Malloum Abakardid
"Track it publicly: how much land and water is protected today, ward by ward, and what's needed to reach 30%. A commitment without a published baseline can't be checked."
Laine Johnson
"Protecting 30% of Ottawa’s natural spaces is a significant commitment, and I think the best way to achieve it is to make biodiversity part of how we make decisions across the City, rather than treating it as a standalone environmental initiative.
Biodiversity is already reflected in a number of City strategies and programs, including the Wildlife Strategy and Climate Change Master Plan, as well as the practices and standards used by Public Works and Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services. The next step is making sure those commitments translate into what we actually do on the ground and that we continue to build on them.
I’ve brought forward motions to create more opportunities for planting in rights-of-way, because even small pieces of public land can contribute to a healthier and more connected urban environment. I’ve also been working with Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services on greening initiatives and the Community Gardening Program, which are practical ways to bring residents into this work.
I also want to look at how we can create more opportunities for community involvement in invasive species management. Residents are often already seeing the problems in their own neighbourhoods, and there is an opportunity to give people a meaningful role in protecting the natural spaces around them.
Meeting the 30% commitment will require us to continue protecting large natural areas, but it also means recognizing that biodiversity exists throughout the city—in parks, waterways, rights-of-way, gardens and neighbourhoods. I want to keep building biodiversity into our everyday planning and operations so that protecting nature is part of how Ottawa grows, rather than something we try to add afterwards."