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The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or steep rock face, in North America that runs predominantly eastward from New York State through Ontario, Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It is about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) long.
The escarpment was named after the Niagara River, as the river forms its most prominent feature in the form of the Niagara Falls. In 1990, the United Nations designated the Niagara Escarpment as a World Biosphere Reserve, recognizing its unique natural attributes and the efforts to sustain its ecosystem.
This escarpment was formed over millions of years through natural geological processes like erosion and glaciation. It has rich biodiversity, including more than 300 bird species, 53 mammal species, and 37 types of orchids.
The cliff that forms the escarpment faces west and its base gradually slopes away to the east, creating multiple variations in climate and vegetation. Forests cover its slopes, it's been an important area for human settlement for thousands of years, and it offers excellent sites for agriculture, recreation, and urban development.
Important sites on the Niagara Escarpment include Niagara Falls, the Bruce Trail (Canada's longest footpath), a wine-growing region, and numbers of parks, conservation areas, and scenic lookouts. It also offers vital source-water areas and significant fossil discoveries.