Update

Wilson said the signage is meant to indicate the most sensitive areas of the park.

The signs are posted located in the west, middle and east of the cliff at Devil’s Glen Provincial Park.

“These areas are sensitive because they are home to species such as rare cliff ferns, bat roosting features and cliff nesting birds. It’s important to recognize and protect these features as part of a balanced approach to managing the park along with public recreation activities,” said Wilson.

“Many parks in the region, including Devil’s Glen were created to protect environmentally significant areas. Ontario Parks is continually assessing rock climbing activities. Avoiding negative environmental impacts is key to sustainable outdoor recreation and education about sensitive ecological values is key.”

Wardens are regularly patrolling Devil’s Glen prioritizing education, but also applying other forms of enforcement including fines.

Wilson said that Ontario Parks is not engaging in any formal negotiations with the rock climbing community but is in communication with members. Any proposed changes to the Devil’s Glen Provincial Park Management Plan would be subject to formal consultation with Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and members of the general public.

For background, see the Jan. 27, 2022 article 'Rock climbing traffic exposes impact on rare cliffs' at creemore.com.