The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and have started a new hiking campaign called Healthy Hikes.
Healthy Hikes runs until Oct. 31 to encourage people to energize their body and mind by spending more time in nature at GRCA conservation areas, nature centres and trails.
Participants can also hike at more than 270 other conservation areas throughout Ontario managed by Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities.
Ontarians are encouraged to take the Healthy Hikes challenge by registering online and then recording their time spent hiking at healthyhikes.ca . They can earn bonus points by participating in qualifying activities at conservation areas and nature centres.
Information on GRCA events is in the calendar section of the GRCA website at www.grandriver.ca. Events at conservation areas around Ontario can be found at healthyhikes.ca.
There are $2,500 worth of prizes up for grabs for challenge participants, including a grand prize of a $1,200 Merrell gift card, donated by Merrell, a leading supplier of hiking equipment.
Evidence suggests that spending time outdoors can provide many health benefits including increased energy and immunity, increased weight loss and fitness, increased Vitamin D production, reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression, and a reduced risk of diabetes, heart attacks, and cancer.
The GRCA has many kilometres of trails in its conservation areas and nature centres. As well, the GRCA owns the Cambridge-Hamilton-Brantford Rail-Trail and the Elora-Cataract Trailway. Information on all of these is available on the GRCA website.
Across Ontario, conservation authorities collectively own over 2,500 km of trails.
The conservation areas that they operate help protect ecologic features such as wetlands, forests, rivers and streams, and great lakes shoreline, all of which contribute in invaluable ways to overall health and well-being. Humans’ air, food and water are impacted by the health of the natural environment.
Other organizations partnering with the GRCA, Conservation Ontario and the conservation authorities include the Canadian Mental Health Association, Trees Ontario, York Region, the Ontario Trails Council, Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Bruce Trail Conservancy and the David Suzuki Foundation.
