We Conserve Lands in the Credit River Watershed
We are the stewards of over 2,800 hectares (7,000 acres) of natural space in the Credit River Watershed. The watershed extends from the Headwaters in Dufferin Country to Port Credit in Mississauga where it drains into Lake Ontario. We provide visitors with unique experiences in nature, supporting healthy communities and a sustainable natural environment.
Our conservation areas serve a variety of functions:
- Protect natural features and functions
- Provide large regional and nature appreciation and recreational opportunities
- Promote mental and physical well-being
- Provide economic benefits (through local tourism, employment, ecosystem goods and services)
- Mitigate flooding, erosion caused by severe weather events
- Clean water
- Capture carbon
- Provide habitat
- Conserve cultural resources
Our Conservation Areas
We operate a system of 59 conservation areas. We provide visitors with unique experiences in nature, supporting healthy communities. Our conservation areas also support active lifestyles that promote physical and mental well-being. Our lands provide ecosystem goods and services, and our stewardship also reduces the impacts of severe weather events resulting from climate change.
We’re committed to the long-term health of our conservation areas. We work to protect these natural features and functions for future generations.
Discover our conservation areas.
The Land inventory was created in compliance with the Conservation Authority Act.
Conservation Areas Strategy 2025-2030
Conservation Areas Strategy provides direction for CVC’s lands for the next five years. The strategy has been completed in compliance with the Conservation Authority Act and includes public and stakeholder consultation.
Conservation Areas Strategy provides decision-making guidance and long-term planning for the management and expansion of CVC conservation areas.
The strategy identifies four objectives for conservation lands management.
Protect
Protect the natural and cultural heritage assets within our conservation areas.
Connect
Develop and nurture relationships with all who seek to connect with the land and water.
Experience
Ensure that visitors to our sites experience a wide range of recreation opportunities, health benefits and tourism options.
Deliver
Deliver services to our residents, visitors, stakeholders and partners that reflect our commitment to quality, accountability, fiscal responsibility and the natural environment.
Management Plans
We create management plans to define the long-term vision for a property and outline the strategies, actions and decisions needed to achieve that vision. Management planning is a key strategic priority for CVC. Learn more about managements plans and how you can get involved:
Active management plan:
- Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area
Completed management plans:
Restoration Projects
We are restoring ecosystems and creating wildlife habitat for a resilient Credit River Watershed on our conservation lands. Learn about our latest projects:
We are creating a new conservation area on the shores of Lake Ontario. We’re transforming the area to be more natural, diverse and ecologically functional by naturalizing the shoreline, reestablishing coastal wetlands and restoring streams draining into the lake to provide habitat for fish, migrating birds and wildlife.
Learn more about the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.
The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of enhanced restoration for two former aggregate sites in the Town of Caledon – Pinchin Pit and the Capstone parcel, formerly called the Flaherty Pit, which is a part of Charles Sauriol Conservation Area. Our goal is to restore these properties and transform them into future Credit Valley Parks.
Learn more about the Pits to Park Restoration Project
We’re decommissioning the dam and pond at Monora Park due to the decline of the dam structure and increased public safety risk. The goal of the project is to restore Monora Creek and the surrounding wetlands while considering safety, social, recreational and economic values.
Learn more about the Monora Park Dam Mitigation.
The goal of this restoration is to replace dead or dying ash trees with native trees and shrubs and remove invasive plants so a healthy forest with diverse species can return and thrive.
Learn more about ash tree management at Rattray Marsh.
We’re transforming a former farm field overgrown with non-native and invasive plants into a thriving grassland with native plants and grasses. It will provide critical habitat for species at-risk such as eastern meadowlark, bobolink and grasshopper sparrow.
Learn more about the Upper Credit CA grassland restoration.
Upcoming Events

May 10 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Island Lake Conservation AreaConservation Lands News



Support New Conservation Lands
Help us secure new conservation lands through Credit Valley Conservation Foundation.