Giving Back: A provincial award and how Adventure Coordinators Supports the Bruce Trail and Sustainable Travel

Tom Gehrels receiving an Ontario Volunteer Service Award from MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Paul Vickers

Ever since moving to Canada over 30 years ago, hiking the Bruce Trail has been a refuge for me. One evening in 2004, while camping near Lion’s Head on the Bruce Peninsula, I met Walter, a Bruce Trail volunteer who stopped to see how I was enjoying the trail. That short conversation inspired me to give back to the organization that had given me so much. Before long, I was helping maintain the White Bluff section and even suggested a new route—the Whippoorwill Side Trail, part of a five-kilometre loop through forest and meadow with sweeping views of Georgian Bay.

Fast-forward twenty years and, nominated by the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club, I was honoured with an Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

A Natural Choice: The One Percent for Our Future Challenge

Having worked alongside so many dedicated volunteers for so many years, when it came time to choose a charity for Adventure Coordinators, to support, the Bruce Trail Conservancy was a natural fit.

Here's how Adventure Coordinators Supports the Bruce Trail Conservancy.

I believe that travel should not only connect us to the world but also help protect it. That’s why I created the One Percent for Our Future Challenge, a simple yet powerful way for travellers to support sustainable tourism and regenerative travel.

Volunteers planting trees along the Bruce Trail

Here’s how it works: I invite every client to contribute just one percent of their tour cost to ecological restoration projects run by the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Your donation helps plant trees and restore habitats within the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve — initiatives that absorb carbon, protect biodiversity, and preserve Canada’s natural heritage.

Why Responsible Travel Matters

There’s no denying that air travel contributes to climate change, but giving up travel isn’t the solution. Instead, responsible travel means making choices that reduce or balance our environmental impact. Absent carbon-neutral modes of travel, tree planting is one of the most effective ways to absorb carbon dioxide, restore forests, and create wildlife habitat. Through One Percent for Our Future, Adventure Coordinators travellers can help make adventure travel more sustainable, one tree at a time. Better still, Adventure Coordinators matches contributions.*

For me, this initiative is deeply personal. The Bruce Trail gave me solace, joy, and purpose when I needed it most. Now, through our partnership with the Bruce Trail Conservancy, we’re ensuring this landscape continues to inspire hikers and nature lovers for generations to come.

Join us in the One Percent for Our Future Challenge and make your next journey a step toward a greener planet. Learn more or donate here.

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* up to CA$1,000 or until carbon neutrality has been achieved, whichever comes first