By adopting a section of greenway, your group agrees to cleanup your adopted portion of the Greenway a minimum of three times a year (recommended months include: April, May, June, July, September, October).  
ERCA will provide a template checklist on how to plan for a successful event.  
Any litter that is collected will need to be placed at the nearest Community Entrance for ERCA staff to retrieve soonest after the clean up event.  
The group can share photos, anecdotal information, and the impact of litter cleanup (example total number of bags, weight estimated in kg, number of volunteers, interesting finds etc.) with ERCA. The information will be entered to track collective efforts of this program, with our sincere thanks.

Program Highlights

The Greenway Guardians - Adopt a Greenway Litter Cleanup Program is a year-round, region wide community cleanup program. By adopting a section of the Greenway in this new program, your organization, group, business, family etc. can help keep this important recreational and natural heritage trail system clean and safe for everyone who visits and uses it.  Of course, we always ask guests to pack out what they bring in, but sometimes litter gets left behind.

In the Essex Region, we are fortunate to have more than 80 km of connected, safe, off-road greenway trails. These include the Chrysler Canada Greenway, the Cypher Systems Group Greenway, and the Rotary (1918) Centennial Hub. These trails were designed for multiple uses, including hiking, cycling, nature observation and in some areas, for horseback riding. Greenways also provide a valuable wildlife and utility corridor. 

Adopt a Section of the Greenway!

Greenway Guardians

Adoption Form

Adoption Map (click for PDF)

Identify a section on the Adoption Map below that is meaningful to you.
Fill out the form below!

Register your Team and Adopt a Trail Section

Collective Impacts

The following list identifies the collective impacts of the organizations participating in this program with us!

April 22 2023 – Cycle Kingsville; 10 adults, one toddler; 280 lbs of litter and trash removed.
March 29 2024 – A.J. Matte Electric; 2 adults; 7 lbs of litter and trash removed.

Adoption Agreement Form (sign and return to ERCA)
A blank Conservation Area Use Permit for the team to complete for your two-year agreement (sign and return to ERCA)
A map of your adopted trail section and nearest community entrance.
Instructions on how to plan, coordinate and report the impact of your cleanups. Please note each cleanup will also require volunteers to sign ERCA’s Greenway Litter Cleanup waiver. The waiver should be kept in your records for the duration of the two-year agreement.

Once your adoption has been processed by ERCA staff, we will contact you with more details about your trail section. The adoption package includes: 