In 1984 on a hike on the Bruce Trail with his wife, eight-year old daughter and six-year old son, Bob Barnett was captivated by the stunning array of rocks, bluffs and cliffs with all its flora and fauna along the Georgian Bay shoreline. By 1986, the family had hiked the entire 750kms of the Niagara Escarpment and Bob decided to do all he could to protect this breathtaking landscape. From 1986 to 1996 he helped the Bruce Trail Association protect 15 properties along its optimal route. He teamed up with other Escarpment enthusiasts and in 1997 they created the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC) a charitable land trust to establish, maintain and manage a system of nature reserves in the area of the Niagara Escarpment.

Milestones

• December 1996 : A hundred Escarpment enthusiasts were invited to Conservation Halton headquarters to discuss forming an Escarpment land trust. The forty four people who attended decided to start a land trust.
• Spring 1997 : Those designated to "form the land trust", met at Henry Nordin's chalet in the Beaver Valley. The group decided to form a charity called the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC). The group decided to include the word "biosphere" in the name and not "Niagara" to avoid confusion with the Niagara Escarpment Commission and its initials "NEC". They chose to include "sustainable, low-impact recreation" in its mission. Bob Barnett was chosen the first chair while former head of the NEC, Terk Bayly, was chosen as vice-chair. Unfortunately, later that year, Terk Bayly died and was replaced by Richard Procter who later became chair when Bob Barnett moved to executive director.
• May 1997 : Corporate status.
• December 1997 : Charitable status.
• December 1998 : The EBC received its first reserve, the 14-acre "Vansickle" donation in Dyer's Bay.
• December 1999 : Received the Ashman agreement near Wiarton and purchased 300 acres at the Cup and Saucer. This began the Manitoulin project, especially by enhancing the trail system at the Cup and Saucer with the Manitoulin Tourism Association.
• 2000 : Another 47 acres were purchased at the Cup and Saucer from Ron Piet.
• 2001 : Received the Haagensen and Kimbercote agreements received and purchased the Schmidt and Davis properties. Davis began our Huron shore initiative.
• 2002 : Amazingly, 9 projects were completed, two on the Huron shore.
• 2003 : 8 new projects, 2 on the Huron shore, 4 near Owen Sound, with one in the Saugeen watershed. Bob Barnett became the Executive Director.
• 2004 : 9 new projects including our fourth on Manitoulin and the first on the (South) Saugeen River. Ted Cowan became chair.
• 2005 : Provincial government grants property tax exemptions to land trusts. 13 new reserves with three on Manitoulin including the Freer Point reserve with life estates in the cottages. The Alvar Bay and Hock properties greatly extended protection of the Huron shore.
• 2006 : 9 new reserves including 333 acres at Bidwell Bog on Manitoulin, as well as the Simmons reserve at Caledon East.
• 2007 : 11 new reserves including generous donations from the Farquharsons near Creemore, Dr. Andrews in Manitoulin and the McSporrans at Paisely.
• 2008 : 13 reserves including 6 conservation agreements from Eugenia to Tiverton.
• 2009 : 12 new reserves.