Health & Safety

Swimming is only allowed at designated areas within Chippawa Creek, Long Beach, and Binbrook Conservation Areas.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether to swim at a beach. Not all bodies of water are safe for swimming. Look for appropriate signage that informs you of what safety precautions to take before swimming. 

There are no lifeguards at any NPCA properties, and all visitors swim at their own risk.

Remember:

• Avoid swimming alone, and always let someone know where you are.
• Do not swim while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Do not swim in dangerous weather conditions like storms or heavy rainfall.

NPCA beaches are monitored for bacteria levels (E. coli), algae growth, and safety concerns (such as debris and spills). When safety concerns show high bacteria levels, the beach will be posted as unsafe for swimming.

Before swimming, monitor weather and water quality factors, regardless of the beach posting status.

Check the NPCA beach conditions page to know which beaches are safe for swimming.

For further information regarding the safety and conditions of beaches in the area, visit:

Niagara Region

City of Hamilton

Haldimand County

Some plants found in Southern Ontario can be harmful if touched or ingested, potentially causing irritation to your skin, eyes, or internal system. Some of these plants are:

• Poison ivy
• Poison sumac
• Giant hogweed
• Water hemlock
• and several species of mushrooms.

The best way to avoid harmful plants is to stay on marked trails and wear light-coloured clothing, long sleeves, and long pants. If possible, avoid touching plants, be mindful of any exposed skin when walking trails, and do not eat any vegetation you find in the wild.

If you or someone with you should experience faintness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, trouble breathing, a change in skin colour, or any other type of emergency reaction after interacting with a plant, call 911 immediately.

Poison ivy is a common potentially harmful plant found in the Niagara area

Approximately 50 percent of people develop signs and symptoms of poison ivy dermatitis after contact with urushiol (the oily compound found in poison ivy). The symptoms and severity differ from person to person. These symptoms usually develop within four hours to four days after exposure to the urushiol.

Tips on stopping the spread of poison ivy:

• Wash skin with soap and lukewarm water after exposure.
• Wash all clothing with soap and water after exposure.
• Wash any gardening or outdoor equipment with soap and water or rubbing alcohol after exposure.
• Seek medical attention if symptoms escalate or if you are experiencing trouble breathing, nausea, dizziness, or any other type of emergency reaction.

For more information on identifying and treating poison ivy, please visit Canada Health.

The Giant Hogweed is another potentially harmful plant you may encounter in wilderness areas.

Giant Hogweed exists in Southern Ontario. Its sap contains toxins activated by light (natural or artificial UV rays). Contact with giant hogweed sap, combined with exposure to light, causes severe pain and skin lesions similar to burns.

Contact with Giant Hogweed

• Wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and COLD water as soon as possible.
• Keep the exposed area away from sunlight for 48 hours.
• If a reaction occurs, topical steroids applied early can reduce the severity of the reaction and ease discomfort.
• Change and wash your clothes to prevent spread.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

For more information regarding Giant Hogweed and various other types of poisonous plants, please visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. 

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. A bite from a black-legged tick infected with the bacteria can cause Lyme disease. Ticks are tiny bugs the size of a sesame seed and do not fly. They are found on the ground, on tall grass and bushes, and attach themselves to animals and humans passing by. The risk of getting bitten by a tick is most significant from spring to fall, but ticks can be present during mild winters.

Tips To Guard Against Ticks

Tick Avoidance: Ticks live in grassy, brushy, wooded areas or on animals. They prefer damp, shady regions but can be found in dry areas. If possible, avoid these areas. Stay in the centre of walkways and avoid bushy areas, leaves, tall grass, etc.

Remove High Grass Areas: Use a line trimmer to remove the taller grass areas, or have a contractor trim them with gasoline trimmers if necessary.

Wear Proper Clothing: Light-coloured clothing helps you find ticks more easily. Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and/or coveralls. Wear a hat if contact with overhead vegetation cannot be avoided. Wear closed footwear and socks. For further protection, tuck your pants into your socks.

Treat Clothing with Repellant: Use bug (tick) repellent that contains 20 to 30% DEET. Spray or apply it to your exposed skin and outer clothing.

Inspection for Ticks: Conduct a whole-body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Especially check these parts of your body for ticks:

• Under the arms
• In and around the ears
• Inside belly button
• Back of the knees
• In and around the hair
• Between the legs
• Around the waist
• Check any equipment or gear you may have brought outside for ticks

Reduce Risk: Put clothes in the dryer for one hour on high heat to kill ticks. Shower soon after being outdoors.

Report: If you find any ticks during work, report them to your employer so that other workers are aware of the hazard and check themselves for ticks. If made aware that a worker has developed Lyme disease, report to the Ministry of Labour as an occupational illness as required under Section 52(2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Removing Ticks:

• Use tweezers or a tick key to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible.
• Gently pull the tick straight out until it releases its hold on the skin.
• Do not squeeze, twist, or crush the tick while removing it.
• Don't put anything on the tick or try to burn the tick off.
• Place the tick in a screw-top bottle and bring it to Public Health to be identified (if available)
• Clean the spot where you were bitten with rubbing alcohol and/or soap. Wash your hands.

For further information, call Niagara Environmental Health at 905-688-8248 ext. 7590

For additional information on tick identification, tick bite management, and information regarding Lyme disease, please visit Niagara Region Health.

It is important to remember that when exploring NPCA conservation areas or local greenspaces, you are in the presence and home of many species of wildlife. Most of the wildlife within the Niagara Peninsula watershed is low risk, but taking the proper precautions and being mindful is still wise.

• Do not feed any animals you encounter in the wild.
• Respect all wildlife and leave them alone. Do not move them from their current environment.
• Keep pets on a leash and never leave them unattended while outdoors.
• Allow for an exit route for the wildlife that you have encountered. Do not back them into a corner.
• Avoid flash photography.
• When encountering a larger animal, try to remain calm.

For more tips and information about encountering wildlife, visit Parks Canada.

Thankfully, insect stings and bites in the Niagara Peninsula watershed are usually low risk. However, some complications and health concerns can arise. When exploring outdoors, awareness of these complications and risks is vital.

If you see an animal in the wild acting out of character or exhibiting aggressive behaviour, proceed with extra caution. If you encounter animals in the wild, always give them space, especially if they display aggression and disorientation.

For more information on other outdoor health concerns, visit Ontario Health.

If you think you may have contracted a disease from a plant or animal in a natural area, contact:

• Your doctor or other health care provider.
• Your local Public Health Unit (PHU). Find the one nearest to you by entering your postal code HERE. 

Hiking the trails throughout our beautiful watershed is an incredible way to get in shape and explore the natural beauty around us. When exploring the trails, it is important to remember that others are also trying to enjoy themselves. These spaces are here for us to enjoy together!

Here are some ways to respectfully enjoy our hiking trails together:

• Respect the privacy of people living along trails.
• Keep dogs on a leash, especially on or near farmland.
• Walk, ride or cycle in single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
• Stay to the right of the trail and pass on the left.
• If a person is climbing up a hill, they have the right of way if you are climbing down.
• Bike riders yield to both hikers and horseback riders; hikers yield to horseback riders.
• Visit trails in small groups, split larger parties into smaller groups.
• Unless you pass someone on a trail, maintain a respectful distance between yourself and other hikers.
• Leave flowers, wood, rocks, and plants behind in their rightful place for others to enjoy.
• Avoid tree damage. Do not break branches or strip bark off trees.
• Leave the trails cleaner than you found them. Carry out all litter.
• Fires are not permitted along trails, only in approved campsites.

Hiking trails can be a fun and active way to enjoy the outdoors. However, being aware of your surroundings, mindful of your abilities, and prepared for anything is crucial.

• Know your limits and hike according to them. Do not push yourself too hard; try to be aware of what your body is communicating.
• Pack supplies such as water, light snacks, insect repellant, sunscreen, a map, a hat, and a first aid kit.
• Make sure to wear comfortable, appropriate footwear.
• Layer clothing to stay warm or keep cool.
• Be prepared for rain and pack rain gear.
• Be aware of your surroundings, and do not proceed down a trail impacted or altered by severe weather, such as flooding or large amounts of snow and ice.

If you find yourself lost:

• Stop and do your best to stay calm.
• Think about when you last recognized where you were.
• Observe your surroundings. Look around for signs of something familiar. Listen for other people or activities you recognize. Maybe you can smell a campfire or some cooking in the wind.
• Plan your next move. (e.g., Use your phone if you can, make noise or blow a whistle to alert others that you are lost).

If a member of your group has gone missing on NPCA property, notify park staff immediately. If the person is lost after hours or in an unmanaged natural area, call 911.

The NPCA reminds all nature seekers to be extremely cautious when outside during winter.

Ice is never 100% safe. Please STAY OFF frozen bodies of water. Conditions are not monitored, and ice may be unsafe. Do not put yourself and others at risk.

The NPCA does not monitor ice conditions at most of its conservation areas or test ice thickness except in Binbrook Conservation Area, where Ice Fishing can occur in winter. Access to the ice from any other location is prohibited, including for on-ice winter recreation activities.

More winter safety tips:

• Stay on designated trails at all times.
• Keep family and pets away from the edges of all bodies of water.
• Avoid all recreational activities, including skating, snowshoeing, and skiing in or around water, especially near ice jams or ice-covered water bodies.
• Do not attempt to drive or walk on iced-covered water bodies.
• Stormwater ponds and facilities were not designed for ice skating. Water levels on these ponds can change due to road salt, snow melt, and changing temperatures, causing cracks and dangerously thin ice.
• Avoid walking close to/across riverbanks and ice-covered water to prevent falling through. Riverbanks can become unstable in the spring due to snowmelt and erosion.
• Beware of thin ice that may develop around dams. Dam operators often lower reservoir water levels during winter and spring.
• Rescuing another person or a pet from ice is dangerous. If you see anyone that has fallen through the ice, call 911 for help immediately.

For more outdoor winter safety tips, visit:

https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/sfttps/tp201212-en.aspx

https://www.parachutecanada.org/en/injury-topic/winter-outdoor-safety/