[kevinbottawa]

Great news for people who love greenspace.

NCC proposes massive Greenbelt expansion
By Mohammed Adam, The Ottawa Citizen January 25, 2012 1:08 PM


OTTAWA — The National Capital Commission is proposing a massive expansion of the Greenbelt in a report presented Wednesday to the agency’s board.

The NCC wants to add 2,400 hectares to the existing Greenbelt.

In a news release the commission said that it believes the “Greenbelt is still relevant and continues to definitely pay dividends by safeguarding forests, fields, streams and wetlands and species, and by filtering our air, cleansing our water, and moving towards sustainable agriculture.”

The proposal offers a 50-year vision for the Greenbelt. Among the proposals, the NCC wants to:

• Enhance Natural Environment as the primary Greenbelt role in order to contribute to the sustainability and quality of life in Canada’s Capital Region.

• Expand natural areas within the Greenbelt by adding 2,400 hectares of lands adjacent to the Greenbelt.

• Promote Sustainable Agriculture practices and opportunities to provide economic returns now and for future generations.

• Dedicate 23 per cent or 770 hectares of former rural lands within the Greenbelt to Sustainable Agriculture for at total of about 5,800 hectares characterized by small-scale operations of varied crops and livestock. The agency says these would be community gardens, market gardens, pick-your-own operations, more and mixed livestock).

• Connect the Greenbelt to significant Ottawa natural features such as Carp Hills, South March Highlands and the Cumberland Forest and across the Ottawa River to protected lands within the City of Gatineau such as agricultural reserve lands, Gatineau Park and McLaurin Bay.

• Connect the Greenbelt Pathway and trails to the Capital Pathway Network to provide varied recreation destinations to experience landscapes, natural areas and farms.

• No new non-federal facilities will be permitted in the Greenbelt.

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