Over the past decade, members of the Bruce Trail Conservancy have managed to secure almost 10,000 acres of land bordering the Bruce Trail.

“This is our most recent tally,” says Marsha Russell.

Russell is the marketing and communications director for the charitable organization. Russell warned, however, the BTC still needs to secure the remaining 50 per cent of the land bordering the 887-kilometre hiking trail.

Russell explained that securing means buying the land or receiving it as a donation. Some of the secured land runs through conservation authority, provincial or federal parkland.

“Once we’ve secured that land, hikers can use it without fear the owner may close or sell it for development.”

Members of the nine Bruce Trail Clubs along the 887-kilometre Trail are responsible for repairing and improving their section of the Trail. In the Meaford and Blue Mountains area, the Beaver Valley and Sydenham Bruce Trail clubs are responsible for maintaining their section of the Trail.

Meaford resident Ros Rosetti is president of Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club. Rosetti says about 50 per cent of the 113-kilometre Beaver Valley section of the trail is secured land. Rosetti says the BTC had originally hoped to secure all the land bordering the Trail by the end of 2014.

“But a weak economy seems to have discouraged many from donating land or money.”

The BTC now aims to secure the remaining 50 per cent of corridor property by 2017, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Bruce Trail.