Just a 20 minute drive west of Parliament Hill in the nation's capital lies Beaver Pond, an old-growth forest that according to First Nations is of historic and spiritual significance.

The forest is also home to what archaeologists estimate to be a 10,000 year-old stone circle. But according to reports, as of Monday the 1,100-hectare wilderness is being "clear-cut" -- all to make room for a new subdivision.

It isn't only First Nations who value this land. Surrounded by suburbs, the land is used by area residents for walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and mountain biking.

A candlelight vigil in Ottawa's Beaver Pond forest on Jan. 1 marked the start of the United Nations International Year of the Forest -- and the last time people may be able to gather in its lush greenery before it's clear-cut.

Cutting down trees to make way for residential subdivisions is nothing new in Canadian cities. Private developers clear land to build homes, sometimes over residents' objections. Most cities have processes by which citizens can voice their concerns, but these often find in favour of landowners despite local, provincial, national and international statements made about protecting the natural environment.