York Regional Forest

Rules

The following rules are in place for visitors to the York Regional Forest:

• Dogs MUST be leashed at all times, except in designated areas
• Pick up and properly dispose of pet waste
• Stay on established trails
• Please be kind and act responsibly
• Do not:
  • Bait wildlife (i.e. for the purpose of hunting or taking photos)
  • Camp overnight
  • Cut or remove trees, plants, fungi or wildlife
  • Drive unauthorized motorized vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes
  • Light fires
  • Litter
  • Smoke or vape

For on-leash tract rules, off-leash tract rules and enclosed dog off-leash area rules visit york.ca/dogsintheforest

Precautions

Exercise caution on the trails as they are not maintained.

Extreme heat can be a serious health threat. Learn about extreme heat and how to keep yourself and your family cool on hot and humid days.

Mosquitoes and blacklegged ticks may be found in the York Regional Forest. West Nile virus is an illness spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. For more information, including the safe removal of ticks, visit york.ca/LymeDisease

Parking is limited.

Poison Ivy is a native plant commonly found in the York Regional Forest and provides food and shelter to small animals and birds. In humans, poison ivy is known to cause skin rashes, severe itching and irritation to people who come into contact with it. In severe cases, swelling, blistering and discharge may occur. Symptoms develop within 24 to 48 hours of exposure. Identifying poison ivy features include:

• Three almond-shaped leaflets
• Leaflets have pointed tips, with the middle leaf being the longest
• Leaflets are green in colour, turning darker as they mature and red in the autumn
• Berries tend to be white or cream-coloured

Serious health problems can result from prolonged exposure to the cold, such as frostbite and hypothermia. Learn about extreme cold and how to keep yourself and your family safe.

Wearing insect repellent, closed-toed footwear, light-coloured long-sleeved shirts and long pants, tucked into your socks is strongly recommended.

York Region maintains three trails accessible to wheelchairs and other assistive devices in the York Regional Forest including:

• Hollidge Tract at 16389 Highway 48 (North of Aurora Road) in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
• North Tract at 17054 Highway 48 (South of Davis Drive) in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
• Hall Tract at 15681 McCowan Road (North of Aurora Road) in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

Accessible trails are wider, clear of obstructions and graded to ensure ease-of-movement for all visitors.

Each trail ranges between one-to-two kilometre loops that pass through a variety of landscapes.

Accessible parking is available.

Learn about and experience the beauty of the York Regional Forest at our walks and events.

Each walk targets specific age groups; events are open to all ages. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Registration is required for guided walks and most events and opens a month in advance. Walks and events are held rain or shine.

Visit york.ca/forestevents to learn more and to register.

Nature’s Classroom is a fun and informative outdoor education program offered to a wide variety of groups and organizations including clubs, community groups, large families and schools.

Held in the York Regional Forest, these educational sessions are designed to teach participants about the forest ecosystem and its importance to our community. Each session includes a guided forest hike.

For more information, please visit york.ca/outdooreducation

In accordance with federal and provincial legislation and local municipal discharge of firearms bylaws, hunting is permitted in three specific areas within York Regional Forest Tracts located in Georgina.

• Pefferlaw Tract
• Cronsberry Tract
• Metro Road Tract (bows only)

Hunting is prohibited in all other York Regional Forest Tracts.

York Region does not permit the use of hunting stands or baiting of wildlife.

Contact the Town of Georgina’s bylaw department at 905-476-4301 to confirm areas where the use of firearms (including bows) is permitted.

Visit the Ministry of Natural Resources for more information about hunting in Ontario.

The Bill Fisch Forest Stewardship and Education Centre is located in the Hollidge Tract in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. It features a classroom and a boardroom which are used for many York Region programs such as guided forest walks and Nature’s Classroom.

Facility Benefits

This unique and inspirational building, the Bill Fisch Forest Stewardship and Education Centre, is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certified and in 2018 became the first in Canada and the twenty-first building worldwide to successfully become Living Certified under the Living Building Challenge. The Living Building Challenge is a program of the International Living Future Institute and is comprised of seven performance areas; site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty.

Some of the innovative features of the building include:

• All wood construction including cross-laminated timbers
• All new wood material used in the building is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified
• Through the use of solar panels, LED light fixtures, heat pumps, radiant heating and triple-glazed windows, the building will generate more energy than it uses
• The building’s canopy gathers rain water and snow melt to service bathroom facilities
• All of the water used comes from the site and is treated and discharged on-site, resulting in net-zero water use
• Much of the building materials were sourced from local manufacturers to reduce carbon emissions