It's a Fact The Willow Park Ecology Centre Steering Committee is a driving force of positive environmental action in the Halton Region.

A major component of the Steering Committee’s work is to push environmental matters to the forefront of the Halton Hills’ community with their summer community programs and camps, quarterly newsletter, attendance at community events, newspaper and magazine articles, and a video that frequently airs on the local cable TV station. The Willow Park Ecology Centre Steering Committee is a driving force of positive environmental action in the Halton Region and was recognized by the Credit Valley Conservation Board with a Conservation Award of Distinction in 2003. In 2004, they were awarded a three-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their education and outreach programs and won the Urban Stewardship Award from Wildlife Habitat Canada.

The two environmental education programs developed by the Steering Committee are titled Nature in the Neighbourhood and Plants and Soil Grow Together. Lessons take place in a local ravine ecosystem. Nature in the Neighbourhood, developed for grade four and grade six classrooms within walking distance to the ravine, consists of a one-day experiential walking tour and half-day follow up that encourages participants to connect issues they will face in the course of their lives with the appreciation, use and restoration of local nature.

Since 2004 the Steering Committee has also assisted in the organization and implementation of the Riverfest-Norval Festival and they were the sole organizers of this community-oriented eco-fest event in 2006.

As a result of the Steering Committee’s efforts, the community of Halton Hills now has a functioning outdoor education centre and space where citizens and visitors alike can walk the trails and enjoy the natural surroundings. Nestled in an area surrounded by an increasing amount of urban development, the Willow Park Ecology Centre provides critically important learning opportunities related to ecology and environmental sustainability.