Making hiking in Vaughan a digital, interactive experience

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 19, 2015
By Adam Martin-Robbins

The city has teamed up with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to add an interactive, digital experience to hiking in Vaughan.

To that end, the trail running through Nort Johnson District Park and Veterans Park, located along the Humber River between Hwy. 7 and Woodbridge Avenue, now features TreeCaching.

Developed by ACER (Association for Canadian Educational Resources), it’s billed as part scavenger hunt, part self-guided nature walk.

Essentially, it’s a tree tagging system that uses QR code technology to access a webpage housing information about a particular tree or other feature along the trail such as Latin and common names, diameter, GPS location and descriptions of the leaves, buds, bark, flowers and/or fruit.

There’s also information about the significant cultural and natural heritage features of the site they’re visiting.

Those interested in using it simply have to grab their smartphone or tablet, download a QR code reader then find QR coded trees or features and scan away.

Trail users in Vaughan can expect to find about 28 tagged trees along the route.

For more information, visit www.trca.on.ca/enjoy/activities/tree-caching.dot