Conservation Lands
From the crest of the Oak Ridges Moraine, to the shores of Lake Ontario, Central Lake Ontario Conservation (CLOCA) has been protecting areas of natural significance within its jurisdiction for over sixty years. Today, CLOCA owns and manages over 2,700 hectares of conservation lands.
Our conservation lands are cornerstones from which our authority business and programs are built. They are the backbone of the watershed’s natural greenspace system as they are critically important in achieving healthy watersheds and climate change resiliency. It is these lands that protect residents from natural hazards, offer visitors the opportunity to connect with nature, protect significant wetlands, groundwater resources, valleylands and important wildlife habitats as well as protect our sensitive natural features including the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Lake Iroquois Beach, and the Lake Ontario Shoreline.
Some of the conservation lands are open to the public as conservation areas. These conservation areas are the places where we educate and inspire future generations as we encourage broader resource conservation through experience and appreciation. Within our eight conservation areas, we offer over 45 km of trails. Hidden within these natural gems are streams, wetlands, forests, beaches, views and vistas within locally significant natural heritage sites, just waiting to be explored.
Conservation lands have been acquired, protected, and restored in an effort to support CLOCA's primary mandate, which includes the protection, management, and restoration of the watershed’s important natural resources.