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A community of volunteers have been the driving force behind the Bruce Trail for over 60 years. Today, more than 1,500 volunteers donate their time and talents to the Bruce Trail Conservancy and its nine Bruce Trail Clubs. Without this remarkable year-round support, the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Bruce Trail would not be what it is today. They strive to keep it going today, and they’re looking for you to join them as the next generation of volunteers. 

Why Become a Volunteer with the Bruce Trail Conservancy and its Bruce Trail Clubs?

Volunteering with the Bruce Trail Conservancy and its Bruce Trail Clubs is a way to get involved with and give back to the community helping to conserve and care for the Niagara Escarpment – home of the Bruce Trail. You’ll help secure the Bruce Trail, share and learn skills, be a part of a team, and develop lasting friendships.

There are roles for people outdoors and inside, for people who love manual labor and those who are excellent organizers. Whether you’ve had years of experience or you’re brand new to volunteering, we look forward to helping you have the experience of a lifetime on the Trail of a lifetime. 

Volunteer Spotlight

John Harrison

“When I retired, I wanted to volunteer with an organization that was beneficial to people and the environment. The Bruce Trail Conservancy was an obvious choice. That was over 13 years ago. I still very much like the staff and volunteers I meet, and the work I do, both at the BTC office and on the Trail. I am proud to be part of the rich volunteer history of the Bruce Trail Conservancy and its work to protect, conserve, and restore a significant corridor of the Niagara Escarpment.”
– BTC Office & Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club volunteer

Ian Grindall

“I started volunteering for the BTC in the office and on trail maintenance right after I retired in 2019.  It has been the perfect counterbalance to the high stress job I left behind, and reminded me that an office can and should be a happy place to work and still achieve the objectives of the organisation.  The staff are always welcoming, always express their thanks for the help of volunteers, and being in the head office I get to learn something from time to time about the BTC that I wouldn’t otherwise know!  When I set out to volunteer, both on the trail and in the office, I never anticipated that I would get so much back in return, in terms of satisfaction, fulfilment and friendship.”
– BTC Office & Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club volunteer

Alina Lin

Alina Lin

“I enjoy being able to hike or work with like-minded people. I get to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds, learn new skills and knowledge, and share my experiences. I moved to Canada in 2009 and more than half of my friend circle and some best friends were made through volunteering! I also feel a sense of accomplishment seeing my volunteering efforts make a difference.”
– Toronto Bruce Trail Club volunteer

Bruce Trail Clubs

The Bruce Trail Conservancy has nine Bruce Trail Clubs, each corresponding to a section of the Bruce Trail. Each Club is entirely volunteer run. Volunteers are responsible for most of the day-to-day work keeping the Bruce Trail open. In addition to trail maintenance, club volunteers build and repair boardwalks and other structures, steward Bruce Trail Conservancy protected natural areas, monitor and manage rare plants and invasive species, develop management plans for their sections, and much, much more. 
Find Your Local Bruce Trail Club
Choosing a Bruce Trail Club

Volunteer Roles and Descriptions

The Bruce Trail Conservancy is governed by a board of directors and supported by strategic and operational committees.
Learn more about our board of directors 

The Bruce Trail Conservancy relies on its dedicated office volunteers and our archivist. Both roles spend regular time in the office helping with many different tasks, including: 

  • BTC Office Volunteer

Help out in the office in a variety of capacities, stuffing envelopes, data entry, answering phones and serving customers in the store. 

  • BTC Archivist 

Maintain BTC items of historic importance.

  • BTC Outreach Event Volunteer

Promote the Bruce Trail Conservancy, encourage supporters, and sell memberships and merchandise, by staffing an information booth at a community event, trade show (like the Outdoor Adventure Show), or BTC-hosted event.

  • Bruce Trail Day Volunteer

Support the biggest outreach event of the year. Help with planning, or promotion, or day-of-event support (like set up, tear down, hike or activity leading, parking assistance, etc.) Bruce Trail Day is held on the first Sunday in October. Planning starts early in the year.

Volunteers maintain the Bruce Trail and its side trails keeping the footpath safe, navigable, and enjoyable. From painting blazes, to building structures, to monitoring trail conditions, volunteers are needed every step of the way. Volunteer positions include: 

  • Trail director: Responsible for the planning, maintenance and overall quality of the Bruce Trail in the Bruce Trail Club’s section, and for the overall organization and operation of the Club’s trail work.
  • Trail captain: Maintains the Bruce Trail and side trails in a designated section of the Bruce Trail.
  • Trail maintenance volunteer: Helps with construction and repairs on the Bruce Trail.

Collect important biodiversity data as you hike! Our citizen scientists are helping to develop a map of flora and fauna along the Bruce Trail. Whether you are a trained botanist, mycologist or ornithologist, or just interested in learning more about the different species calling the Bruce Trail home, the Bruce Trail Conservancy can use your help. Using the free powerful online tool iNaturalist, you can collect much needed data while you are out hiking the Bruce Trail. Learn more about our iNaturalist Bruce Trail Conservancy Project

Each of our nine Bruce Trail Clubs offer an extensive program of organized hikes, throughout the year, for members and non-members. Trained volunteers are responsible for leading and organizing these hikes – sharing with others the wonders of the Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment.

Volunteers are a vital component of our land stewardship program. Volunteer land stewards actively care for each of the properties that are owned or managed by the Bruce Trail Conservancy. As the Bruce Trail Conservancy acquires more land in our efforts to establish a conservation corridor containing the Bruce Trail, our land stewardship needs grow. Learn more about our land stewardship program. Land stewardship positions include:

  • Land steward director: Each Bruce Trail Club has one land steward director to coordinate the work of the land stewards in that Club.
  • Land steward: Land stewards are the caretakers of each Bruce Trail Conservancy protected natural area. They visit their assigned property at least twice a year, complete annual reports on the conditions of the property, provide input into the stewardship plans, and help to organize and carry out stewardship activities such as tree planting, garbage removal, and installing signs and fences.

Landowner relations volunteers help the Bruce Trail Conservancy maintain healthy working relationships with landowners, both public and private, whose land the Bruce Trail crosses, and resolves concerns as they may arise.

Each Bruce Trail Club has their own board which oversees the activities of the Club. There are many possible volunteer roles on the Bruce Trail Club Boards, including:

  • Bruce Trail Club President 
    Responsible for the general overseeing of Bruce Trail Club operations, and for the direction, development and promotion of the overall objectives and goals of the Club
  • Bruce Trail Club Vice President
    Act in place of the club president when the president is unavailable and to be the president elect
  • Bruce Trail Club Secretary
    Record proceedings of all Bruce Trail Club board and club executive meetings
  • Bruce Trail Club Treasurer
    Responsible for the custody of the funds of the Bruce Trail Club and all financial matters affecting the Club
  • Bruce Trail Club Director – Member at Large
    Participate in the Bruce Trail Club board’s deliberations and decisions in matters of club policies, programs and finances
  • Bruce Trail Club Archivist
    Keep safe all of the important records of the Bruce Trail Club
  • Bruce Trail Club Fundraising Director
    Help to promote and collect funds through events or other initiatives to support the Bruce Trail Conservancy at the club level
  • Bruce Trail Club Hike Director
    Provide direction to all Bruce Trail Club hike leaders and compile a list of all upcoming hikes for the Bruce Trail Club newsletter
  • Bruce Trail Club Land Steward Director 
    Implement and promote the land stewardship program at the Bruce Trail Club level
  • Bruce Trail Club Landowner Relations Director 
    Maintain a healthy working relationship with landowners and resolve issues as they arise
  • Bruce Trail Club Membership Director
    Retain and increase the Bruce Trail Conservancy membership at the Bruce Trail Club level
  • Bruce Trail Club Newsletter Editor
    The main administrative contact in producing the Bruce Trail Club newsletter
  • Bruce Trail Club Public Relations & Publicity Director 
    Publicize Bruce Trail Club’s activities, aims and objectives
  • Bruce Trail Club Trail Director
    Responsible for the planning, maintenance and overall quality of the Bruce Trail in the Bruce Trail Club’s section, and for the overall organization and operation of Trail work
  • Bruce Trail Club Volunteer Coordinator
    Coordinate volunteers throughout the Bruce Trail Club, and to facilitate the recruiting, training and recognition of all volunteers in the Club

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Bruce Trail, and there are many opportunities to get involved.
Thank you for your interest in giving back to the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Bruce Trail through volunteering.

  • BTC Outreach Event Volunteer: Promote the Bruce Trail Conservancy, encourage supporters, and sell memberships and merchandise, by staffing an information booth at a community event, trade show (like the Outdoor Adventure Show), or BTC-hosted event.
  • BTC Archivist: Receive AGM and Board minutes from each Club and save files appropriately. Sort End-to-End reports by number and file in the Archives drawer. Connect with Hamilton Public Library to arrange to take in new additions to BTC archive holdings.

Toronto Bruce Trail Club is currently recruiting:

Trail Captains to ensure their section of the Bruce Trail is kept safe and enjoyable for all users. For more information, please see the link here. Please apply for this role by submitting a BTC volunteer application and indicating your interest on the application.

We are seeking volunteers to join the Blue Mountains Bruce Trail Club. Please apply online.

The Peninsula Bruce Trail Club is currently seeking:

Spirit Squad Volunteers to welcome and cheer on Peninsula Bruce Trail Club organized End to End Hikers as they approach the end of their End to End hike.

Hike It! Love It! Keep It Clean! Litter Ambassadors to help keep the Bruce Trail clean, promote responsible trail etiquette and learn about litter found on the Bruce Trail.

PBTC DEIB Committee Volunteers to promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion among PBTC volunteers, and members.

To learn more about these roles, please click here.

Please apply for either of these roles by submitting a BTC volunteer application and indicating your interest on the application.

Niagara Bruce Trail Club is now recruiting:

Treasurer to be responsible for the custody of the funds of the Club and all financial matters affecting the Club. For more information about this role, please click here.

Trail Development and Maintenance Director. For more information on this role please see the link here.

Trail Maintenance Zone Coordinators (North and South) For more information on this role please see the link here.

Director at Large to become fully informed on organizational matters and participates in the Club Board’s deliberations and decisions in matters of policy, finance, programs and advocacy. For more information on this role please see the link here.

Please apply for these roles by submitting a BTC volunteer application and indicating your specific interest on the application.

The Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club invites all individuals to join us in making a difference through volunteering. Submit your application today and start your volunteer journey with us!

Director at Large to participate in the Board’s deliberations and decisions in matters of policy, finance, programs, and advocacy.

Public Relations Director to create and maintain a positive public image of the Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club and build positive relationships with various Club stakeholders through advertising, social media, local media coverage, and community events.

Caledon e-Comment Reporter to work with the Caledon e-Comment Editor to write, edit, and proofread interesting stories and news items.

Email a letter of intent expressing your interest and experience to Lynn Dobson, chbtcmembershipdirector@gmail.com by February 19, 2025. A complete description of the roles and expectations can be found on the CHBTC website.

Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club is currently seeking:

Land Stewards to be a caretaker for an assigned Bruce Trail Conservancy property on behalf of the BTC and the BVBTC. For more information, please click here.

Trail Maintenance to ensure the Bruce Trail is a safe and navigable footpath for hikers. For more information, please click here.

To apply for either role, or other opportunities with the Beaver Valley Club, please submit a BTC volunteer application and indicate your specific interest.

Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club is currently recruiting:

Treasurer to be responsible for the custody of the funds of the Club and all financial matters affecting the Club. For more information about this role, please click here.

Director at Large to participate in the Board’s deliberations and decisions in matters of policy, finance, programs, and advocacy. For more information please see the link here.

Landowner Ambassadors to maintain connection and support the needs of over 100 landowners in the section. For more information please see the link here.

Badge Keeper to maintain an inventory of various hikes.

The Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club welcomes anyone interested in volunteering. To begin volunteering, in any capacity, please apply by submitting a BTC volunteer application and indicating which position you are interested in.

We are seeking volunteers to join the Dufferin Hi-Land Bruce Trail Club. Please apply online.

The Sydenham Bruce Trail Club is actively recruiting the following roles:

Land Steward to become a caregiver for Bruce Trail Conservancy managed land within the Sydenham section. Duties will include reporting the ecological health of the land to our Director of Land Stewardship, upholding stewardship plans, collaborating with other volunteers, and participating in work parties that may take place on the property. 

Hike Leader to organize all kinds of hikes on and relating to the Bruce Trail. Hike leaders are heroes in our community who bring people together for the love of nature and keep them safe!

Biodiversity Team Member to help the Biodiversity team with environmental projects which are too big for the Land Steward to do on their own. An example of a Biodiversity project would be the removal of invasive species on a property, followed by the planting of native species.

SBTC Board of Directors roles:

Event Coordinator to help plan and manage Club presence at local events by organizing volunteers, coordinating logistics, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. This is a great opportunity for those with event planning experience to engage with the local community and collaborate with passionate individuals.

Publicity and Public Relations to coordinate with other volunteers to share information about the Club and events. Must have computer and writing skills, including knowledge around social media, creating press releases and other marketing and promotional activities.

Please apply for this role by submitting a BTC volunteer application and indicating your interest on the application.

If you are interested in any of these positions

Apply Today!

Volunteer Recognition

Volunteers are the soul of the Bruce Trail, and we appreciate all of their efforts! Extraordinary people put in thousands of hours of volunteer work every year to manage and promote the Bruce Trail in an effort to keep it open and in good repair.

The Calypso Orchid Environmental Award is awarded to an individual, volunteer group, institution or company that has demonstrated a significant contribution to the restoration and preservation of the Bruce Trail and/or the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, or significantly enhanced the education of users or potential users of the Trail and/or the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve. The recipient needs not be a member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Exemplary actions by the recipients can have either a direct and/or indirect effect on the Bruce Trail. Meritorious actions can be a single event or undertaken over several years.

Background: In the spring of 1956 Arthur Storey saw his first calypso orchid on a trip to Tobermory. Twenty years later Lloyd Smith commemorated the event by carving a diamond willow walking staff for him, including a likeness of a calypso orchid on the handle. In 1997 Arthur donated the walking staff to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, with the wish that an environmental award be established. The Calypso Orchid Environmental Award was established in 2000.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

2000Peninsula Bruce Trail Club
2000Chippewas of Nawash First Nations
2001John Burton
2001Margaret Reed
2003George Francis
2005K. Elizabeth Kümmling
2006Walter M. Tovell
2006Leonard O. Gertler
2007Bruce Krug
2008David Moule
2011Keen Canada
2012Ned Morgan
2013Bruce Trail Expedition for Kids
2014not awarded
2015Kevin Warburton
2016The Town of Blue Mountains
2017Anne Clock
2018Bob Hann and Joan Nuffield
2019Laurence Christie
2020Gosling Foundation
2021David Knox
2024Baffin
2025Owen Sound Field Naturalists

The Ross McLean Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a volunteer who has shown extraordinary contributions to the Bruce Trail Conservancy within the last year. The award is not intended to recognize a lifetime of contributions as that would preclude volunteers who have been with us for a short time. Any form of volunteering for the Bruce Trail Conservancy may be considered for this award.

This annual award was renamed in 2020 to honour the passing of its first recipient and remarkable volunteer, Ross McLean. 

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

2000Peninsula Bruce Trail Club
2000Chippewas of Nawash First Nations
2001John Burton
2001Margaret Reed
2003George Francis
2005K. Elizabeth Kümmling
2006Walter M. Tovell
2006Leonard O. Gertler
2007Bruce Krug
2008David Moule
2011Keen Canada
2012Ned Morgan
2013Bruce Trail Expedition for Kids
2014N/A
2015Kevin Warburton
2016The Town of Blue Mountains
2017Anne Clock
2018Bob Hann and Joan Nuffield
2019Laurence Christie
2020Gosling Foundation
2021Marg Glendon
2022Brian Cornfield
2023Ken Lawday
2024Leslie McBeth
2025Ruth Moffatt

New award for 2025!

This award is presented annually to an individual volunteer or group who has made a significant contribution to the land securement efforts of the Bruce Trail Conservancy in the past year, showcasing hard work and dedication to the BTC’s mission and land securement goals. Award recipients may be involved in any aspect of the land securement process, from nurturing positive relationships with important stakeholders to advancing complex securement endeavors with creative thinking or action.

This award honours Jack Morgan, a long-serving BTC volunteer and member who passed away in 2024. Jack played an integral role in the land securement efforts of the BTC over his years of volunteering while serving in many positions. In the Beaver Valley, Jack led the charge on many land securement initiatives. Notable among these was a string of five adjacent properties in Fairmount which ultimately preserved a corridor of 229 acres and secured 3.4 km of the Bruce Trail’s Optimum Route. But perhaps his most memorable accomplishment was the establishment of the Falling Water Trail, a 30-kilometre looping route on the Bruce Trail traversing both sides of the Beaver Valley. Jack’s skills in landowner relations, land securement and trail development all came together to make this a permanent route for the Bruce Trail and a popular hike where one is never far from the sight or the sound of falling water.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

2025Carl Alexander

This award is presented annually to an outstanding trail worker. For more than a decade Susan Oleskevich was a loyal trail maintenance volunteer. During this time, she was Trail Director for the Conservancy, and for the Caledon Hills and Toronto Bruce Trail Clubs.

When Susan died suddenly in the summer of 1995, a group of her friends wanted to donate a lasting symbol of her contribution to the Trail. From these discussions came the Susan Oleskevich Award. The contributions of Susan Oleskevich deserve to be remembered. With the annual presentation of this award, her memory will remain strong and provide a source of motivation for all of us as we continue our volunteer commitment.

The criteria for selection are that the winner shall:

  • Have been actively involved in the physical work of trail maintenance and development
  • Have long-standing commitment to trail work
  • Be an outstanding trail worker

Nomination Information: Submit a nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, Dave Moule at dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

1996Ken Ingham
1997Laurence Christie
1997Charles Grant
1998Barry Westhouse
1999Graham McCallum
2000James Swalwell
2000Frank Holley
2001Clayton & Anne Roberts
2001Elsa Karha
2003James & Ann Couse
2004George & Joan Bowman
2005Dave Sheppard
2006Ralph Tremills
2006Tys Murra
2007John Cunningham
2007Robert Light
2008Frank Bouma
2009Mac McDonald
2010Dennis Gallant
2011John Hollingsworth
2012Ralph Tremills
2013Ron Spotton
2014Andrew Costley
2015Rose-Mary Mitter
2016Rick Edwards
2017Richard Pomeroy
2018Vince Zvonar
2019David Paape
2020Jim Standen
2021Carl Alexander
2022Dick Edwards
2023David Moule
2024Don Cangiano
2025Paul Vanhanen

Named in honour of Cheryl Duke who was a loyal an office volunteer for almost 30 years, this annual award is given in recognition of the invaluable contributions made by our volunteers at the Bruce Trail Conservancy head office. Recipients are chosen annually by BTC staff and the award is presented at our year-end celebration.

1998The Mop Brigade
2006Cheryl Duke
2006Jim Standen
2006Karl Massfeller
2007Doug Gordon
2007Chris Cropper
2008Jeanne Keldson
2009Maureen Case
2010John Harrison
2012Sarah Veldhoen
2012Stella Parr
2014Dorothy Wengler
2015Frank Spadafora
2016Nick Avery
2017Donna Plyley
2018Cheryl Duke
2019Hugh Fuller
2022Stella Parr
2023Ian Grindall
2024Cathie Green
2025Peter Morin

New award for 2025!

This award is presented annually in recognition of an outstanding Hike Leader, Hike Director or other BTC volunteer or individual who has shown exceptional leadership within the BTC hiking program.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

2025Sandra Green
2025Doug O’Neill
2025Saabir Sohrab

The Bruce Trail Conservancy Honorary Membership is a prestigious award given to a member who has made a lasting, significant volunteer contribution to the organization at both the Bruce Trail Club and Bruce Trail Conservancy levels. The nominee must have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and commitment and have accomplished significant achievements in furthering the Bruce Trail Conservancy mission. The recipient is awarded a certificate and a complimentary lifetime membership.

Nomination Information:

Complete the online nomination form by June 30.

Awarded annually to the Bruce Trail Club completing the most significant trail project that places the Trail on the Optimum Route, or adds a worthwhile new side trail.

The trophy honours Tom East, an early trail builder, especially in the Caledon Hills section. He is a Past President of the BTC, and the founder of the BTC’s Escarpment Preservation Fund.

Nomination Information: Submit nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, David Moule, dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

1988Toronto
1989Beaver Valley
1990Dufferin Hi-land
1991Toronto
1992Beaver Valley
1993Dufferin Hi-land
1994Blue Mountains
1995Peninsula
1996Iroquoia
1996Caledon Hills
1997Caledon Hills
1998Iroquoia
1999Sydenham
2000Iroquoia
2001Peninsula
2002Peninsula
2003Sydenham
2004Peninsula
2005Sydenham
2006Peninsula
2007Peninsula
2007Iroquoia
2008Sydenham
2008Niagara
2009Beaver Valley
2010Caledon Hills
2011Sydenham
2012Sydenham
2013Dufferin Hi-land
2013Caledon Hills
2014Caledon Hills
2015Sydenham
2016Peninsula
2017Sydenham
2018Blue Mountains
2019Sydenham
2020Peninsula
2021Beaver Valley
2022Niagara
2023Caledon Hills
2024Caledon Hills
2025Toronto

Awarded annually to the Bruce Trail Club completing the year’s most significant trail project which improves or protects the environment.

Philip Gosling is a Founder of The Bruce Trail Conservancy. He was actively involved in much of the early work done to secure landowner permission for the Bruce Trail, and the initial blazing. The Award acknowledges the pivotal work done by a BTC Founder and his late wife in developing and building The Bruce Trail.

Nomination Information: Submit nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, David Moule, dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

2002Iroquoia
2003Beaver Valley
2004Iroquoia
2005Toronto
2006Sydenham
2006Dufferin Hi-land
2007Caledon Hills
2008Niagara
2009Sydenham
2010Iroquoia
2011Dufferin Hi-land
2012Beaver Valley
2013Caledon Hills
2014Niagara
2015Peninsula
2016Toronto
2017Peninsula
2018Sydenham
2019Niagara
2020Toronto
2022Blue Mountains
2023Beaver Valley
2024Iroquoia
2025Peninsula

Every day on the Bruce Trail, people show kindness, demonstrate consideration, and share compassion for others. These values are essential to the Bruce Trail experience but may go unrecognized.  

The new BTC CEO Random Acts of Kindness Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate these kind acts. These annual awards will be presented to any BTC member or supporter who has demonstrated an act of kindness towards another BTC member, supporter or user on the Bruce Trail or while volunteering for the Bruce Trail. These may be any act of kindness – large or small. The number of certificates presented may change from year to year. 

Nomination Information: Complete the online nomination form by June 30.

2025Karen Bergmann
2025Mary-Ellen Cole
2025Daryl Keays

The Bruce Trail Conservancy Honorary Membership is a prestigious award given to a member who has made a lasting, significant volunteer contribution to the organization at both the Bruce Trail Club and Bruce Trail Conservancy levels. The nominee must have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and commitment and have accomplished significant achievements in furthering the Bruce Trail Conservancy mission. The recipient is awarded a certificate and a complimentary lifetime membership.

Nomination Information: Complete the online nomination form by June 30.

The Calypso Orchid Environmental Award is awarded to an individual, volunteer group, institution or company that has demonstrated a significant contribution to the restoration and preservation of the Bruce Trail and/or the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, or significantly enhanced the education of users or potential users of the Trail and/or the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve. The recipient needs not be a member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Exemplary actions by the recipients can have either a direct and/or indirect effect on the Bruce Trail. Meritorious actions can be a single event or undertaken over several years.

Background: In the spring of 1956 Arthur Storey saw his first calypso orchid on a trip to Tobermory. Twenty years later Lloyd Smith commemorated the event by carving a diamond willow walking staff for him, including a likeness of a calypso orchid on the handle. In 1997 Arthur donated the walking staff to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, with the wish that an environmental award be established. The Calypso Orchid Environmental Award was established in 2000.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

The Ross McLean Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a volunteer who has shown extraordinary contributions to the Bruce Trail Conservancy within a the last year . The award is not intended to recognize a lifetime of contributions as that would preclude volunteers who have been with us for a short time. Any form of volunteering for the Bruce Trail Conservancy may be considered for this award.

This annual award was renamed in 2020 to honour the passing of its first recipient and remarkable volunteer, Ross McLean. 

Nomination Information:  Complete the online nomination form by June 30.

New award for 2025!

This award is presented annually in recognition of an outstanding Hike Leader, Hike Director or other BTC volunteer or individual who has shown exceptional leadership within the BTC hiking program.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

This award is presented annually to an outstanding trail worker. Susan Oleskevich was a special Bruce Trail volunteer. For more than a decade she was a loyal trail maintenance volunteer. During this time, she was Trail Director for the Conservancy, and for the Caledon Hills and Toronto Bruce Trail Clubs.

When Susan died suddenly in the summer of 1995, a group of her friends wanted to donate a lasting symbol of her contribution to the Trail. From these discussions came the Susan Oleskevich Award. The contributions of Susan Oleskevich deserve to be remembered. With the annual presentation of this award, her memory will remain strong and provide a source of motivation for all of us as we continue our volunteer commitment.

The criteria for selection are that the winner shall:

  • Have been actively involved in the physical work of trail maintenance and development
  • Have long-standing commitment to trail work
  • Be an outstanding trail worker

Nomination Information: Submit nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, David Moule, dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

Named in honour of Cheryl Duke who was a loyal an office volunteer for almost 30 years, this annual award is given in recognition of the invaluable contributions made by our volunteers at the Bruce Trail Conservancy head office. Recipients are chosen annually by BTC staff and the award is presented at our year-end celebration.

Awarded annually to the Bruce Trail Club completing the most significant trail project that places the Trail on the Optimum Route, or adds a worthwhile new side trail.

The trophy honours Tom East, an early trail builder, especially in the Caledon Hills section. He is a Past President of the BTC, and the founder of the BTC’s Escarpment Preservation Fund.

Nomination Information: Submit nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, David Moule, dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

New award for 2025!

This award is presented annually to an individual volunteer or group who has made a significant contribution to the land securement efforts of the Bruce Trail Conservancy in the past year, showcasing hard work and dedication to the BTC’s mission and land securement goals. Award recipients may be involved in any aspect of the land securement process, from nurturing positive relationships with important stakeholders to advancing complex securement endeavors with creative thinking or action.

This award honours Jack Morgan, a long-serving BTC volunteer and member who passed away in 2024. Jack played an integral role in the land securement efforts of the BTC over his years of volunteering while serving in many positions. In the Beaver Valley, Jack led the charge on many land securement initiatives. Notable among these was a string of five adjacent properties in Fairmount which ultimately preserved a corridor of 229 acres and secured 3.4 km of the Bruce Trail’s Optimum Route. But perhaps his most memorable accomplishment was the establishment of the Falling Water Trail, a 30-kilometre looping route on the Bruce Trail traversing both sides of the Beaver Valley. Jack’s skills in landowner relations, land securement and trail development all came together to make this a permanent route for the Bruce Trail and a popular hike where one is never far from the sight or the sound of falling water.

Nomination Information: 

Submit a completed online nomination form by June 30.

Awarded annually to the Bruce Trail Club completing the year’s most significant trail project which improves or protects the environment.

Philip Gosling is a Founder of The Bruce Trail Conservancy. He was actively involved in much of the early work done to secure landowner permission for the Bruce Trail, and the initial blazing. The Award acknowledges the pivotal work done by a BTC Founder and his late wife in developing and building The Bruce Trail.

Nomination Information: Submit nomination to the Bruce Trail Conservancy Trail Director, David Moule, dmhiker6@gmail.com by July 31.

Every day on the Bruce Trail, people show kindness, demonstrate consideration, and share compassion for others. These values are essential to the Bruce Trail experience but may go unrecognized.  

The new BTC CEO Random Acts of Kindness Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate these kind acts. These annual awards will be presented to any BTC member or supporter who has demonstrated an act of kindness towards another BTC member, supporter or user on the Bruce Trail or while volunteering for the Bruce Trail. These may be any act of kindness – large or small. The number of certificates presented may change from year to year. 

Nomination Information: Complete the online nomination form by June 30.

To nominate a volunteer, follow the button to complete the form. We appreciate all submissions, but we cannot guarantee that all volunteers will be profiled.

Nominate a Volunteer

Volunteer Resources

Whether you’re experienced or new to volunteering with the Bruce Trail Conservancy, these resources can be helpful in your role.

All Volunteers
Land Stewards
Trail Maintenance Volunteers

Questions? Contact Rhiannon Carruthers, BTC Volunteer Coordinator, at rhiannon.carruthers@brucetrail.org.

A Note for Trail Maintenance and Land Steward Volunteers on Reports

The Trail Status Report Form and the Annual Monitoring Form are not currently available on BTC website.
Please connect with your Trail Director or Land Stewardship Director for instructions and links to this year’s form.

The Accessible Ontario Disability Act and the Bruce Trail Conservancy Volunteers

Does this apply to me?

The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service applies to all organizations (public, private and non-profit) that provide goods or services either directly to the public or to other organizations in Ontario and that have one or more employees in Ontario.

Training

The customer service standard requires training to staff and volunteers on providing customer service to people with disabilities. 

This includes hike leaders, board members, Head Office volunteers and staff.

An online course is available by following this link https://accessforward.ca/customer-service-standard/, or you can read this pdf document AODA Customer Service Training.  

Hike Leaders – Please note the following statement –  

This statement should be used, if necessary, to let people know what to expect when hiking the Bruce Trail:

While there are a few portions of the Bruce Trail within Conservation Areas that are wheelchair accessible, use of the majority of the Trail is suitable for foot traffic only. To participate in an organized hike, you need to be able to complete the specified length of the hike on your own or with your own support person within the time allowed. Please refer to the hiking schedule for hike details. 

This statement can also be added to your Club Newsletter hike listings.

Log in for specific volunteer resources


Contact us for more information

Under 18? 

If you are under 18 years of age, please review our Minors Volunteering Policy with your parent or guardian.

For more information about the volunteer program:

Contact us

iNaturalist Bruce Trail Conservancy Volunteer Project

Collect important biodiversity data as you hike the Bruce Trail 

We’re looking for volunteer citizen scientists to help us better understand the biodiversity along the Bruce Trail. Whether you are a trained botanist, mycologist or ornithologist, or just interested in learning more about the different species calling the Bruce Trail home, the Bruce Trail Conservancy can use your help.  Using the free powerful online tool iNaturalist, you can collect much needed data while you are out hiking the Bruce Trail.  

Check it out

Corporate Volunteering

Is your corporate team looking for an opportunity to give back to your community, spend time outdoors and make real environmental impact? Sign up for a Corporate Volunteer event!

Through Corporate Volunteering with the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC), your organization or business can arrange a hands-on group volunteering event, hike or learning opportunity for your staff while contributing to the conservation and trail work of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.

Corporate Volunteering event opportunities include:

  • Invasive Species Removal
  • Restoration Maintenance (weeding, mulching, watering previous planting)
  • Tree or Wildflower Plantings
  • Education Walk & Litter Cleanup

To learn more about Corporate Volunteering or to start you application, click the button below.

Learn more about Corporate Volunteering

Join us at an event!

See our event listings

Ways To Get Involved

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