On Saturday, February 6, 2010, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. bring out your family for a fun-filled event to mark the Greenbelt 5th anniversary and the release of the Royal Botanical Gardens' master plan for the Cootes and Niagara Escarpment conservation areas. Join in for some delicious food, a bonfire, ice-skating, winter hikes, and other fun outdoor activities! Check out our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/ontariogreenbelt for details on a digital photography scavenger hunt for the kids!

Last Sunday thousands of Oshawa Generals fans filled the arena for Greenbelt Night as their home team shut out the Saginaw Spirit 3-0. Fans were treated to more than a sweet victory – they also got to learn a bit about the Greenbelt and what it does for Oshawa and Durham residents. Fans were also treated to a sweet taste of Kerr Farms hot apple cider.

T-shirts were launched into the crowd, videos about the Greenbelt, clean water and local food were shown on the big screen. Thousands of Greenbelt Children’s Activity books and non-toxic crayons were given out to the families in attendance. But most importantly, relationships were forged with Durham organizations and individuals dedicated to making their community, and the Greenbelt healthy and prosperous.

The Holland Marsh is one of the best Greenbelt success stories: a community of growers working together to move from an export focus to one centred on the growing interest in eating locally.

There is no better place to celebrate the Greenbelt’s upcoming Fifth Anniversary than with the Holland Marsh Growers. Please join us this Thursday January 28, 2010 from 6-9pm at WaterStone Estate and Farms 17900 Dufferin Street, Newmarket. There will be great local food and drink and even some square dancing.

Come cheer on the Oshawa Generals as they take on the Saginaw Spirit and wear something green to show your support for the Greenbelt!

Game day, Sunday, January 24th at 6:05pm is Greenbelt Night!

Join us for a free tasting of Greenbelt-grown, warm apple cider before the game provided by Kent Farms!

Activity books and crayons will be handed out to kids attending the game!

Sunday, January 24 is Game Day in Durham Region!

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation has partnered with the Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities to celebrate the Greenbelt’s Fifth Anniversary at an upcoming Oshawa Generals game as they take on the Saginaw Spirit in front of a home crowd of thousands of screaming fans.

In celebration of the fifth anniversary of Ontario's Greenbelt, the Ontario Crafts Council (OCC) and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation (GBF) are working together to develop a community quilt celebrating this diverse and vibrant green space.

Currently, we are seeking interest from craftspeople, artists, community groups and guilds to submit a handcrafted square to be included in the quilt.

Greenbelt 5th Anniversary Panel

As part of the Greenbelt’s 5^th anniversary, the Canadian Urban Institute, a not for profit organization dedicated to creating a world of thriving, sustainable, harmonious and engaged urban regions, planned and organized a panel discussion with key players and Greenbelt stakeholders on March 1, 2010 at Hart House, University of Toronto. The “Greenbelt at Five Years: Planning for the Future” panel speakers discussed the progress made on achieving the Greenbelt’s goals and vision and opportunities and challenges it faces and how Ontario’s Greenbelt compares to international greenbelts around the world. This aided in reaching out to a new audience and fostering relationships with audiences potentially interested in defining/ researching the impact of Ontario’s Greenbelt.

Gallery 1313 and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are seeking interest in showcasing work of visual artists in an exhibition focusedon the Greenbelt. We are looking for artists to share their ideas of what the Greenbelt means to them and how its green spaces and agricultural lands have impacted them. We are specifically seeking artists who have linved in, spent time in and been strongly impacted by Ontario's Greenbelt as a source of inspiration.

The Theme
We wish to explore the notion of nature which is on the edge of an urban landscape, and how it shapes our identify as Ontarians. The exhibit will explore how the Greenbelt calls to us, nurtures us, soothes us and challenges us. We are looking for meaningful, thought-provoking dialogue on how the Greenbelt connects the urban, the rural, the city and nature.

Don't let the dropping temperatures stop you from enjoying the many pleasures Ontario's Greenbelt has to offer. Winter can be a spectacular time to plan a "staycation" and the Greenbelt provides a wealth of options, from cozy, warm indoor activities to refreshing outdoor adventures.

From the Bruce Trail to the Niagara wineries and spas, from Lake Simcoe to Rice Lake, there's something for you. Here are just a few examples we've come across recently, all within a short drive of the Greater Golden Horseshoe. 

Promoting the Value of Ontario's Greenbelt Natural Capital

"Promoting the Value of Ontario's Greenbelt Natural Capital" builds on the David Suzuki Foundation's (DSF) 2008 report that valued the Greenbelt’s ecological goods and services, or natural capital, at $2.6 billion in annual services such as climate mitigation, flood control, and water and air filtration.DSF is reaching out to governments and industry leaders to foster political and private sector support for enhancing the value of ecological services in the Greenbelt and better protecting its natural resources.