2005 Award Recipient

THE BRUCE TRAIL CONSERVANCY

Environment Committee

2005 Calypso Orchid Environmental Award

Beth Kümmling was the award recipient in 2005. As part of her commitment to environmental issues along the Niagara Escarpment, Beth developed in 2003 a program of “Geology 101on Foot” hikes. Using her expertise in geology she prepared “handout information sheets”, informed hike participants concerning ledges, boulders, potholes and fossils to better their understanding of how the Niagara Escarpment came to be, and of the Trail rock formations, and reminded them of man’s impact in the area. The very popular hikes attract not only BTC members but also outside groups and individuals with an overall attendance well in excess of 400 people. To date, Beth has organized and conducted over 20 hikes in many areas: the Cheltenham Badlands and Creditstone Quarry; a waterfall and quarry in the Iroquoia area, Mount Nemo; Wodehouse Karst in the Beaver Valley; the Pretty River Valley; Rockwood Falls, Decew Falls and the Short Hills in the Niagara region; Cataract and the Devil’s Pulpit at the Forks of the Credit; Dorcas Bay, near Wiarton and Cape Dundas, near Lion’s Head, and the cliffs and caves in Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.

Beth was also a driving force in the preparation of six interpretive signs with the Environment Committee, drafting the texts and sourcing illustrations. The signs are located along the Trail on BTC owned properties: Skinner’s Bluff, Rock Hill Corner, Humber Heights, Cheltenham Badlands, Speyside Woods, and Thirty Mile Creek, and outline the geology and ecology of the area.

With these two programs, Beth has significantly enhanced the education of Trail users and potential users. The award was presented at the AGM in Owen Sound.