Nature Stewards Program

• Free stewardship consultations with GCA Staff.
• 10% off GCA tool purchase: Extractagators for invasive species removal.
• Access to our small tool library – $5/day for rentals.
• Detailed maps of your property showing ecosystems, soils, hydrology, topography, tree height, species at risk habitat, sensitive habitat, and more!
• Biennial check in with GCA Staff to help maintain long-term stewardship goals.
• One day and night of bird and bat acoustic monitoring. If you are interested, GCA staff can set up bird and bat call recorders and interpret the data to see what species are around.
• Access and help in locating information and educational resources.

The following activities are recommended conservation strategies that landowners can easily undertake.

• Removing Invasive Species – Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry, Spurge laurel, English holly, Tansy Ragwort, and English ivy 
• Planting Native Plants in suitable habitat
• Monitoring for Rare plants and animals – look for species at risk
• Letting natural processes take place – leave dead trees when possible as they are wildlife habitats, and let trees and leaves decompose
• Creating deer exclosures – to allow young plants to establish themselves
• Keeping pets from natural areas
• Avoid using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
• Conserving water –  collect and store rainwater, practice efficient irrigation and minimize the use of impervious surfaces such as asphalt and concrete
• Adding habitat – build bird and bat boxes, bird baths, ponds for amphibians, decaying logs for small mammals and salamanders, and brush or rock piles for reptiles
• Fire smarting your property – preserve wetlands, thin monoculture forests, increase tree diversity both species and age. 

By mapping your property, you will gain property-specific information and understand how your home is connected to the broader Galiano landscape.

Maps can provide information on

1. Soil Type
2. Hydrology
3. Property Boundaries
4. Ecosystem Type
5. Sensitive Habitat
6. Tree Elevations

and many other interesting features!

Maps are used to identify how best to manage your property’s unique ecological features.

GCA Staff are here to help you interpret these maps and suggest best practices!