Foley Mountain Forest School offers an alternative education in which children spend most of their time outside, playing and learning through experiential, hands-on activities that promote curiosity in an active and authentic learning environment. Students will receive the benefits of repeated and regular visits to a natural area, in a play and inquiry-based education setting.

Tuition subsidies for the forest school program may be available for those who qualify. Please contact for more details.

Location: Foley Mountain Lane, Westport, ON — Google map

Programs that we offer:

• Family Forest School
• Kindergarten for children aged 4-5
• School age for children aged 6-12
• Family drop-in programs for all ages

PLEASE NOTE — We will consider offering additional program days if there is demand!

PLEASE READ our Forest School Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

NEW PROGRAM – Family Forest School

Is your child a bit too young to join in our independent programs or are you just looking to be a part of their forest school experience? Well, this new program may be the perfect fit for you!

• The same play based, child centred learning environment as our other forest school programs. Enjoy play, stories, snack time, forest adventures, and more!
• A new forest school program for children aged 2-5 (younger or slightly older siblings are welcome to tag along) where a parent or guardian stays with the child during the program.
• Tuesdays from 9:30am – 11:30am offered in the same fall, winter, and spring sessions as our other programs. Registration is for the whole session.
• Supported by one of our skilled and experienced forest school educators.
• Cost per child is $18/morning plus HST.

To Register

Please complete the registration request form to be added to our registration list. Upon completion of the form, we will send you a registration package, including the program handbook and other necessary documents. PLEASE NOTE that filling out this form does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process.

Kindergarten Program 

• Children ages 4-5 years
• Program runs from 9am – 12pm
• Cost per child is $30/morning plus HST. All prices below include HST.
• Participants must be able to use the toilet independently
• Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

To Register

Please complete the registration request form to be added to our registration list.  Upon completion of the form, we will send you a registration package, including the program handbook and other necessary documents. PLEASE NOTE that filling out this form does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process.

School Age Program

• For children aged 6–12
• Cost per child is $55/full day or $30/half day plus HST. All prices below include HST.

To Register

Please complete the registration request form to be added to our registration list.  Upon completion of the form, we will send you a registration package, including the program handbook and other necessary documents. PLEASE NOTE that filling out this form does not necessarily guarantee a space in the program but begins the registration process.

Forest School FREE Family Drop In Programs 

Pack up the family and head down to Foley Mountain Conservation Area to explore, adventure, play, and learn in the forest! Thanks to the Township of Rideau Lakes, we are offering FREE family drop-in program. 

2024 Drop In Programs

• April 20, from 10-11:30 am  Waitlist Only
• May 18, from 10-11:30 am  Waitlist Only
• June 15, from 10-11:30 am Waitlist Only
• July 20, from 10-11:30 am
• August 17, from 10-11:30 am
• September 21, from 10-11:30 am
• October 19, from 10-11:30 am
• November 16, from 10-11:30 am
• December 21, from 10-11:30 am

General Information: 

• All ages of children welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult
• PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED and group size will be limited - please complete the registration request form to pre-register or be added to the waitlist.  
• FREE of cost

Our Community Partners

RIDEAU VALLEY, June 6, 2023 — New accessible infrastructure, expanded septic services, a new clean water program and the planting of our 7 millionth tree: the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) accomplished all this and more in 2022. 

The RVCA provides conservation-led programs and services based on a watershed-wide model serving 18 member municipalities along the Rideau River and its tributaries. Our wide-ranging programs cover a huge geographic area of more than 4,000 km², from Central Frontenac to Merrickville-Wolford and downriver to the City of Ottawa. Through science, stewardship and education, the RVCA strives to manage local natural resources sustainably to ensure a healthy watershed for the future.

A newly-released 2022 annual report highlights RVCA’s many accomplishments over the year, including:

• 317,000 people visited RVCA conservation areas in 2022 (up from 200,000 annually pre-pandemic)
• 6,783 students participated in outdoor education programs at Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas
• 2 accessible bridge projects begun at our most popular conservation areas (1 each at Baxter and Chapman Mills conservation areas)
• 239,595 trees planted (7 million planted since 1984)
• 10,127 trees and shrubs planted on 69 waterfront properties
• 3,687m² of invasive species removed during 12 volunteer removal events
• 1,392 Planning Act applications reviewed
• 353 Section 28 applications processed under the Conservation Authorities Act
• 734 septic system applications processed for new or replacement septic systems across nine municipalities
• 117 sites sampled for water quality on lakes, rivers and major tributaries
• 196 Clean Water Projects completed in partnership with landowners
• 2,050 healthy butternut seedlings distributed to help replace dead and dying butternut trees in Eastern Ontario 
• Restoration continued at the Stillwater Wetland Complex (Nepean) and the Hutton Creek Marsh Wetland (Lombardy) 

Staff also met strict approval and customer service goals, issuing 99% of Section 28 permits within provincial timelines and issuing most septic permits within half the provincial timelines.

“Staff work tirelessly to ensure the watershed is healthy and thriving for all who call it home,” said Sommer Casgrain-Robertson, RVCA General Manager. “We are extremely proud of our municipally-supported programs that look to build resilient communities in the face of climate change and population growth.”

We extend our thanks to our member municipalities, partners and volunteers who made 2022 such a success and we look forward to a productive 2023.

Download the RVCA’s 2022 Annual Report at www.rvca.ca or call 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 to request a hard copy.

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Request for Proposal 
RVCA Website Development and Support

RFP Inquiry Addendum

Question 1: What is the budget/budget range for website development and support?

Response: We have estimated costs associated with this RFP to be between $60,000 - $90,000.

Question:  Can you provide specific information for your requirements for these:

• Public engagement functionalities
• Project management capabilities
• Performance management tool

Response: Although listed in section 2.2 as required deliverables, we don't have any large need for these functionalities or capabilities. It would be reassuring to know the CMS has the capability to add these elements should it become a need.

Question: Google says there are 4,000 pages of content [on the current site]. Will all this content be included in the new website or will you audit and streamline the content? Do you need assistance with this and if so, to what extent? Will your team input the content after training or do you need assistance with this?

Response: We anticipate reducing content significantly. RVCA’s communication staff are currently working to edit and streamline content. This includes restructuring the menus and flow of the site, although we look forward to sharing that with our successful contractor to gain their input and insight on how to best to present information to improve user experience. We do not anticipate inputting large amounts of content during the initial design stage but rather during the testing phase and following the website’s launch. However, this could be a cost-saving option should our anticipated budget be insufficient.