South March Highlands 2010 by Jayni Bloch
Though I've blogged my love of the South March Highlands before (The South March Highlands: Ottawa's Fragile Urban Wilderness & Saving Beaver Pond Forest in Kanata, Ontario ) I thought it was time for another post in honour of it being recognized as one of the Great Places in Canada by the Canadian Institute of Planners.
Just 20 minutes from Parliament Hill, this is Ottawa's Great Forest: an old-growth paradise that is recreationally enjoyed and spiritually revered. It has untapped ecotourism potential, but threatened by urban sprawl. Spanning over a thousand hectares, this Canadian Shield ecosystem is more than a billion years old. Rich in wetlands and mature forest, it is home to more than 654 species, including 18 species that are at risk of becoming extinct.
This area contains hundreds of mammal, bird, and vegetation species. The fact that they’re all in one place within a major urban city is astounding. No other major city in the world has the biodiversity that this region has. For citizens and tourists alike, the South March Highlands offer an immersive glimpse into Canada's pre-colonial ecology. The forest attracts birders, nature lovers, scouts, biologists, archeologists, hikers, mountain bikers, skiers, photographers...and dreamers. Read More ...
The fight to preserve the remaining undeveloped lands in the South March Highlands is still ongoing. Turns out that "birders, nature lovers, scouts, biologists, archeologists, hikers, mountain bikers, skiers, photographers...and dreamers" make quite a tenacious bunch when it comes to caring for our environment and trying to save our natural treasures for generations to follow.
Learn more at South March Highlands.
Learn more at South March Highlands.
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