Yes! Our charitable registration number is #885642801

• The Nature Centre is open year-round 7 days a week from 9am-4pm
• The Info Booth is open seasonally from May-September from the hours of 11:30am-7:30pm 7 days a week 
• Heartland’s trails are open year-round 7 days a week, trail times vary with the season and can be found here

Lost or missing items can be turned into the Info Booth or Nature Centre reception where they are stored in our lost and found bin. Any item of a high value that is turned into the Info Booth will be brought to the Nature Centre.

If a visitor is looking for an item that has not been turned in they may leave their name and number for a member of Heartland Forest to contact them if the item is eventually found. 

Heartland Forest will only hold lost and found items for 3 months, any unclaimed items will then be donated to the Goodwill or Value Village.

Anyone interested in volunteering can be provided with our volunteer interests sheet to be completed and turned in to the Volunteer Coordinator. Once the completed form is handed back the interested candidate will be informed they may be contacted when a volunteer opportunity becomes available in their interested areas.

Volunteer Opportunities are posted here

If an employment position is available at Heartland Forest we will post job descriptions on our own website here and on Indeed.com. Anyone applying to a posted position should follow any directions listed on the job description.

Job Opportunities are posted here

Flyers and other advertisements for anything unrelated to Heartland Forest must first receive approval from the Executive Director before they are permitted to be posted. 

Advertisements that have not received the proper permissions will be removed.

Please note: advertisements that may directly compete with Heartland Forest programming or events will not be permitted.

No, Heartland Forest’s Activities Board is used strictly to outline the events and activities that are happening throughout Heartland Forest.

It is free to the general public to visit the park, walk the trails and paths and play on the playground. A small fee for rides and some activities may be required. Organized groups are required to contact lisa.arp@heartlandforest.org to make arrangements for use of space, rental fees may apply.

Trail A (442m) = approximately 5-10 minutes at a leisurely pace 

Trail B (926m) = approximately 20-25 minutes at a leisurely pace

Trail C (275m) = approximately 10 minutes at a leisurely pace 

Trail D (124m) = approximately 5 minutes at a leisurely pace 

Trail E (540m) = approximately 15 minutes at a leisurely pace

Heartland Forest has several trails that can be easily accessed with a wheelchair, scooter or stroller. Trails A, B and D, along with the majority of the surrounding park and the observation tower.

Yes, dogs are allowed on the property provided they are kept on a leash at all times and are cleaned up after.

Yes, Heartland Forest’s property does have poison ivy and oak. It is strongly recommended that visitors do not leave the path while walking through the forest.

Yes, Heartland Forest’s property does have ticks. It is strongly recommended to avoid walking through high grass areas, to use insect repellant and to check over oneself and any children/vulnerable people once they get home.

The merry-go-round must be operated by a Heartland Forest employee. 

If someone wishes to ride the merry-go-round they can purchase a ticket at anytime during the day and the attendant will record their timeslot.

The train ride schedule will be posted on the activities board. If someone wishes to ride the train they can purchase a ticket at anytime during the day and the attendant will record their timeslot.

Anyone who loses a ticket will still be permitted to attend their activity provided they can show proof of purchase with a receipt. 

Customers who purchase tickets for specific timeslots are responsible for ensuring they are on time to their activity. Anyone who misses a timeslot will be required to purchase a ticket for a new available timeslot to participate in the activity.

No. Heartland Forest must follow all Niagara Falls open air burning by-laws and can not allow the general public to use the fire pit unsupervised. Heartland Forest only uses our fire pit for our programming and events.

Pavilions may be rented for private use; any pavilion rental must be pre-arranged and paid for before the day of the visit. All pavilion rentals must be in accordance with Public Health and Niagara Falls by-law requirements. 

Pavilions available for private use include the Wolf, Bear and Coyote Den, Heartland Forest does not rent the Fox den at this time. Organized groups are required to contact lisa.arp@heartlandforest.org to make arrangements for use of space, rental fees may apply.

All pavilion rentals can add a dedicated time for mini-putt use for $10. The Mini-putt will be reserved for 30 minutes of the rental.

The mini-putt may not be reserved outside of pavilion rentals.

TAKING PICTURES: Heartland Forest’s park is open to the public and we are delighted that visitors take pictures especially when they post them to social media or Google Photos and tag us. We enjoy seeing them!

PHOTO SHOOTS: Heartland Forest is a registered not-for-profit located on private land. Photographers who would like to hold a photo shoot are required to contact us to discuss a set fee or donation at info@heartlandforest.org. Please note: we will not allow the closing off of any public access areas, or grant access to dedicated program areas not open to the public at the time.

No, Heartland Forest does not allow fishing in our ponds.

No. Heartland Forest asks that all wildlife is only observed and not touched at anytime.

No, the release of “pets” into the wild is prohibited and can have catastrophic environmental impact on native species

Heartland Forest does not accept or work with exotic pets or wild animals. Anyone looking for more information on what to do with an injured or abandoned animal may contact the Ontario Wildlife Rescue or search the list of registered wildlife rehabilitators on the Ontario governments website.  ontariowildliferescue.ca 

learningcompass.learnflex.net/Upload/Public/WildlifeRehabilitatorsPublicList.htm

No, while Heartland Forest is always honored by the thought of having a tree planted on our property we have made the difficult decision to not include this as a memorial option. Factors including drought conditions and limited staffing and volunteers means we can not sustain the care of newly planted trees at this time. 

Heartland Forest launched its Pet Memorial Wall in Fall 2023, located off our pet-friendly patio directly behind the Nature Centre.

Camp locations have been chosen to ensure there is adequate, climate controlled space for each Cohort. In case of inclement weather including heat warnings and lightening, cohorts will have use of the Nature Centre Atrium, Art Studio, Forestview and adjacent bathrooms.

Face masks will only be required if mandates are in place by public health.

Campers are in groups of ages 5-6, 6-7or 8-9 dependent on participant ages. Heartland Forest will be mindful of requests to keep siblings together but can not guarantee it as supervision ratios must be maintained.

For security purposes parents will not be able to accompany their child into the camp area. Our staff will be sharing photos, updates and videos with parents throughout the week to ensure you can share in your child’s experience at camp.

Campers with special needs must arrange for an interview by contacting before they may register for a space.

If your child is a returning camper with special needs who previously enjoyed and participated in an 8:1 ratio please contact us to discuss registration.

To keep the cost of items down Heartland Forest does not provide shipping through the mail. When Heartland is running a promotion on delivery the staff of Heartland Forest will hand deliver items to the buyer’s address (within the Niagara Region).

Check the Gift Shop page for current shipping promotions.

Any item purchased online will be available for pick up at Heartland Forest (8215 Heartland Forest Road, Niagara Falls) during our regular scheduled business hours Sunday-Saturday 9am-4pm or during a prearranged time.

When you arrive at Heartland Forest simply present your order number at the front reception desk and sign for your item.

If you need to schedule a pick up time outside of our regular scheduled business hours please contact lisa.arp@heartlandforest.org to schedule a time.

Please Note: due to limited storage space Heartland Forest will only hold items for 30 days from the time of purchase before canceling an order that has not been retrieved. If an order is canceled because an item was not picked up no refund will be provided for items $25 or less, any items over $25 will be refunded minus a $25 administration fee.

All items purchased from the Gift Shop are final sale.

For online sales we accept Visa and Mastercard.

Unlike many of the programs or services offered on our website, Gift Shop items are subject to the harmonized sales tax (HST) which will be calculated at the time of checkout.

Yes! If you have a special item you’d like to see created or if you would like to order multiples of a single item, please use our special-order request form by clicking here.

The items online are only a small portion of the many beautifully hand-crafted items for sale in our Gift Shop. Many of these items are one of a kind or made in very limited numbers.

Don’t worry! Heartland Forest will be able to identify your order number by verifying the name, email and telephone number listed on the purchase.

All proceeds of Gift Shop sales go directly back into Heartland Forest programming.

All items sold in Heartland Forest’s Gift Shop are hand made and may have slight variations in size and colour.

Any item that is listed as “live edge” means either the entire item or a portion of the item has not been altered from its original natural state. Natural items may have a greater difference in size and shape; if you are concerned about the item’s appearance, we encourage you to contact us before making the purchase.

To contact us about Gift Shop sales select “Gift Shop” on the contact form drop down.

You will complete a request form with all of your school information, then you will select the date of your trip.

Email: melanie.stewart@heartlandforest.org

If you’re done the Programming Request Form and have selected a date, your trip is considered booked. If there are any issues with your booking submission, you will be contacted within two business days. Otherwise, we’re excited to have you visiting soon!

Cheque is preferred, but we can accept Visa, MasterCard and cash. Full cost is based on the number of participants stated on the Programming Request Form (or the minimum cost of twenty [20] participants, whichever is greater).

You can submit payment 2 weeks prior to your visit. Timely payment is appreciated.

To adjust the number of participants, simply confirm the number of participants exactly TWO WEEKS prior to your visit. Cost will be based on the adjusted number of participants or the minimum cost of twenty (20) participants, whichever is greater.

Programs run from 9:30am to 2:00pm including breaks for snack and lunch, unless otherwise stated in any programming publications. If early departure is needed after the booking is made, please advise our staff upon arrival.

Note: Early Learners, ELKP, and Special Needs may book half-day programs (2 hours).

A minimum of fifteen (15) days notice is required to cancel a booking without penalty. Bookings canceled within fifteen (15) days of a booking will be charged a $25 cancellation fee. Confirmed groups that do not attend and do not provide notice will be charged the full booking price.

Our programs will continue to run in rainy and/or snowy conditions. Please come prepared and dressed for the weather. Pavilions are in place to accommodate and adjust programming in the case of inclement weather.

Picnic pavilions are included within all program bookings for snack and lunch times. We have a litterless lunch and allergy-free policy. Note: For special morning programs, please advise at the time of booking as to if the group will stay for lunch. Indoor space may be reserved with advanced booking. Cleaning fees apply.

Drop off location changes. You can call in or use our contact form a few days ahead.
There is ample free parking on site.

Heartland Forest is an allergy-free facility. We ask that all visitors comply, but we cannot guarantee a completely allergy-free environment.

The Heartland Forest Nature Experience property was purposefully designed around accessibility. Most of the facilities are fully accessible and we are endorsed by Accessible Niagara.

We do have insects on the property that may bite or sting, but occurrences are rare. Proper precautions such as staying on the trails and wearing light-coloured clothing are recommended. Should you wish to apply bug spray, please do so outside and well away from any entrances.

All school staff are complimentary. Other adults, such as parents, are charged a $4.00 program fee.

There are facilities at the Nature Centre that are open during office hours. We have a new washroom facility by the playground area.

Requests can be sent by email and will be considered under the discretion of the program team. Please send any requests by using our contact form and selecting programming.