One of the members of the Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South recently joined the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Program as a volunteer “ranger.” In its second year of operation, the program will have 300 such rangers across Canada.

A name, a Facebook page, an Earth Day event – slowly, but with great enthusiasm, our neighbourhood environment group is taking shape.

Neighbourhood environment group now on Facebook

The Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South is a group of OOS neighbours interested in furthering environmental initiatives in our community.

Ecology Ottawa is looking to host a webinar series called Living City, which would discuss all things local and green, from tree identification, to rain gardens, to urban biodiversity.

According to the experts — and common sense — one of the most important things we can do for the environment is include native plants in our gardens. Planting native species of perennials, shrubs, trees, grasses, and vines will begin to restore the natural ecosystems that we depend on for food, air, and well-being.

Once upon a time, there was a small settlement on the banks of a beautiful river. It was a lovely site, with many trees, open meadows of wildflowers and grasses, and a marsh where water plants grew and many different kinds of insects, birds, butterflies, and small animals lived. When it rained, the water seeped into the ground where tree roots could reach it, and it replenished the marsh.

We all listen to the news: the polar icecap is melting, the seas are rising, the weather is more unpredictable, droughts are increasing, forest and bush fires are harder to manage. We hear and see that our climate is changing, but what do we do in response to all this news? What should we do?

Don’t throw your Christmas trees to the curb, the Rideau Canal Skateway crew wants to recycle them! 

OSCA's Planning and Zoning Committee has called on the City of Ottawa Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Planning Committees to be more cognizant of climate change and more clear about how its proposed policies would affect neighbourhoods in a submission to a joint meeting of the two bodies. There was little time given to review the new official plan and only five days allotted for public review and comment.

Our Living City team has hit its stride this summer. With the help of dozens of amazing volunteers, we’ve distributed over 10,000 trees, knocked on thousands of doors, and given away loads of green infrastructure adaptations like splash guards and redirects. Now, we’re gearing up for an exciting September chalk full of events. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out!