Ecological Restoration is the practice of rebuilding the natural capacity of the land by looking at the specific climatic elements that a space has and choosing a course of action to best suit the space in its current state. Ecological restoration can look different depending on the intended use of the area, the level of degradation, and the desired outcome of the project. As we continue to develop and change the lands to suit our needs it is important to also ensure new wild spaces are created and restored to allow for other species to live and thrive among us.
Let us help you build resilience and cultivate connection within your own space.
Meadowscaping
There are so many spaces like boulevards, roadsides, lawns etc that can be thriving ecosystems, alive with birds, pollinators, and other wildlife! By changing turf grass into meadow and other types of habitat, your boulevards, lawn, and other spaces can be home to native plants, butterflies, bees, lady beetles, and so much more! Many of our native meadow species are in decline which is why it is so important to protect and encourage the restoration of meadow spaces. We help you pick tangible areas to create thriving habitats for some of the world’s most important and overlooked creatures.
Forest Restoration
Our local forests are not what they once were. Second growth forests with dense stands, bare shrub layers and groundcover of invasive species like lamium and english ivy are not sustainable. We remove invasive species, replant and help transition forested areas into thriving ecosystems once again
Bioengineering
Living willow has been used as a method of controlling erosion for centuries. Willow is a particularly versatile bioengineering tool due to its exceptional ability to regenerate from cuttings and branches. Here at Wilder we have worked with leading experts in the field of bioengineering to restore slopes, riverbanks, and wetlands locally.
Riparian Restoration
Riparian restoration is a process that sets the stage to allow natural ecological processes to occur and to continue once the riparian habitat is re-established. Through planting native species, removing invasives and adding in habitat features we can re-establish healthy waterways for salmon and other wildlife.
Invasive Species Management
Invasive plants are often the first challenge to ecological restoration. Here on Vancouver Island we have several species that are threatening the natural biodiversity of our unique ecosystems. Many of these alien species have found their way here through conventional landscaping practices that took place decades ago, unfortunately some of these species such as English ivy and Periwinkle can still be purchased at your local plant nursery.
What's at Stake
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change recently released that each year Canada loses between $13 to $35 billion in revenue due to just 16 invasive species. In British Columbia, The Invasive Species Council of BC estimated that there were approximately $139 Million in damages due to invasive plants in 2020. This does not count the money and time spent on control and management conducted by non profits, volunteers, homeowners, municipalities, and provincial and federal governments. These are not the only costs of alien plant invasions. The second leading cause to biodiversity loss after habitat destruction is invasive species establishment. Invasive plants have an advantage over our native species due to a lack of natural controls such as predators and disease, this is how they can get out of control seemingly overnight. Habitat degradation creates invasive species establishment and vise versa by outcompeting native species for space and resources. All of this leads to a decrease in insect and bird activity as there are no longer the required host plants that those species rely on. Below are some of the most common invasive plants that we tackle.
