The Parliament Hill Escarpment Reforestation and Stabilization Project in Ottawa, a National Historic Site of Canada and Federal Landscape Heritage, is part of a classified landscape in the Parliamentary Precinct. A national treasure and tourist destination, the Parliamentary Precinct, attracting over 1.5 million visitors annually, must continue to be a safe, welcoming and meaningful place for Canadians and visitors alike. The escarpment along the Ottawa River is one of the most visible and significant heritage assets in Canada. This multidisciplinary project was developed and piloted by Vlan, with the collaboration of WSP, Nadeau Urban Forestry and Biodiversity Consulting. The vision of reforestation and slope stabilization was defined by the understanding and conservation of the heritage value of the picturesque landscape, imagined by Calvert Vaux in the late 1870's, and the ecological value of the terrestrial community, representative of the river corridor vegetation. The intervention on the steep slope behind Parliament Hill, which was once a healthy mixed forest, is based on a three-pronged approach to maintain and optimize existing conditions, enhance them, and create wildlife habitat.
