A Canadian organization is using geocaching to promote tourism and ecological awareness in northern Ontario. Nearly 100 traditional, virtual and commercial caches are included in the contest with more being throughout the year.

Prizes are expected to exceed $50,000. The organization’s website offers prizes including a canoe, a diamond ring, an original painting and a variety of high-quality merchandise and hospitality packages. Prizes will be randomly drawn on Dec. 31, 2004.

Participants can enter one time for each cache found. There is no entry fee and experienced cachers and non-cachers are invited to participate.

The geocaching program offers caches found near trails, canoe routes, points of interest and prominent natural features. With the exception of commercial caches, most of the caches are also listed on the geocaching.com website.

Northern Ontario GPS Treasure Hunting, http://www.geocachingontario.com, is a program designed by a non-profit organization attempting to present a better understanding of the conservation and development issues and options related to the environment and the forest industry in Ontario.

“It’s all about bringing in new visitors and promoting tourism in northern Ontario.” “It’s all about bringing in new visitors and promoting tourism in northern Ontario,” says Bill Steer, education manager of the Canadian Ecology Centre foundation. Explaining his website that uses geocaching to lure tourists to Ontario, “Everyone is invited to participate.”

According to Andy Mitchell, Sec. of State (Rural development)(Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario), “The government of Canada is committed to supporting community based tourism initiatives that help develop northern Ontario’s economy.”

A multi-million dollar facility, the ecology center offers a mix of high technology with nature to its visitors, and is dedicated to providing quality outdoor and forestry education to individuals and groups of all ages.

For those who visit the center’s facilities, a choice of catered or a “cook your own” meal is available. Lodging facilities are available to any organization wishing to conduct their own education programs or groups that choose to participate in the center’s curriculum. Access to state-of-the-art technology (night vision, GPS, parabolic sound dishes and digital cameras) is available.

“Our biggest hurdle is for geocachers to understand that we are trying to promote tourism (lodges’ programs and trail systems that have caches nearby,” Steer said. He predicts lodges, community groups and tourism-related services will diversify and include GPS treasure hunting in their promotional offerings in the future.

For a complete list of caches, prizes and contest rules, visit: http://www.geocachingontario.com.