{"id":1660,"date":"2016-12-10T13:48:44","date_gmt":"2016-12-10T13:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/?page_id=1660"},"modified":"2025-08-08T15:21:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T19:21:23","slug":"the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) is a collaborative initiative between Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO) and St. Margaret\u2019s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA). WRWEO &amp; SMBSA\u00a0 secured funding for the launch of this much needed program and initiated the program in January 2017. We want to thank <a href=\"http:\/\/fivebridgestrust.ca\/wp\/\">Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust<\/a> (FBWHT), Nova Scotia Environment &#8211; Protected Areas and Ecosystems Branch, RBC Community and Sustainability Grant, and the many individual donors who have made the BTSP possible. We are currently in need of continued funding and would appreciate donations from trail users and those who love The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, please follow this<a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/about-wrweo\/membershipsdonations\/\"> link to donate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e34cf649f0f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e34cf649f0f\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#The_Bluff_Trail_Stewardship_Program\" >The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Videos\" >Videos<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#BTSP_Reports\" >BTSP Reports<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#What_is_the_Bluff_Trail_Stewardship_Program\" >What is the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Why_is_a_Stewardship_program_needed_on_the_Bluff_Wilderness_Hiking_Trail\" >Why is a Stewardship program needed on the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Program_Goals\" >Program Goals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Core_Concepts_of_Program\" >Core Concepts of Program<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Program_Objectives_and_Outcomes\" >Program Objectives and Outcomes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Coordinator_Responsibilities\" >Coordinator Responsibilities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Reporting\" >Reporting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Program_Evaluation\" >Program Evaluation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Project_Budget_Anticipated_Expenses_and_Incomes\" >Project Budget, Anticipated Expenses, and Incomes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Project_Costs\" >Project Costs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/#Donations\" >Donations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bluff_Trail_Stewardship_Program\"><\/span>The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Videos\"><\/span><b>Videos<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z8B04eRgUPo&amp;list=PLHiisrQM3Rpz8R4-CwG7lVPUr-zicvRy6&amp;index=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2007 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_video.jpg?resize=324%2C72&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"324\" height=\"72\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_video.jpg?w=324&amp;ssl=1 324w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_video.jpg?resize=300%2C67&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 324px) 100vw, 324px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_wupx8FSSdA&amp;list=PLHiisrQM3Rpz8R4-CwG7lVPUr-zicvRy6&amp;index=2\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2006 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_barricades.jpg?resize=525%2C64&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"64\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_barricades.jpg?w=548&amp;ssl=1 548w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/btsp_barricades.jpg?resize=300%2C37&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"BTSP_Reports\"><\/span><strong style=\"color: #666666; font-size: 1.25rem;\">BTSP Reports<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Below are the\u00a0 reports summarizing the BTSP activities and results:<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2024-BTSP-Year-In-Review.pdf\">2024 BTSP Year in Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2023-BTSP-Year-In-Review.pdf\">2023 BTSP Year in Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2022-BTSP-Year-In-Review.pdf\">2022 BTSP Year in Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/2022\/08\/06\/2022-annual-general-meeting-sept-1-2022-estabrooks-community-hall-6-pm\/2021-btsp-year-in-review\/\">2021 BTSP Year in Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/2020-BTSP-Year-In-Review-Report-Final-1.pdf\">2020 BTSP Year in Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/2019-BTSP-Year-In-Review.pdf\">2019 BTSP Year In Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/2018-BTSP-Year-In-Review.pdf\">2018 BTSP Year In Review<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/BTSP-One-Page-Summary-2017.pdf\">2017 BTSP Year In Review<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>We also have a group on Strava where you can report simply by using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.strava.com\/\">Strava<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.strava.com\/clubs\/btspstewards\">BTSP Stewards and Volunteers (The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail)<\/a><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.strava.com\/clubs\/311396\/latest-rides\/a825c69862eee59d6ffd95f596a2d4909940f93a?show_rides=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"454\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div><b style=\"color: #666666; font-size: 1.25rem;\">What is a Stewardship Program?<\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merriam Webster Dictionary<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the term stewardship refers to: <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one&#8217;s care &lt;stewardship of natural resources&gt;<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Stewardship Program refers to a set of plans, guidelines, and strategies established to manage the resources involved. Some stewardship programs focus on tangible resources such as forest products or animal populations for purposes of commercial resource extraction. Other stewardship programs focus on less-tangible assets such as public spaces (wilderness trails) for conservation purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Bluff_Trail_Stewardship_Program\"><\/span><b>What is the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In keeping with the above definition, the proposed Bluff Trail Stewardship Program will seek to ensure the careful and responsible management of the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail and immediate surrounding wilderness area. This will be achieved through: the development of plans, guidelines, and strategies; the recruitment and training of Volunteer Trail Stewards; as constant as possible presence of trained stewards on the Bluff Trail; and, a coordinated effort to engage, inform, and support trail users.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program will create a formalized structure that identifies the ecological, legal, community, and trail-infrastructure issues affecting the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail (BWHT) while setting target outcomes designed to address the issues of concern.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ultimate goals of the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program are to decrease the impact of human harms on the trail; improve Leave-No-Trace (LNT) practices among trail users; enhance sustainability of the Bluff Trail; and ensure best possible stewardship practices in this part of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_a_Stewardship_program_needed_on_the_Bluff_Wilderness_Hiking_Trail\"><\/span><b>Why is a Stewardship program needed on the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bluff Trail is a network of approximately 30km of wilderness trails that cross through the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area (FBLWA) on the Chebucto Peninsula in Halifax County. This trail network is a wonderful resource for all of Nova Scotia to be able to experience a wilderness area, just minutes outside of the downtown core of Halifax. Every year many thousands of hikers, photographers, bird watchers, naturalists, and recreation groups from Nova Scotia, and beyond, visit the trail.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the past several years the Bluff Trail has seen a significant increase in the number of users. The increase in use has been accompanied by increased evidence of harmful human impacts on the trail and the surrounding ecological systems. In addition to the harms related to the volume of use, there have also been violations of the laws that apply to the FBLWA which have resulted in serious harms to the ecological systems designated for protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program will establish a coordinated effort of public outreach and stewardship presence on the trail in order to educate the community of trail users about the laws which apply to the protected wilderness area and how they can minimize the harms that their actions create. Because of the significant length of the Bluff Trail, the wilderness terrain of the area, and the volume of users on the trail it is necessary to secure a paid coordinator; the effort of this stewardship program is too vast to solely rely upon the efforts of volunteers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Program_Goals\"><\/span><b>Program Goals<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program is designed to achieve the following goals:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce the harmful human impacts on the ecological systems and individual living organisms that call the FBLWA and the Bluff Trail home<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce the amount of illegal activity on the Bluff Trail through education and liaising with NSE Conservation Officers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To educate users of the Bluff Trail about harmful human impacts and how their behaviours can be adapted to either reduce or eliminate these impacts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To increase the current level of volunteer engagement by recruiting and training volunteer \u201cBluff Trail Stewards\u201d and holding regular volunteer Stewardship work days<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To educate users of the Bluff Trail about the laws that apply to the FBLWA, as well as the general status of the FBLWA and Bluff Trail<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To educate users of the Bluff Trail about the work of WRWEO, NSE, FBLWHT, DNR and SMBSA and how they can get involved with their efforts and contribute to the stewardship of the Bluff Trail<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To increase the current levels of monitoring of on-trail ecological systems and organisms, trail infrastructure, community use, and user safety \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proposing and implementing appropriate stewardship techniques as required<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To coordinate an educational outreach campaign to educate stakeholders and keep the trail-user community engaged with trail issues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To secure sustainable funding for the continuation of the BTSP<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To take on some of the burden of WRWEO\u2019s organizational tasks in order help to secure the long term viability of the organization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To have a consistent contact person to act as community and government liaison and coordinate and report on the general affairs of the Bluff Trail<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create a clear baseline of trail infrastructure for ongoing stewardship of the trail<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To monitor and promote the use (when necessary) of the designated Leave No Trace Educational Sites<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To increase the current level of remediation on damaged sites <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish protocols for the best possible protection of endangered species, species of interest, and sensitive habitats, ecosystems and organisms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create a formal compendium of the all of the species of flora and fauna that are present on the Bluff Trail or in the surrounding area<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To expand the collaborative potential for multi-organization projects \u2013 for example: post-secondary internships, other non-profit organizations, outdoor recreational groups<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To determine, and carry out, best practice stewardship, management, and treatments to ensure the ecological integrity of the Bluff Trail while allowing for continual use by the community.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Concepts_of_Program\"><\/span><b>Core Concepts of Program<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) consists of two core concepts: Ecological Stewardship and Community Stewardship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ecological Stewardship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013Human presence and activity creates negative impacts on the surrounding ecology. The primary intent of the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) is to measure, monitor and catalogue these impacts and, once determined, select the best stewardship techniques for the reduction, or elimination when possible, of these impacts. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ecological stewardship of the BTSP will work to determine the key habitats for present endangered, uncommon, or sensitive species of flora and fauna, as well as their presence in the whole ecosystems, and move to ensure that tailored stewardship treatments are enacted to help promote the long term viability of these species in the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area (FBLWA). This may take the form of seasonal restrictions on access or extra measures of monitoring and educational outreach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Community Stewardship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail is a tremendous resource to the community that uses it &#8211; a community that extends far beyond the reaches of Nova Scotia, let alone Halifax Regional Municipality. With this extensive \u00a0level of use comes a responsibility of working to secure the ongoing stability of the relationship between stakeholder groups (such as Mi\u2019kmaq, trail users, nearby residents, environmental and community NGOs) and government departments. This balance may be difficult to strike as not all parties will have the same definition of what responsible use of the BWHT looks like. Therefore, the primary intent of the community aspect of the BTSP is to act as the conduit for both the government and stakeholder interests while ensuring that the ecological stewardship of the BWHT is considered. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The largest component of the community aspect of the BTSP is community education and outreach. This will help promote aspects such as volunteer\/community engagement, education on applicable laws, best-practice stewardship techniques, special considerations, and safe use of the BWHT.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Program_Objectives_and_Outcomes\"><\/span><b>Program Objectives and Outcomes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the course of its first year the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) will work to meet the program goals stated above. Some of these goals will have a clear mechanism to determine their success (i.e. the creation of a full species compendium and trail infrastructure inventory) while others will be more difficult to evaluate. Success of the latter will be determined by: the delivery of educational programs, and their attendance, by the number of trail users engaged and educated, by the number of volunteers recruited and the number of attendees for workshops and work days, and by the reduction of harmful, or unlawful, activities that occur on the BWHT. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the first 6 months, program activities and operations will be measured and assessed to determine what level of success has been achieved. The level of success will be determined for each goal and program strategies and activities will be adapted accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Coordinator_Responsibilities\"><\/span><b>Coordinator Responsibilities<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As coordinator of the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP), the following responsibilities will fall to Mike Lancaster:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To function as liaison for the involved organizations, community stakeholders, and government departments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To perform regular monitoring of Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail (BWHT) infrastructure and community use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To educate users of the BWHT about the applicable laws of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area (FBLWA)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To perform regular remediation of damaged or illegal camp sites and impacted areas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To coordinate, recruit, educate, train, and manage volunteers who will contribute to the BTSP \u2013 Volunteer Trail Stewards<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To educate the stakeholders\/trail users about the BTSP<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To determine and implement best-practice stewardship techniques and activities <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To contribute to the management of trail infrastructure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To locate and secure additional sources of funding to help ensure the extension and continuation of the BTSP<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To act as the general contact for inquiries and issues in regard to the affairs of the BWHT<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To contribute to the organization-related tasks of the Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To promote the ideology of the BTSP, WRWEO, St. Margaret\u2019s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA), Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (FBWHT) and Nova Scotia Environment \u2013 Protected Areas Branch (NSE)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create and contribute to an ongoing species compendium of the flora and fauna of the BWHT<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To monitor the established \u201cLeave-No-Trace\u201d (LNT) Educational Sites and to inform users of limits in place related to camping on the BWHT<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To coordinate, manage, and evaluate part-time staff and volunteers<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reporting\"><\/span><b>Reporting<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Program reporting for the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) will be delivered by the Stewardship Coordinator directly to Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO) and St. Margaret\u2019s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA). Additional summary reports and liaising will be delivered to the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (FBWHT) and Nova Scotia Environment \u2013 Protected Areas Branch (NSE).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Direct reporting will take the form of weekly template reports that will include the following content:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staff and Volunteers hours contributed <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Number of trail users engaged\/educated<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occurrences that are in violation of laws or stewardship principles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trail monitoring \u2013 time and location \u2013 trail section<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Number of volunteer hours coordinated \u2013 weekly and running total for the year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infrastructure issues identified or addressed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Objectives for the upcoming week<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Objectives for the current month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total number of observed or reported trail users <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total number of trail users engaged<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Activities of users<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Updates on stewardship initiatives<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reports of observed fauna and signs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total number of dogs \u2013 off and on leash<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Program_Evaluation\"><\/span><b>Program Evaluation<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some program components will be easily measured with quantifiable data. For example: the amount of time staff and volunteers are present on the trail, the number of trail users they engage, the number of damaged sites which require remediation, and the amount of time spent on the remediation of these sites. Each of these program components will be calculated and recorded to offer quantifiable measures of program activity and achievement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first year of program activity will offer a baseline to measure future activity against. Initially, it will be difficult to judge whether the engagement and education of trail users produces a positive change in relation to previous years. Observation of concerning issues over the past year will offer some indication of initial success, but it will take at least two years of program operation to produce a satisfactory catalogue of data to produce meaningful analysis of program impact. Therefore, while periodic evaluations will occur every 6 months, the true success of the program will be determined after it has had its first total evaluation at the end of its second season.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project_Budget_Anticipated_Expenses_and_Incomes\"><\/span><b>Project Budget, Anticipated Expenses, and Incomes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project_Costs\"><\/span><b>Project Costs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The total\u00a0 cost for one year of operation for the Bluff Trail Stewardship Program in 2017 is $41,567. This includes the wages for a Stewardship Coordinator, an Assistant Coordinator, and four students hired through the Canada Summer Student Work Program. It also covers some costs for materials and supplies (personal protective equipment \/ wood for the boardwalks \/ hardware).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SMBSA and WRWEO have not been able to secure the full amount of funding after 2017, we are therefore undertaking a modified version of the Stewardship Program with fewer coordinator and no assistant has been hired since 2018.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the success and sustainability of this program is largely, if not entirely dependent on the ability of the Stewardship Coordinator and Assistant to ensure adequate presence on the trail. Reducing the hours of these positions will significantly compromise the stewardship presence on the trail and undermine the success of the program.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Donations\"><\/span>Donations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please make a donation today. \u00a0Donations can be made by a cheque written to: <\/span><b>St. Margaret\u2019s Bay Stewardship Association<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and mailed to WRWEO <\/span>223 \u2013 3045 Robie Street, Unit 5,\u00a0Halifax NS B3K 4P6 <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or online through the Canada Helps portal on the <\/span><b>Heart of the Bay<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.heartofthebay.ca\/donate\">http:\/\/www.heartofthebay.ca\/donate<\/a>) &#8211; select: Bluff Wilderness Trail as the fund you wish to support. Thank you!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You can also donate via PayPal &#8211; visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/about-wrweo\/membershipsdonations\/\">Membership and Donation Page<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have any questions, please feel to contact us\u00a0at info@wrweo.ca or call <span class=\"baec5a81-e4d6-4674-97f3-e9220f0136c1\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\">902-876-7377<a style=\"margin: 0px; border: currentColor; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 16px; height: 16px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; float: none; display: inline; white-space: nowrap; position: static !important;\" title=\"Call: 902-876-7377\" href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px; border: currentColor; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 16px; height: 16px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; float: none; display: inline; white-space: nowrap; position: static !important;\" title=\"Call: 902-876-7377\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,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\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program (BTSP) is a collaborative initiative between Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO) and St. Margaret\u2019s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA). WRWEO &amp; SMBSA\u00a0 secured funding for the launch of this much needed program and initiated the program in January 2017. We want to thank Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (FBWHT), Nova &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/the-bluff-trail\/the-bluff-trail-stewardship-program\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The Bluff Trail Stewardship Program&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":107,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1660","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1660"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5292,"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1660\/revisions\/5292"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wrweo.ca\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}