https://thenarwhal.ca Deep Dives, Cold Facts, & Pointed Commentary en-US Copyright 2026 The Narwhal hourly 1 https://thenarwhal.ca/ottawa-greenbelt-explainer/ Wed, 01 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=69273 The horseshoe of wetlands, forests and farms between Ottawa’s downtown and suburbs isn’t immediately at risk from Ontario’s new development policies. But it’s still threatened, which is why some think it should be made a national park Joy SpearChief-Morris Explainer Endangered Species Ontario Ottawa protected areas urban development Illustration: Jeannie Phan / The Narwhal The Ottawa Greenbelt is abundant with life, including pitcher plants and muskrats, and is an important site for migrating birds. It is home to several species at risk, like the golden northern bumblebee, northern goshawk and cattail sledge plant.