You may be wondering why the ECA selected this study area for our geospatial analysis to determine corridor focus areas.
Our 185,386-hectare (about 1,800 sq km) study area consists of five provincially recognized watershed basins (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry), all closely connected to the local SGB Niagara Escarpment, which serves as their headwaters. These include:
- Beaver River Outlet (orange)
- Bighead River (pink)
- Eugenia Lake-Beaver River (yellow)
- Mad River (lime green)
- Shoreline Watershed (green) – a combination of watersheds that flow north off the escarpment directly into Nottawasaga Bay
But why water?
Well… “There is no life without water.” — Albert Szent-Györgyi, M.D.
Watercourses (streams and wetlands) are areas of highest biodiversity. Streams (also known as riparian corridors) are natural ecological connectors. The ECA’s regional ecological corridor vision is best understood as a network of ecosystems (with many interconnected corridors), most of which are structured around water.
And when it comes to the escarpment’s relationship with South Georgian Bay (Nottawasaga Bay), everything that goes up must come down. By protecting and connecting the headwaters, we are also safeguarding the health of Georgian Bay.
The ECA Corridor Identification Project
Launched in September 2024, the ECA Corridor Identification Project was made possible thanks to our lead funding partner, the Greenbelt Foundation. Since then, extensive analysis and research have been conducted. The ECA plans to begin sharing results in late spring 2025, leading up to the official unveiling of our initial corridor focus areas at the Nature Corridor Summit on October 24, 2025, at Osler Ski Club (save the date!).
Explore Ontario’s Watersheds
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry provides a fantastic, free GIS (Geographic Information System) for those interested in exploring watersheds independently:
Ontario Watershed Boundaries GIS
Science First Approach
The ECA is committed to a Science First approach in determining the best path for a nature corridor. It is essential to understand how the entire ecosystem functions as a whole to ensure we are carrying out the best possible conservation efforts—for nature, people, and the greater good.
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