© Franklin Carmichael Bay of Islands From Mt. Burke McMichael Gallery
Heaven’s Gate, Kitchitwaa Shkwaandem, 2,000 acres of iconic North, CONSERVED.
The history of a land that endures is one of repeated heroism. It’s part of what makes Canada.
Heaven’s Gate has the oldest rocks on Earth’s surface. Through five ice ages, Heaven’s Gate has endured. This pristine ancient ecosystem spans 80 km, connecting La Cloche Provincial Park to the west and Killarney Provincial Park to the east.
The 1,984-acre site has been part of years of history, from being one of Northern Ontario’s first mining sites to having its iconic landscapes immortalized by the Group of Seven. The 115-year-old view is little changed.
Two mountains on this land provide habitat for 12 species at risk, including the Algonquin (Eastern) Wolf, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Monarch Butterfly, Red-headed Woodpecker, and the Canada Warbler.
Nature lovers find the best of themselves on Heaven’s Gate Trail, weaving through its towering stands of original hemlock, pine, yellow birch and hard maple. All have endured the test of time.
EBC is the custodian for Heaven’s Gate, nurseries for Sandhill Cranes and habitat for 63 rare species as well as the place John Muir, founder of the Sierra club, lived while in Canada. EBC is Canadians conserving land that will inspire new generations, just as it did the Group of Seven. Their paintings are safe, it’s up to us to protect the original.
We are shaped by our culture’s icons, and we are all marked by Heaven’s Gate. It symbolizes the land’s strength, an ancient place where people can find peace and purpose. In the midst of modern pressures on nature, the land can’t endure without you.
Help protect this culturally significant land and create an ecological legacy for generations to come.
Join Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy today: escarpment.ca/about/become-a-member
The Heaven’s Gate project was assisted by the Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program Nature Fund, as well as by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance and the Government of Ontario.
Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy is the largest Ontario focused land trust, protecting 18,000 acres, providing habitat for 63 rare species, and sequestering 85,000+ tonnes of carbon every year.
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The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy is the largest Ontario-focused land conservation agency, dedicated to preserving natural systems that house 63 of Ontario’s native species at risk or of concern.
