The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy is Canada's largest Ontario-focused charitable land trust, committed to preserving Ontario's sensitive and vulnerable landscape.

Since our founding in 1997, we have conserved 250+ natural sites of ecological significance along and in the vicinity of the Niagara Escarpment, the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula and Manitoulin Island.

Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy land is host to dozens of threatened or endangered species. Our forests sequester carbon from the atmosphere and support Canada’s biodiversity targets.

We also have hiking trails! Our best-known trail is the “Cup and Saucer” on Manitoulin Island. It is known in Ojibwe as Michigiwadinong, meaning “Bluff in the shape of spearhead”. Another notable preserve is Heaven’s Gate, roughly translated from its proper Anishinaabe name, Kitchitwaa Shkwaandem as well as several hiking trails on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula and elsewhere on mainland Ontario.

Please help protect wilderness by becoming a member, donating, or just learning more on our website.

The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy gratefully acknowledges that the lands we protect are in the traditional territories of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, the Whitefish River First Nation, the Nations of Mnidoo Mnising, and other First Nations in Canada, who are the traditional keepers of this land. We are committed to holding this land in a good way, that integrates the rights of Indigenous people and advances the goals and objects identified by the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission.