The Rideau Waterway Land Trust is raising concerns about the proposed southern route for the Alto high-speed rail project, warning it could put protected lands and vulnerable species at risk.
In a new report, the organization says 17 of its nature reserves fall within the proposed corridor between Peterborough and Ottawa.
The lands form part of a connected network of wetlands, forests, and shoreline ecosystems within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere.
The trust says those properties support species at risk, critical habitats, and headwater systems that help regulate water quality and reduce flooding.
Chair John Grass said the risk to the donated lands is their top concern.
Grass says the RWLT does not oppose high-speed rail in a big picture sense, with its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But they argue this project as it stands could fragment habitats, disrupt wetlands, and undermine decades of conservation work.
The organization says about one-third of wetlands in the Rideau Valley have already been lost, making those that remain especially important.
Listen to the full interview with Grass below.
Story by Grant Deme
