Frequently Asked Questions – Ecosystem Restoration & Restorative Landscaping
Q. What services do you offer?
A. ALDER Environmental offers full-service ecosystem restoration and restorative landscaping. From consulting to design, installation and eventually maintenance, our team is excited to help you every step of the way.
Q. What is Ecosystem Restoration?
Ecosystem restoration aims to repair damaged ecosystems (forests, meadows, wetlands, ect.) that are no longer functioning well, and recreate the natural and self-sustaining landscape that would have otherwise been there. We are often invited to look at landscapes that are flooding, eroding, lacking biodiversity, or covered in invasive plant species and need to determine what they need to thrive. Using a range of restoration techniques, we help to heal landscapes.
Q. What does a restoration project normally involve?
Sometimes we are asked by local government and non-profit groups to assess a landscape and provide a restoration plan for others to implement. Other times we work with private property owners to create a plan and then do the physical work of restoring the land with our team. In every case there is an assessment, a plan (including a budget), the initial restoration work, and follow up maintenance. We offer assistance with all of these stages.
Q. What makes ALDER Environmental different from other landscaping companies?
A. Our landscaping techniques are not traditional. We are experts in understanding how a landscape will thrive by working with nature , while looking beautiful and having a positive environmental impact. We celebrate Pacific Northwest native plant species and understand how to create healthy soil, wildlife habitat and low-maintenance solutions. We never apply pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. We don’t do lawn maintenance and have a variety of lawn alternative solutions that are much lower maintenance and better for our environment. We call this approach ‘Restorative Landscaping’.
Q. What is Restorative Landscaping?
A. Restorative landscaping is centered around working with nature to create low-maintenance, sustainable landscapes.
Q. How does using Restorative Landscaping help the environment?
A. Restorative landscapes are planted densely to reduce bare soil/maintenance. They embraces West Coast native plants, which thrive here naturally. Restorative Landscaping includes a range of species to combat biodiversity loss, considers pollinators and ensures habitat is available. It’s low-maintenance and drought tolerant.
Q. What are the benefits of using native plants in landscaping?
A. The benefits of using native plants on your property include lower maintenance, hardier and more adaptable than most exotic species. This reduced dependency on pesticides, water and irrigation systems. Native plants are resistant to frost damage, drought, common diseases, and herbivores. They form self-sustaining plant communities and produce deep root systems to hold soil in place and resist erosion.
Q. Can planting be done in winter?
A. On the West Coast, the best time to install new landscaping is in the fall and winter, as long as the ground is not frozen. By planting in the winter, new roots get a chance to establish before the summer droughts. This gives plants the best opportunity to survive.
Q. Do you offer consulting services?
A. Absolutely! If you want to do the work on your property yourself, or just need some direction of where to start, we can schedule a consultation session to walk your property together and come up with solutions. Contact us to learn more.
Q. Do you only work on private properties?
A. No, we often work with local government in parks and public spaces. Sometimes we are hired to create restoration and landscaping plans for volunteers to execute. Other times our team works with these organizations to complete the work.
Q. What are the best ways to control invasive species?
A. The best way to control invasive species is to detect them early and remove them from your yard. If you already have established invasives, you will need to remove the plants completely (especially the roots) and do regular scanning for the first two-three years after removal to make sure they don’t resprout from seeds or forgotten roots.
Q. How do invasive species affect the environment?
A. Invasive species act as ‘bullies’ on our properties. They spread quickly and stop other plants from being able to grow. If left unchecked, they are very difficult and expensive to contain. Over time they eliminate biodiversity and make our yards difficult to enjoy.
Q. What plants are invasive?
A. Some of Vancouver Island’s most invasive plants are:
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- Himalayan Blackberry
- English Ivy
- Scotch Broom
- Periwinkle
- Bindweed
- Knotweed
- And many others
If you want to confirm you have invasive plants on your property, call us at 250-686-5090