Photo via Rock Dunder Nature Reserve Facebook
Concerns are being raised about the proposed southern route for the Alto high-speed rail line, which would pass through the Frontenac Arch—a 1.2-billion-year-old ecological corridor linking Algonquin Provincial Park and Adirondack Park.
The area is part of a UNESCO-designated biosphere and is considered one of North America’s last intact forest corridors.
It supports more than 50 species at risk, including the Gray Ratsnake, Common Five-lined Skink, Blanding’s Turtle, and Cerulean Warbler.
The corridor also provides habitat for rare plant species such as American Ginseng, Chinquapin Oak, and Pitch Pine, and serves as a key movement route for large mammals including moose, bears and the Eastern Wolf.
The Rideau Waterway Land Trust says 17 of its properties fall within the proposed corridor, including the Rock Dunder Nature Reserve.
The group warns that high-speed rail infrastructure could fragment habitats, disrupt water systems, and interfere with wildlife movement, potentially reducing genetic connectivity for already vulnerable species.
Public consultation on the project is open until April 24, 2026.