The excitement over Hamilton’s newest conservation area, Eramosa Karst, has taken Hamilton Conservation Authority staff by surprise. It’s not just interest in the unique streams that disappear underground and reappear somewhere else, or in the caves and sinkholes or springs. The area seems to be creating a sense of celebration that the community is enjoying in droves.

The conservation area currently does not charge an entrance fee, so visitor counts can only be estimated, but we do know thousands of visitors have come out to explore the area since its opening in June. It’s not only local residents who are reaping the natural and educational benefits of this new open space. The area is already gaining attention from the rest of Ontario.

Valerie Barrett of Toronto writes, “Our group, based in Toronto, hikes once a month, and we came specifically to this park because we had read an article about it … describing it as a ‘rare geological gem.’ … It ranks among some of the most interesting geology that we’ve seen. …We appreciate the excellent work that the Hamilton Conservation Authority has done in preserving this geologically and ecologically important area, and we hope that they will be successful in preserving much more of it.”

Those most excited about this new green space are those whose lives are most affected by it: local residents. Friends of the Eramosa Karst (FOTEK, friendsoferamosakarst.org ) is a community group gathered together to support the area and protect its future. FOTEK’s communications co-ordinator Rita Giulietti tells us, “The idea of an extensive open space right in the center of East Hamilton Mountain began to germinate among the group members, and as such, Friends of the Eramosa Karst was born.”

More than this, FOTEK has been actively engaging the community and governments to protect lands adjacent to the conservation area’s boundaries, part of the declared Area of Natural Significance, which HCA and local residents had hoped would be included in the original land transfer, but are now planned for sale by the province.

The future of the Eramosa Karst as a sustainable conservation area will be in jeopardy if these 30 hectares of feeder lands are not protected. Grassroots support from

Stoney Creek Councilor Brad Clark, FOTEK and the Mountain community are making that future look much brighter.

With funding for HCA’s portion of the East Mountain Trail Loop more than halfway to its goal, this gem will soon be linked to waterfalls, seven other conservation areas and city parks as well as hundreds of kilometres of regional trails providing the Mountain community with unprecedented access to a rich inventory of green space.

All we have to do is protect it.

Brian Hall is the Hamilton Conservation Authority's superintendent of Mountain conservation areas. For more information on the Eramosa Karst conservation area, visit www.conservationhamilton.ca .