TORONTO — The Loree Forest, located on the Niagara Escarpment, has been renamed the Len Gertler Memorial Loree Forest to honour the man who helped develop the Niagara Escarpment Plan – a cornerstone of the Ontario Greenbelt, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today.
“This is a fitting tribute to Len Gertler’s outstanding contributions to protecting and conserving the Niagara Escarpment,” said Ramsay. “His dedication and commitment to preserving the unique features of the escarpment were exceptional.”
Len Gertler, who died in 2005, was considered a founding father of urban and environmental planning in Canada.
In 1967, the Ontario government asked him to do a study of the Niagara Escarpment because of growing public concern about the environmental impacts of urban sprawl, mining and recreational activities on the escarpment. His report led to the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act and the Niagara Escarpment Plan – the first environmental land use plan in Canada.
Gertler was also a professor at the University of Waterloo and for many years was a vice-chair of the provincial Environmental Review Tribunal adjudicating environmental issues.
His work helped contribute to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation designating the Niagara Escarpment as a World Biosphere Reserve in 1990. That designation recognizes the Niagara Escarpment as an internationally significant ecosystem for its special environment and unique environmental plan.
“The escarpment was a special place for our father both as a natural treasure to protect and as a focus for one of his greatest land use planning achievements,” said Gertler's son Denis. “The Gertler family hopes Ontarians will come to the park and enjoy its trails, forests, views and peacefulness.”
The Len Gertler Memorial Loree Forest covers 339 hectares and is one of the most outstanding parks on the escarpment offering spectacular views and many outdoor activities. The park, located in the Blue Mountains, is halfway between Collingwood and Thornbury overlooking Georgian Bay.
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Steve Payne
Communications Services Branch
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