Historical Context
In the Ottawa Valley, we live in a geological region once a sandy lake bottom. When the ice age ended 12,000 years ago, water flooded this area known as the Champlain Sea over several thousand years, leaving terraces, sand, and glacial debris. Forests then grew up, taking over this sandy environment.
Flanking our neighbourhood sits the Petawawa Terrace, a Provincial Park designated Area of Interest (ANSI) for “significant geological features”.
This is also a significant Indigenous site for the Algonquins who share the management and care.
The early settlers logged this land using the Ottawa River at the bottom of the Terrace as a way to deliver pine logs that were shipped to England via the St. Lawrence. Today, most of the pine timber is logged just south of us in Algonquin Park, supplying all of Ontario. This history is important when considering the Earth and what might make her and us healthy. We must consider what is native and reflect on our values and principles. Although this is the natural environment, development and forest destruction have created a new paradigm. Today’s local lawns would be considered similar to prairie or meadow gardens. If trees were saved or planted, they would be considered woodland edge gardens. This is how we can transform lawns into something restorative and reflective of Mother Nature's intention. This will help with choosing your plants for your lawn transformation.
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