GET INVOLVED

Landowner Stewardship

With over 1,500 species of plants and animals and over 50 species at risk, our incredible natural heritage is one of the primary reasons for establishing the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System. Private landowners can get involved with projects that support ecological connectivity and biodiversity.

Landowner and Neighbourhood Stewardship

Beside and between partner lands are properties owned by private landowners. The community of Waterdown lies just north of Clappison and Waterdown Woods, with the Hidden Valley community located within the Grindstone Creek Valley. Southeast of Waterdown Woods is the Tyandaga and Brant Hills residential areas. Cootes Paradise Marsh and Burlington Heights are surrounded by Burlington’s Aldershot and Brighton Beach Community, Downtown Hamilton, the Westdale Neighbourhood, the former Town of Dundas and rural residential areas across the Escarpment. 

We support these communities in becoming strong environmental stewards that will ensure further protection and preservation of the area’s natural heritage. Private landowner projects we have supported include pollinator gardens, rainwater management, tree planting, riparian habitat enhancements, creek habitat enhancements, Invasive plant species management, livestock access restriction, manure management, online pond mitigation, well decommissioning, and more.

Our Landowner Outreach Technician is available to meet with private landowners residing within the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System area to provide free on-site consultation, assist in developing habitat restoration projects and provide information on financial incentive opportunities.

CONTACT

Volunteer

Help preserve and restore natural areas in the EcoPark System. Many of our partners and friend of the EcoPark System  have volunteer opportunities such as clean ups, invasive species management, native species planting, trail maintenance and monitoring, and more. The variety of volunteer opportunities means that there is something for everyone – contact us with your interests and we’ll direct you to the group with similar interests, or you can visit the websites of the following groups: 

Events

Our partners and stakeholders organize and host opportunities
to experience the EcoPark System. 

Featured
2017-2018 Summer Biodiversity Snapshot – Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System BioBlitz
2017-2018 Summer Biodiversity Snapshot – Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System BioBlitz

With support from the Canadian Wildlife Federation and TD Friends of the Environment, the 2017 and 2018 BioBlitz brought together taxonomic experts and the public (citizen scientists) together to inventory all species within EcoPark System partners properties.

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2019 Biodiversity Snapshot – Cootes to Escarpment Fell Festival and BioBlitz
2019 Biodiversity Snapshot – Cootes to Escarpment Fell Festival and BioBlitz

Expert biologists, citizen scientists, and students banded together in the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System on September 20th and 21st, 2019 to create an inventory of plant and wildlife species in the EcoPark System’s natural lands.

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2021 EcoPark Explorer and Cootes to Escarpment Fall Festival
2021 EcoPark Explorer and Cootes to Escarpment Fall Festival

Thanks to support from TD Friends of the Environment Fund, our community learned basic plant identification, birding, and backyard biodiversity from EcoPark System ecologists, botanists, and educators

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Trails

There are many wonderful trails in the area for both serious and leisurely hikers. Pick a trail for your skill level and ability.

Here are the EcoPark System partners with trail maps: 

We promote sustainable recreation opportunities for mental and physical well-being within the EcoPark System for the public, and support partner-led recreational trail development by supporting the Hamilton-Burlington Trails Council.