JUST THE FACTS: Grade 3 Brookville School students Jillian Streef (left), 8, and Angela Henein, 8, join Nikki May, project co-ordinator for the Carolinian Canada Coalition, in the school's native garden. It was part of the recent launch of the Caring for Nature in Halton landowner stewardship factsheet.

Celebrating local environmental achievements -- and spurring residents on to action -- is what a recently-released factsheet is all about.

'Caring for Nature in Halton' is a colourful, informative stewardship guide for rural and urban landowners.

The factsheet allows readers to share in the various projects landowners have completed across the Carolinian life zone -- a unique ecological region lying south of a line drawn from Toronto to Grand Bend -- said project co-ordinator Nikki May of the Carolinian Canada Coalition.

It also spotlights the unique nature of Halton.

"The factsheet will be most useful for landowners who have been thinking about a habitat project but could use some good ideas about how to start," May said, adding it also shows landowners where to go for project funding.

The factsheet was launched recently at Brookville Public School, overlooking the school's 'Living Classroom' garden, one of the stewardship projects highlighted in the guide.

The factsheet has been put together by the Carolinian Canada Coalition along with Conservation Halton, Halton Peel Woodlands and Wildlife Stewardship, the Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship Program and other partnering conservation organizations in the region. It's been mailed to farmers and rural landowners in Halton.

Everyone benefits when landowners do their part, explained Michelle Kanter, executive director of the coalition.

"Landowners who take care of habitat in Halton and the rest of Carolinian Canada are protecting air, water and soil quality for everyone," she said. "They are leading the way in conserving resources for human and wildlife communities."

Southwest Ontario's Carolinian life zone is one of the most biologically diverse ecological regions in the country, containing some of the highest numbers of rare and endangered species.

Halton's unique nature -- as outlined in the factsheet -- includes "a wide range of microclimates due to elevation changes, soils and Great Lakes weather patterns. Each supports unique habitats and wild species from rare cliff-top communities and northern conifer stands to deciduous swamp-forests."

The publication includes a page devoted to 'The Natural Wonders of Halton Region.' It includes Crawford Lake, Sassafras Woods and Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

On-hand for the launch ceremony were several other partners of the factsheet, including Vesna Spehar of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and Jim Stollard, president of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club, which is featured inside the booklet.

Stephanie Hounsell can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com.