The Royal Botanical Gardens is going public tomorrow with its plan for a Cootes-to-escarpment park system covering more than 3,000 hectares along 10 kilometres of the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton and Burlington.

The park system plan was drafted over the last two years. It involves 11 partner agencies that propose to enhance 1,650 hectares of publicly owned land, link the parcels where possible, add to them and encourage private owners of adjacent property to protect woods, watercourses and wildlife habitat within a broader 34-square-kilometre area.

“This area contains the last piece of the escarpment not separated from Lake Ontario’s wetlands by a 400-series highway,” a summary of the strategy says.

The conservation vision will be launched at a noon ceremony at the RBG Nature Centre in the arboretum off Old Guelph Road. A reception with chili from Dyment’s Farm, displays and a birds of prey live exhibit will start at 11 a.m., with a bonfire, hiking and skating to follow the ceremony.

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are also on the program, but there’s no sign of Mother Nature providing snow.

The Bruce Trail Conservancy, which has its headquarters at the arboretum, will offer guided hikes led by members of the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club. One-hour and two-hour loop hikes begin at 1 p.m. Participants are advised to dress for the weather and bring water.

Tys Theysmeyer, the RBG’s head of conservation and natural lands, says those who are less energetic are invited to “hang out by the bonfire and reflect on the great space that is the Cootes Paradise sanctuary and the heart and soul of the park vision.”

“You might even see one of the eagles pass over,” he said, referring to the bald eagles that winter in Cootes.

To reach the arboretum, turn north on Old Guelph Road from York Boulevard west of the Rock Garden in Hamilton or south on Old Guelph Road from York Road west of Highway 6 in Dundas.