October 12, 2005
For Immediate Release

ESCARPMENT GROUP UNVEILS BIOSPHERE RESERVE ROAD SIGNS IN HAMILTON

The Coalition on the Niagara Escarpment and local dignitaries will unveil one of the new Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve road signs in the City of Hamilton.

15 signs have been erected by CONE at key entrance points to the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve in Hamilton, bringing the total up to 56.

CONE has erected the other 41 signs in four upper- or single-tier municipalities north of Hamilton along the Escarpment: Dufferin, Peel, Halton and Simcoe. Eventually CONE hopes to have signs in place from Niagara Falls to Tobermory.

As a companion to the signs, CONE has published a full-colour brochure about the Escarpment and the biosphere reserve that will be available throughout Hamilton.

Joining CONE President Andre Rudnicky and Executive Director Bradley Shaw will be:

• Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath
• NEC Commissioner Donald Alexander
• NEC Director Mark Frawley
• A representative from the office of Hamilton Mountain MPP Hon. Marie Bountrogianni
• A representative from the Ontario Trillium Foundation

CONE launched this project in 2000 to raise public awareness of the United Nations' recognition of the Niagara Escarpment as a World Biosphere Reserve. Biosphere Reserves are areas that represent globally important ecosystems and that combine environmentally appropriate development with sound environmental protection.

UNESCO awarded the biosphere reserve designation to the Niagara Escarpment largely because of the existence of the Niagara Escarpment Plan, the provincial land use plan that controls Escarpment development.

CONE, founded in 1978, is an umbrella organization representing the interests of its 31 member groups, consisting of both province-wide environmental organizations and community-based groups along the Escarpment united in concern for protection of the Escarpment and its many values to Ontario society.