to feed. Most tick bites are painless. The majority of bites will not result in disease because most ticks are not infected with the agent of Lyme disease.

In Ontario, blacklegged ticks are more commonly found in areas along the north shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. Locations with established blacklegged tick populations infected with the Lyme disease agent, include: Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, and in the St. Lawrence Islands National Park area. The precise boundaries of these established tick populations are difficult to define but it is anticipated that some of these populations will continue to expand into neighbouring areas. Blacklegged ticks are also known to feed on migratory birds and as a result, they can be transported throughout the province. Therefore, while the potential is low, it is possible for people to encounter blacklegged ticks, or to be infected with Lyme disease from the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, almost anywhere in the province.

Trail users may want to read up on what to do with a tick if they find one, how to remove it and what to do if they suspect they may have lyme disease. The Lyme Disease fact sheet of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care website is very informational. www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/disease/lyme.aspx

Or check the health unit’s information at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/DiseaseInformation/CommunicableDiseaseFactSheets/lymedisease.aspx.

TRANS CANADA TRAIL: Waubaushene to Coldwater

The Township of Severn has started trail construction on the abandoned railway line between Waubaushene and Coldwater. Funding permitted, the trail should be ready by the fall of 2012, and will provide trail users a continuous Trans Canada Trail route around Simcoe County.

VEHICLE RECYCLING HELP TRAILS GROW!!

Do you have an old car, motorcycle, RV, truck, snowmobile? Consider donating it to Huronia Trails and Greenways’ vehicle recycling program, which helps build trails in the municipality where the vehicle is picked up. Free pick up and a tax receipt are available. For more information check http://simcoecountytrails.net/about/recycling_program.htm

Happy Trails!!

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