The City of Ottawa is updating its by-laws to protect urban forests. Share your ideas for a greener city. 

On Friday, July 26th two monarch butterflies were spotted on the SW corner of Sunnyside & Bank outside the Dollar Store. On Saturday, July 27th another monarch danced among the milkweed on the corner of Fairbairn near Bank on the east side of the Firehall.

Unusual, you might ask? No, monarchs love milkweed and for several years now Green Dreamers have been cultivating this wild perennial hoping that monarch butterflies would feed on their preferred plant food right here in our own “street yard”.

Bill 66 is a provincial bill that would allow municipalities to by-pass both land-use planning and environmental regulations in the name of being 'Open for Business'.  Under the envisioned scenario, a large business could be given a pass if it provided a certain level of local employment—100 people in Ottawa's case. 

A law by-passing other laws and protections, generations in the making, is deeply concerning, but the legislation goes further, foregoing any consultative process with the public and disallowing residents from appealing such 'Open for Business' decisions.

The actual environmental consequences of land development in sensitive areas should this this legislation be enacted, should also give cause for serious pause. 

The loss of mature trees in Ottawa’s residential neighbourhoods, and failure to replace them, has reached a crisis situation due to the intensity and rapid pace of infill housing, urban development, and climate change. City policies, by-laws, internal procedures, and enforcement practices intended to regulate tree removal and encourage tree replacement have not kept up. The result is a significant degradation of the urban environment that affects human health and hamper's the municipality's ability to adapt to the effects of climate change.

A new website, Tree Action Now, sponsored by the Greenspace Alliance and others, brings together three strategic actions on this issue:

Trees are amongst our most generous neighbours, providing shade and shelter, cooling, windbreaks, and even fruit. We need to protect our valuable old trees and add young ones. We face the loss of trees via construction/ development, emerald ash borer, as well as ice storms, wind, and other weather. Our urban canopy is under duress!

Originally published in the May 2017 OSCAR.

Watch an owl fly silently to a perch, and learn the secret of how they manage to be so quiet. Discover special places along the Rideau River that shelter birds − and why they need our protection. Hear storytellers share the wonders of a bird’s migration journey and other fascinating tales of these small and delightful creatures.

All this, and more, will be part of a free celebration of International Bird Day, Saturday May 13, 2017 from 10 am to 1 pm at Brewer Park on Bronson Avenue. The theme for this family-friendly and fun event is “Helping Birds along the Way”. 

The Ottawa South Community Association is dedicated to being the environmentally conscious and supporting green initiatives. To achieve this, we will:

• Support wherever possible community initiatives that improve/advocate for proper care of our natural spaces and/or reduce our impact on the environment,
• Provide environmental education and advocacy to the community, where required,
• Promote more sustainable development and transportation,
• Be a strong vocal supporter of environmentally sustainable practices in government, and
• Strive continually to improve our association's environmental performance.