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Several decisions of the Supreme Court relate to environmental protection: Dryden Chemicals, Crown Zellerbach and Friends of the Oldman River Society.

The onion (Allium cepa), is a biennial, herbaceous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family. It is Canada's most important condiment crop. (Multiplier Onion) and A.

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is Canada’s only marsupial. It belongs to one of three marsupial families native to the Americas. The Virginia opossum’s northernmost range reaches into Southern and Southeastern Ontario, Southern Quebec and the lower Fraser Valley in British Columbia. However, this range is slowly expanding north, likely due to climate change.

Calypso bulbosa has similar but smaller, delicate pink flowers. Some Spiranthes and Habenaria species have small, whitish, fragrant flowers in a spike. Two genera, Eburophyton (plant is white) and Corallorhiza (plant is yellow to purple), live on decaying vegetable matter.

Organic agriculture is defined as the sustainable cultivation of land for food production that nourishes soil life, nurtures animals in their natural environment and feeds them according to their physiology.

   Oriole is the common name for members of 2 families of birds. The Old World family Oriolidae occurs from Europe through Africa and Asia to Australia.

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a large, cosmopolitan bird of prey characterized by a crested head and contrasting black, white and grey plumage.

 The river otter (Lutra canadensis) occurs throughout North America except in desert and arid tundra regions. In Canada it is scarce, except along the BC coast, where it is abundant and often wrongly identified as a sea otter.

This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on October 5, 1998. Partner content is not updated.

The owl (order Strigiformes) is an efficient, carnivorous, nocturnal bird of prey.

Oyster is a common name for bivalve (hinged shell) molluscs, including true oysters (order Ostreoida) and tropical pearl oysters (order Pterioida), found chiefly in temperate and warm shallow waters.

Oystercatcher is a name given to 11 species of large shorebirds of the family Haematopodidae.

Ozone depletion is a chemical thinning of the OZONE LAYER in the stratosphere or upper atmosphere. Scientists determined in the 1970s that it is caused by ozone depleting substances (ODSs), particularly by the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

The development of the ozone layer is thought to have been a significant factor permitting the evolution of life on Earth. Ozone is the main atmospheric gas that absorbs the biologically damaging part of the sun's ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation), known as UV-B (ultraviolet-biologically active).

Pacific salmon include 7 species of fish belonging to the genus Oncorhynchus, family Salmonidae.