Media Releases

Trend-Arlington Community requests that the City Protect white pine forest from re-zoning

Trend-Arlington Community Association in has made an effort to petition the City of Ottawa to protect the 100 year old white pine forest that surrounds the community in west end. The City has considered corner lot re-zoning for this outer urban area of Arlington Woods.

As James O'Grady, president of the Trend Arlington Community Association (TACA) writes,"Arlington Woods was carefully developed by Campeau in the early 1970’s under the eastern wing of a native white pine forest. The forest which boast many trees over a hundred years old, extends from Graham Creek through the Greenbelt and into Bells Corners. It grew out of the remains of the Great Fire of 1870 that destroyed much of what is now western Ottawa. Bells Corners and Stittsville were wiped out. For this reason the Trend-Arlington Community Association believes the white pine forest has tremendous heritage value to both the City of Ottawa and to the communities of the old City of Nepean."

Graphic Design

Are you passionate about Graphic Design? Do you have experience using Photoshop, InDesign and/or Illustrator?

We need volunteers that can help us design posters, pamphlets, banners, and a wide range of other Ecology Ottawa material. If you are looking to gain some experience, or build your portfolio by working for an organization that would value your work, we would love to hear from you! Contact Robb Barnes today.

Let's Depave Paradise!

This Saturday, June 20^th Ecology Ottawa will be kicking off the 2015 Depave Paradise Ottawa event in partnership with St. Anthony Catholic School and with the help of an enthusiastic group of volunteers. The project includes the depaving of up to 100m² of asphalt at the school in order to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases, restore natural diversity and wildlife habitat, and provide locally-grown food. Depave Paradise will directly benefit the local watershed and help restore natural areas while also building awareness and promoting community-based watershed stewardship by engaging people in transformative change. It will be a fun way to make positive improvements on the environment and the surrounding community. The children attending the school were involved in the planning process of this project and are extremely excited to see the playground reflect their vision upon arrival at school in September after the summer holidays.

David Art School students create beautiful outdoor installation about Emerald Ash Borer damage

Students at the Davis Art School have created a one of a kind art piece in Hampton Park on Island Park Drive about the destruction of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. The beetle invades ash trees and untimately leads to their death. Ottawa has a very large infestation of these pests and has lost a significant amount of tree canopy in the city.

The artists Mary Abma, Peggy DeVries and Marcia Lea have used an old stump of one such ash tree and created a beautiful living art piece in the community.They have stratigically placed woodchips close by to re-create the tree's "shadow" in the park. The "S' shaped marking where the beetles leave the leave after draining it of its nurtrients are painted in green paint for emphasis. Another line of woodchips is painted red to symbolize veins.The woodchips used for the artwork are from other ash trees that have been cut down due to infestation.The installation is able to be viewed in Hampton Park until June 20,2015, with a potential for extension by the NCC.

What Happened at Environment Committee Tuesday

For Nancy Biggs, it’s personal.

Though a member of myriad boards and committees across the city, she addressed the Environment Committee as an individual whose family has lived in Ottawa for six generations.

“We are seeing more freezing rain events, heavy rainfall causing flooding and sinkholes, as well as an increase in heat waves”, she explained.

“Ottawa’s climate has changed.”

The Pope Releases Letter on Environmental Protection

Pope Francis has officially released his Encyclical on the environment, “On the Care of our Common Home”. The letter details a moral message to teach individuals and governments worldwide about climate change and poverty and how those are connected. He urgently hope that change will take place.

He believes it is our ethical responsibility as humans to protect the environment and this message has been welcomed by economists, business leaders, scientists, doctors, spiritual leaders and trade unions. The open letter details the science behind using renewable resources and makes the case to sway politicians through a moral discussion of the planet and poverty. By channelling money into saving the environment and not into promoting capitalism we can close the poverty gap between the rich and poor. Educating impoverished countries to use and develop sustainable resources is another step forward, the letter teaches.

[VIDEO] Kids talk Climate Change to City Council

Ecology Ottawa collaborated with Cool it for the Kids to produce this video which will be shown to Ottawa city councillors during their June 16, 2015 Environment Committee meeting, at which time they will consider what the environmental priorities of the city will be over the coming four years.

Environment Committee June 16 - A Long Day Ahead

For concerned citizens planning to attend or speak at the Tuesday, June 16 Environment Committee meeting, we're in for a long day.

But don't let that put you off.

This is the ONLY opportunity to address Environment Committee, and through them City Council on how the city will prioritize environmental issues over the next four years.

It's worth investing a few hours!

Public Transit Before Parkway Expansion Say Advocates

Expanding the Airport Parkway when Light Rail hasn't had a chance to take up the slack is a mistake say citizens. According to Ottawa Community News, not only are residents raising their voices, the city councillor has spoken too:

Expanding the parkway should be “a last resort,” one that is only considered after public-transit ridership is built up, Brockington said, adding that widening the parkway and Lester Road from two to four lanes will have the opposite effect.

Tree Enthusiasts Needed for the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Calling all tree enthusiasts! Tree Ottawa is looking for volunteers to help spread the word about Tree Ottawa at The 22^nd annual Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival on June 25, 26, 27 and 28. Tree Ottawa will be at the Dragon Boat festival all four days encouraging people to sign the Tree Petition and talking about forest management within Ottawa.

Our Analysis of the City of Ottawa's Environmental Priorities

The City of Ottawa just announced its environmental priorities for the next four years but there is still time for you to help move the City in the right direction. This post lays out Ecology Ottawa’s initial assessment of the City’s proposed Term of Council Priorities, a document outlining what the mayor and council are planning to prioritize in the coming years. The Term of Council Priorities will guide city action on issues like healthy watersheds and clean water, trees, cycling, pedestrians and public transit, and renewable energy and action on climate change. You can click here for a three-page PDF version of our analysis. You can also click here to find out more about what you can do to help make a difference. For those of you that are particularly interested in the details, you can find a draft fifteen page analysis that we have prepared here.

Analysis of the City's 2015-2018 Term of Council Priorities

Running up to the City Council meeting of July 8, 2015 various city standing committees are considering for approval a document that lays out the city's priorities until the next municipal election.

What follows here is a draft for discussion of Ecology Ottawa's detailed analysis of how this document stacks up. For a more condensed commentary click here.