Boost your land’s ecological value with a personalized consultation
Take a sneak peek into how others are finding ways to improve their land's ecological integrity.
Some have learned what steps to take to ensure their land is eligible for a certification sign like this one from the Canadian Wildlife Federation (available in English or French).
Reconnect provides consultations and ecological property assessments that outline the changes homeowners can make to their landscapes and landscaping practices that will optimize their ecological value. In other words,
a personalized consultation will provide you with all the information you need to turn your landscape into a beautiful and healthy ecosystem!
On-site consultations begin with an initial meeting to gather key information about the property’s existing conditions and plant inventory, as well as the goals and visions of the homeowner. Some common goals are to transition from a conventional landscape to a healthy ecosystem, to replace sections of lawns with meadows, to create a landscape that provides habitat and food sources for birds, and to create a plan for removing invasive plants and replacing them with native ones.
Get a glimpse into some recent consultations to see how the process works. The following brief summaries are based on real consultations, with names and locations altered for privacy.
*Definitions of native, non-native and invasive plants can be found here.Quick jump to sections:
What should I do to make sure my property is supporting insects and wildlife and not potentially harming the surrounding ecosystem?
Name: John
Property details: 1 acre of forested land in the Southern Laurentians ecoregion, bordering on protected land trust property and near a large regional park. House and gardens built 20 years ago.
Reason for consultation: John recently became aware of the concept of ecological landscaping and the decline in biodiversity. He would like to learn about the changes he should make to his landscape that will benefit the ecosystem and its inhabitants and not endanger the integrity of the surrounding protected land. He is also interested in adding to the understory layer of the forest to enhance his privacy from the road.
Walk-through observations:
The gardens surrounding the house and driveway are nicely laid out. The overall effect is welcoming and rather calming.
The lawn area is minimal, with deep gardens along the border.
Some invasive garden plants were inventoried, including periwinkle (Vinca minor), ajuga (Ajuga reptans), wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), orange day lilies (Hemerocallis fulva) and lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis).
Other invasive plants that had arrived through natural dispersal (animals, wind, vehicle tires, etc) included dog strangling vine (Cynanchum rossicum), greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).
John was grateful to learn more information about invasive plants and the important reasons for removing them. With budget in mind, he opted for a plan to remove the invasive plants and plant native ones in their place, but to keep the non-invasive, non-native plants where they are. Ideally, the native plants would complement the existing ones and retain the overall feeling of the gardens.
Recommendations: John’s report summarized our discussion and included information about the species of invasive plants that are on his property and best methods to properly remove and dispose of them.
Tasks were listed in order of priority, starting with removing a patch of periwinkle that was planted in a garden along the forest edge, which had begun to spread into the forest, stopping native species from being able to germinate.
He was given a list of native plants that would be appropriate for each area, would provide food and habitat year round, and would also complement his existing landscape.
An ecological maintenance plan was suggested that included tasks like monitoring for new invasive plant growth, keeping fall leaves on the garden beds and leaving perennial stems standing over the winter.
* John removed a patch of periwinkle immediately after receiving his report and planted a mix of recommended native plants, including swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Each of the three swamp milkweed plants he added hosted a monarch caterpillar!
How do I create supportive spaces for pollinators and other wildlife in this expansive lawn?
Name: Lisa
Property Details: 1 acre rural/suburban lot, mostly lawn, in the St Lawrence Lowlands ecoregion. House purchased two years ago.
Reason for consultation: Lisa would like to decrease the amount of lawn and increase pollinator habitat. She doesn’t have a lot of gardening experience but would like to learn how to do it herself. She is looking for native plant recommendations and sources, as well as some guidance in the installation process.
Walk-through observations:
Large, open, sunny lot in the east, south and west, treed and shady in the north.
Some old trees had recently been removed, leaving large, raised and rooted areas in the lawn.
A small garden surrounds a large boulder in front of the house.
Lisa would like to create large native plant gardens / mini-meadows around the house, the old tree areas, and the boulder. She would like to add a path and some forest plants to the shady north side. We discussed some different options and possibilities together.
Recommendations: The report summarized our discussion and listed recommendations on how to create low-maintenance, native plant gardens in the sites of her interest.
Lawn areas: Each new mini-meadow was described with details including a quick photo and sketch of proposed shape, how to measure for materials and build the garden, and a list of appropriate community plants with size and bloom time included. From this list, she will be able to select plants that have evolved together and that bloom throughout the growing season, maximizing pollinator support. Steps for planting and ecological maintenance were included.
Shady north side: A simple, meandering path made of wood chips was decided upon. The report included tips on how to create a nice, flowing shape to the path, how to measure and order required material and how to lay it down. Also included were a list of understory shrubs, perennials and ferns that would work to complete the forest ecosystem.
* Lisa signed up for a coaching plan, so that we could periodically check in with the projects, answer any questions that may come up and help keep her on track and avoid becoming overwhelmed with the details or steps.
Are there any issues that I should be aware of on my property that could be harming the local ecosystem?
Name: Chantal
Property details: 5 acres of forest, field and hills in the Southern Laurentians ecoregion, bordering on a large regional park. Home and gardens were established seven years ago.
Reason for consultation: Chantal is interested in learning how to make her landscaping more ecologically responsible. She is aware that there are important elements required to support pollinators and local wildlife, but is unsure of what they are or how to incorporate them into her landscape.
Walk-through observations:
Gardens surrounding the house and driveway are beautiful and nicely designed to provide colour and texture throughout the growing season. A plant inventory was taken and, unfortunately, there were no native plants and a variety of plant species that are considered invasive or problematic, including Japanese anemone (Eriocapitella hupehensis), soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), lilac (Syringa vulgaris), European Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum multiflorum), centaurea (Centaurea montana), lungwort (Pulmonaria saccharata) and creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum).
The septic field was seeded with a wildflower seed mix rather than the standard grass mix, with the intention of creating a natural meadow with native plants that will support pollinators. The meadow had not been mowed since installation, and many other plants, including woody shrubs have started to move in.
Unbeknownst to Chantal, European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) - a high priority invasive plant that has the ability to completely change the composition of forest or meadow ecosystems - had become established nearby and many plants had already germinated and matured on her property. Without accessible information about invasive plants, Chantal was unaware of this major issue that had been creeping closer and threatening the biodiversity of her land.
Recommendations: Chantal was provided with a lengthy document that explained each issue and the importance of prompt action with respect to the buckthorn. Written with priority tasks listed first, a brief summary of the report includes;
Invasive plants: Along with information about invasive plants and why they pose such a risk to biodiversity, a management plan for European buckthorn was presented. Details included the different methods for removing young seedlings and established plants, proper disposal methods, plans for revegetation (or at least thick mulching) and long-term monitoring and management.
Septic field meadow: Information was provided about meadow communities and why they depend on disturbance regimes to thrive. Management recommendations were outlined that included mowing the meadow to mimic the natural processes that keep woody and invasive species from encroaching and out-competing the meadow species. Mowing in sections over a timeline of three years will minimize disturbance to the insects and wildlife that use the meadow as habitat.
House and driveway gardens: An explanation was provided for each invasive or problematic plant identified in the gardens and native plant replacements that provide a similar aesthetic and bloom time were recommended.
Management practices: Ecological landscaping practices for the gardens were outlined, including leaving leaves and perennial stems over the winter months to provide habitat and food for the declining populations of insects and birds.
Summary: Of course, this can all feel overwhelming when discovering these issues on your property. The summary was written in a positive and inspirational tone, with a reminder that every small action counts.
* I am happy to report that Chantal was grateful for this package of knowledge and recommendations and dove into buckthorn removal right away. She was shocked to learn that there could be such ecologically (and economically) dangerous plants lurking about and threatening people’s properties while they were kept unaware. She started having conversations with friends and neighbours and sharing what she’s learned. This snowball effect will certainly make headway against the invasive plants in the neighbourhood!
Some non-native garden plants; European buckthorn berries and their immediate removal.
How do I support more pollinators and birds on my property?
Property details: 1 acre, hilly, forested lot in the Southern Laurentians ecoregion.
Reason for consultation: Claudette has loved creating and working in the gardens for the past 20 years. She recently became aware that conventional gardening practices don’t support as much biodiversity as she thought. She wants to find out what changes she can make to attract and support more pollinators and birds (especially cardinals!).
Walk-through observations: Very beautiful, nicely planned gardens tie the house and surrounding forest together, including a waterfall and pond that Claudette designed and installed 10 years ago.
The plant inventory included mostly non-native perennials. There were some native shrubs that transition nicely into the forest.
Many plants were intentionally added because of their ability to spread - unfortunately this includes invasives like periwinkle (Vinca minor), lamium (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) and ajuga (Ajuga reptans) which have crept up the hill and spread into large patches in the forest.
Recommendations: Claudette’s report summarized our discussions and explained how the spreading plants are posing a threat to biodiversity in the forest and the steps she can take to manage that threat. She was also given a list of recommended native plants that would contribute to her overall landscape aesthetic.
Invasive plants: The spreading periwinkle, lamium and ajuga are in rather large patches that can be too much for one person to dig up completely. Recommendations were to smother sections and hand-dig others, ensuring that either mulch or native plants cover any soil that remained exposed after plant removal.
Garden plants: In order to boost biodiversity and support the other living beings in the ecosystem, some non-native plants were recommended to be replaced with native ones that support specialist feeders (insects that require a certain plant for survival).
Cardinals are always a delight to see in the winter. Image source: Unsplash
Cardinals: Claudette was especially interested in supporting cardinals throughout the year, so the report included recommendations to add native plants that support the caterpillars that feed young cardinals, as well as native fruit and seed producing shrubs that feed and shelter adult cardinals. Coniferous plants were included, to provide shelter for the birds during winter months.
*Claudette was upset to find out that her plants were posing a threat to the forest, but was inspired to be armed with the knowledge of how to make things better. She also appreciated learning more about the life cycle and needs of her favourite bird and was excited to start making changes to her landscape.
Periwinkle and lamium that had spread from the gardens into the surrounding forest.
“It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth.”
What can be done on your land to improve its ecological value? Contact us to find out what you can do to protect and boost biodiversity in your ecosystem.
Resources:
Ecological Landscaping Alliance - Getting real with meadows
Invasive Species Centre - Common buckthorn
Pollinator Partnership Canada - Ecoregional planting guides
Reconnect - What are invasive species?
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation - Insects are a lot like us