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Seasonal Closure Signs InstalledThe Seasonal Closure signs on Rusty Mud Bucket and Ganaraska trail between #4 and #5 were placed at each end of these trails. Please respect these closures. These trails are very muddy and are easily damaged by foot, horse and bike traffic. ... See MoreSee Less
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Copeland Forest Friends Association Notice: With the warmer weather we start to see more people in Copeland Forest enjoying the trails. Early spring is when trails are most sensitive to impacts from use. While the trails are drying, there are still trail sections that still have ice and/or are very wet. Trails in lowland areas, toe of the slopes and bottom of the valleylands are finally particularly wet now and susceptible to damage from use. If your boots, tires or horse hoofs are sinking into the trail tread then please turn around and find dryer trails to use. Going around the wet areas leads to trail widening and braiding and also results in environmental impact. The trails should be dry soon enough for all to enjoy.Photos Courtesy of Jenn Copeland ... See MoreSee Less
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SAVE THE DATECOPELAND FOREST FRIENDS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGDate: Wednesday, April 24Location: Hardwood Ski and Bike (402 Old Barrie Road between Lines 5 and 6)Time: 6 to 9 p.m.We look forward to gathering with our members and invite you to join us for the Copeland Forest Friends Association (CFFA) Annual General Meeting. The Meeting agenda and link to related pre-read materials will be sent in early April.In recent news, after more than two years of study, community engagement and consultation, the Copeland Forest Trail Plan is finished and you can read it here. Implementation will start this Spring and volunteers are needed. You can meet Don McKinnon, our Trail Committee Chair at the AGM to learn more.New Directors are elected to the Board at the AGM making it the ideal time for members interested in serving with the CFFA Board to let us know by sending an expression of interest to Len Cater, President at lcater@mac.com.Thank you for supporting our mandate by renewing your membership and for your generous donations. For those who’ve been meaning to renew, you still can, right here. www.copelandfriends.ca/civicrm/contribute/transact/?reset=1&id=6 ... See MoreSee Less
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Water Testing in Copeland Forest Did you know that the Copeland Forest Friends Association (CFFA) has been testing the waters in Copeland Forest since the spring of 2016? Originally CFFA was part of the Couchiching Conservancy water testing program, but split off on its own in 2018. Currently testing occurs monthly at seven sites in the forest from spring to fall. Each site is the responsibility of two to three CFFA members who act as “citizen scientists”.Water test results show the natural fluctuation of chemical components in the waters that flow from Copeland’s central wetlands into the Coldwater, Sturgeon and Nottawasaga Rivers. Testing includes: alkalinity, air and water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, environmental observations, phosphate, pH, nitrate, and turbidity.CFFA is partnered with the Severn Sound Environmental Association. SSEA was created under the Municipal Act and provides support to federal, provincial and local governments to sustain environmental quality, and to ensure protection of the Severn Sound and its tributaries. CFFA water testing data is shared with SSEA and is used in their reports and grant applications. This baseline data also helps CFFA monitor the impact of activities at Horseshoe Resort, Heights of Horseshoe and nearby residential areas that could affect water quality in Copeland.Lindsay Sargent and her two daughters Sophie and Payton have been testing for several years. “It is a great way to spend time together and with the beautiful waterways in the forest” says Lindsay.James Ross has been CFFA’s Water Testing Coordinator since 2000. He describes Copeland’s water quality as very good and stable over the years. All of the sites show the standard pattern of cold water temperatures in the spring, rising each summer, and then falling in the autumn. Dissolved oxygen levels start high in the spring, decrease during the summer, then climb again in the fall.There are occasional elevations in phosphate and nitrate over the summer, but they tend to flush through and stabilize each fall. Turbidity is always clear except for momentary increases after a heavy rainfall. Alkalinity and pH remain constant as they are determined by the bedrock and soil characteristics. If you are interested in being part of CFFA’s water testing program A scientific background is not required. contact us at: info@copelandforestfriends.ca ... See MoreSee Less
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Copeland Forest Friends

 

The Copeland Forest is a 4,400 acre Resource Management Area in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada, owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. The size, beauty, and unfettered use of the forest by a wide variety of recreational users inspired an initiative to conserve the natural integrity of the forest and facilitate compatible recreational use.

In October 2015 the Copeland Forest Friends Association formed a Non-Profit Corporation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the MNRF, and began offering memberships. The organization has been structured to ensure that all of the major recreational user groups are represented equally. There are many ways to join us including becoming a member, volunteering, making a donation, and signing up for our newsletter. We look forward to seeing you in the forest!