Echo Lake Wilderness Property Community Ceremony and Celebration

You are invited to join Garden River First Nation, Ontario Nature and Central Algoma Land Trust to learn more about the establishment of the Echo Lake Wilderness Property, Algoma's first Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.

We will gather at Echo River on the north east side of Echo Lake, within Keteguanseebee (Garden River First Nation) Territory. The event will start at 1:00pm with provided lunch and soft drinks. The formal ceremony will begin at 2:00pm with a series of short speeches and drums. Afterwards, attendees can continue to socialize and have the option to tour the property.

The Echo Lake Wilderness Property falls within a priority cultural and ecological corridor developed identified through a collaborative project between Ontario Nature, Garden River First Nation, the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma Highlands Conservancy. The property includes a portion of the Upper Echo River, which holds deep cultural significance for Garden River First Nation, shoreline along Echo Lake and the majority of Fairy Lake. It lies within the Sault Ste. Marie and Garden River National Priority Area for Ecological Corridors, and borders Crown land and the existing GRFN reserve (20,000+ hectares of primarily undeveloped land), creating a large, biodiverse wilderness corridor.

Ontario Nature, Central Algoma Land Trust and Garden River First Nation aim to secure the Echo Lake property through private and philanthropic funding and ultimately will model a successful first land restoration of its kind into Indigenous led conservation. 

"The hectares secured at Echo Lake are a seed for the wider connectivity and protection of the Algoma Region's thriving landscape, where the Boreal forest meets the Carolinian — and this project is the emergence of a model where priorities, consent and scope are set by Garden River First Nation, supported by Central Algoma Land Trust and Ontario Nature."

Directions and Parking:
The Echo Lake Wilderness Property is approximately 45km east of Sault St. Marie. Please access via Echo Lake Road, approximately 15km from the intersection with Highway 638. You can view our meeting point on Google Maps here. Please note that the road approaching this location can be rough and it is recommended that you drive a vehicle with a higher clearance. As you approach the location, you will be directed where to park.

Portable washrooms will be available. 

Terrain: Flat, level ground with no stairs or steps.
Parking & Access: Gravel parking lot with an unpaved dirt access road.

By participating in the event, you agree to abide by the Event Code of Conduct

Questions:
Please contact Kirsten at kirstend@ontarionature.org or 647-746-2996.