Kortright Centre for Conservation, or simply Kortright Centre, is a suburban conservation area in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada in the northern part of the Greater Toronto Area. It is between Rutherford Road to the south and Major Mackenzie Drive to the north. It is located 38 km northwest of downtown Toronto, about 4 km west of Highway 400. The area in which it is located is forested and predominant in its western and northern extent. The Humber River is situated in the west and the Cold Creek and Harris Creek are to the north.
The Kortright Centre, which opened in 1979, is operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. It is named after Dr. Francis Kortright (1887–1972), an engineer, businessman, author and dedicated conservationist.[1]
The forest consists of pine trees to the north and east, especially northeast of the main attraction and the centre and maple trees to the south, and the west. The attractions include horse riding 50 m to the east not far from the parking lots. A field which is used only for horses is to the north.
Inside the main attraction, there is a shop and in the east is a small theatre showing films that discuss the endangerment of forests in the Toronto area. The access to the pathway leading to the syrup shacks is located at the west exit. The newly constructed Earth Rangers Centre is situated about 500 m south of the building and is situated in the southwest. The Centre houses Earth Rangers: a non-profit organization focused on providing environmental education to youth in the Greater Toronto Area. Construction began in the early-2000s. The Centre is between Pine Valley Drive and Kortright Centre.
Between March and mid-April, Kortright Centre features demonstrations of syrup-making as it was done during the pioneer days. Maple syrup products are also served in the main attraction. It shows an log house in which the First Nations used to live in during the pioneer times in the surrounding area, as well as holes used for sap from the maple trees, which are numbered. It also show older markings from the previous years. Further down the hill is the marking of the biggest maple tree (not an actual tree) which is from Pelham. Inside is the small syrup shack with displays of how maple syrup was made during the pioneering days. The shack has about 5 rows of seats. The distance is about 400 to 500 m west by southwest.
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