City of Ottawa, South Nation Conservation launch $285k restoration projects

Three new restoration projects in suburban Ottawa aim to restore forests and wetlands and protect natural habitats. CTV’s Josh Marano reports.

The City of Ottawa and South Nation Conservation have officially launched three major restoration projects to protect forests and wetlands across the city, beginning with a $285,000 investment at the Findlay Creek Conservation Area.

The announcement was made at the Findlay Creek Boardwalk, where officials highlighted how the work will restore habitats, improve biodiversity, and make natural areas more accessible to residents.

South Nation Conservation, along with around 60 volunteers, planted more than 1,000 trees and shrubs at Findlay Creek earlier Saturday morning.

“A mix of different species, good for wildlife, food for the wetland and the local environment,” South Nation Conservation team lead Michelle Cavanagh says.

Findlay Creek has already seen major investments with a $1.7-million boardwalk expansion, completed in 2024, creating easier access for visitors. The new phase of work will build on that by enhancing natural habitats along the trail system and conservation lands.

The projects are being delivered in partnership with the City of Ottawa, which is funding the $285,000 initiative.

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“More and more residents want to have recreational capacity, they want to have natural features, and this is a real gem in our community,” Riverside South-Findlay Creek Coun. Steve Desroches says. “It’s important that we continue to invest in it and make sure that the wetland is healthy and it has the proper tree cover that I know residents are really happy about.”

Work in Navan Forest will focus on restoring 30 acres of land heavily damaged by the 2022 derecho storm. And in Snake Island Forest, new monitoring and restoration efforts will target wetlands, pollinators, and native plants through 2027.

For Cavanagh, the work is about strengthening connections between people and the environment.

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“It’s so important that people understand them and understand their value and their importance,” Cavanagh says. “Getting people out to help when we’re doing a tree planting project or trails through these properties is so important.”