Did you know Burlington is home to one of the most biologically rich areas of Canada, including more than 1,500 species of plants and animals, nearly a quarter of the country's wild plants and more than 50 at-risk species?
Situated at the western end of Lake Ontario, there is a unique ecological corridor that runs from Cootes Paradise Marsh to the Niagara Escarpment, 9,000 acres of significant lands that connect Hamilton and Burlington. Currently, 4,700 acres of these lands are permanently protected and growing while another 4,300 acres of the lands in the area are privately owned. The result is a disconnected patchwork of smaller protected areas, each valuable but isolated.
Since 2006, 10 local government and non-government partner organizations, including the City of Burlington, have been working together to protect and help connect these lands, with a vision to create one of Canada's largest urban eco parks: the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System.
Larger than Central Park in New York City or Hyde Park in London, the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System will be one of the largest near-urban parks in the world, providing ecologically sustainable outdoor recreation and education opportunities for the more than six million people who live in the region between Toronto and Niagara Falls.
To help make the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System a reality, the partner agencies are facilitating land acquisitions to link more areas of the ecopark system. More than 40 hectares have been added to the park by donation or purchase within the last two years. The group is also supporting ecological restoration to maintain the diversity of species in the area and raising awareness about the environmental significance of the park.
What can you do?
Residents with an interest in the vision for the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System can get involved in a number of ways:
- If you own land in the area of the ecopark system, consider contacting one of the partner agencies to discuss land stewardship or potential land securement
- Contact your elected provincial and federal government officials to share your support for the creation of the ecopark system
- Make a donation
- Help crowd-fund a land purchase
- Get out and explore this beautiful area located right in our very own backyard.
News
Media Release: Protecting important habitats in the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System
Management Plans
The Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System is divided into six core areas called Heritage Lands. These areas reflect the natural and cultural heritage parts of each area. A key project is to develop land management plans for each of the Heritage Land areas. Management Plans provide a consistent framework for future planning, implementation and management of lands under ownership by the partner-owned properties. To date, three of the six Management Plans have been completed.
Read the Burlington Heights Heritage Plan... (5 MB PDF)
We would be pleased to provide you with these documents in an alternative format that suits your needs.
To learn more about the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System, visit: www.cootestoescarpmentpark.ca