Martha Webber, renowned Kanata/Ottawa botanist, naturalist and educator, wrote the following in response to the news of the final complete clear-cutting of the Beaver Pond Forest in the South March Highlands. It is posted here with her permission. Is there no way to end the destruction? This old growth forest
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THE FIFTH COLUMN: South March Highlands Mountain Bikers – Unlikely Trail Heroes
Unlikely, because more often than not the stereotypical view of mountain bikers is more likely to be as trail villains rather than trail heroes. First, we have the well meaning but uninformed view of many who call themselves environmentalists that mountain biking damages trails, when the vast majority of the
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: The Truth About The Kanata Lakes 60% Plus Agreement
So, what of the so-called 40% agreement to protect environmental lands in the Kanata Lakes development in the South March Highlands. Is it really a myth. Apparently so. The more I examine and analysis the facts and reality around that so-called agreement the more I realize it was just spin.
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Help Save the South March Highlands by Voting it One of Canada’s Great Places
The Fifth Column has written many times about the most biodiverse natural area in Ottawa adjacent to urban Kanata and threatened by urban sprawl and development. Now is your chance to help save the South March Highlands by raising the profile of its cause by voting to have it designated
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: NCC "Grand" "Massive" Greenbelt Expansion More Wish List Than To Do List
According to the Ottawa Citizen: OTTAWA — The National Capital Commission brought forward a massive expansion Wednesday of the Greenbelt that will see the “emerald necklace” grow by 2,400 hectares in a bid to cement Ottawa’s reputation as one of the world’s greenest capitals. (View Greenbelt expansion in a larger
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: White Christmas in the South March Highlands
At Least a White Pre-Christmas Video by Ray Vermette (Ottawa Mountain Bike Association) Source: OMBA – White Mountain Bike Christmas
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Saving the South March Highlands: Looking to the Future
The first thing I want to say is that any discussion of saving the South March Highlands has to start by acknowledging that, indeed, some of it has been saved and placed in public ownership and that we might not even be discussing saving the rest of it if that
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Cycling and Mountain Biking Season in Review
I know it’s not over yet, and with the winter bike it is never over, but I feel it’s been a great season so far and now is as good a time as ever to put my thoughts down in print. The time will come soon enough when the trails are no longer rideable a…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The South March Highlands
Click here for everything you need to know about The South March HighlandsPlease click above for what is the best overview yet of the issues relating to The South March Highlands.
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Celebrating the Natural World @ Beaver Pond Park – Schedule and Photo Contest
Algonquin Union Presents: “A Living Temple” – South March Highlands
Honouring Grandfather William Commanda
Beaver Pond Park (end of Walden Dr., Kanata)
Saturday Sept 10th, 6am – 11pm
(click on images to enlarge)Union-Algonquin-Union
Donations We…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Richard’s GPS Trail Maps Website Adds South March Highlands Maps
I have added the following maps of the South March Highlands (SMH) trails to my Richard’s GPS Trail Maps website.
South March Highlands Trails
South March Highlands Conservation Forest Intermediate Mountain Biking Trails
South March Highlands Kana…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Riding the Desecration Highway
This afternoon I rode over from Bridlewood, via the Trans-Canada Trail, Huntmar Drive and Old Carp Road, to the South March Highlands K2 trailhead to put up posters for the September 10 Celebrating the Natural World @ Beaver Pond Park and then returned…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Algonquin Union Presents: Celebrating the Natural World @ Beaver Pond Park
“A Living Temple” – South March Highlands
Honouring Grandfather William Commanda
Beaver Pond Park (end of Walden Dr., Kanata)
Saturday Sept 10th, 6am – 11pm
(click on images to enlarge posters)
Union-Algonquin-Union
THE FIFTH COLUMN: When Beavers Abandon Their Dam: Heron Pond, South March Highlands
This summer a breach in the dam at Heron Pond in the South March Highland was discovered that appeared to be a natural occurrence. In such cases the beavers will usually repair the dam, but this did not happen and it appears they have abandoned the dam…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Solving Urbandale’s Beaver Pond Forest Subdivision Marketing Dilemma
The normal method of promoting house sales by telling buyers their houses will be close to the wilderness of the South March Highlands probably isn’t going to work for Urbandale, because reminding potential buyers that they just clear cut the Beaver Po…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: His Spirit Will Live on: Grandfather William Commanda (Ojigkwanong/Morning Star)
How does an atheist write about the death of a great spiritual leader. It would be hypocritical to use the conventional references to his passing on to a greater place or going to meet his creator. But there is nothing hypocritical in speaking of his s…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Scary Bear Soundtrack Performs "Beaver Pond Forest"
I recently had the opportunity to hear Scary Bear Soundtrack perform both their acoustic and rock versions of “Beaver Pond Forest” live and I have to say that I prefer the rock version of it, and of all their music. Those women can really rock and thei…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Announcing Kanata’s Paradise Lost – World’s First World Heritage Subdivision
The following is a fable, but like all fables it contains hidden (and not so hidden) truths.Yes, for the first, and undoubtedly last time in the world, you can own a house on a World Heritage Site. Only in Ottawa, the world’s “Developers Rule Capital” …
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Reflections on Mapping the South March Highlands Kanata Lakes Trails
For purposes of simplicity, although both trail systems are within the South March Highlands, I will refer to these trails, across from the Goulbourn Forced Road (GFR) parking lot, as the KL trails and the ones in the Conservation Forest as the SMH tra…
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Gordon O’Connor on the South March Highlands
“it isn’t special … there’s nothing special about it”
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