Are there areas on your property that feel special to you—whether a Garry Oak meadow, a wetland buzzing with life, or simply a nice patch of woods? Maybe you’ve noticed pollinators visiting your garden or mature trees providing a home for birds or other species. These ecologically-active spaces are incredibly valuable, and the Nature Stewards Program is provides resources to help you protect and care for them.
The Galiano Conservancy Association offers free stewardship consultations for all interested owners and residents/renters of Galiano properties, and additional resources and guidance for those interested in making a non-binding pledge to be a Nature Steward. This voluntary program is for Galiano Island residents/renters and landowners who want to care for native ecosystems on the land they steward with support from GCA staff.
A Covenant is an agreement between the landowner and the organization holding the covenant ,that directs the ways in which the land may be used. The Galiano Conservancy’s intention is to protect these lands from development forever. How do Covenants work?
The Galiano Conservancy Association has the capacity to create and print detailed, large scale GIS maps. Our primary focus has been to map important ecological and social data for Galiano Island. In addition to our own projects, the Galiano Conservancy has produced mapping information for a variety of individuals and non-profit groups in our community.
If you are interested in our mapping services for your own project, please contact Chessi Miltner.
Aldo Leopold’s famous quote from his book A Sand County Almanac was written over 50 years ago and embodies the fundamental concept of caring for your land. The Galiano Conservancy Association encourages land management that embodies this basic concept, making decisions that are accountable to the “biotic community” in which we live.
The following are a selection of stewardship tips stemming from our “Ecologically Conscious Neighbours” Stewardship program:
The GCA recommends the following, and is available to help you steward land.
This is the territory of Hul’qumi’num speaking people. Work together with one heart and mind – nuts’a’maat.
Learn to identify and manage species such as Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry, and English holly.
Steward, protect and restore ecological anchors including older forest, Garry oak meadows, bluffs, wetlands and streams.
Nurture the vitality of these systems with protective natural vegetation buffers (~15 m minimum) If a buffer does not exist, consider restoring one using native vegetation.
Protect and monitor dead trees which provide valuable habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
Allow the natural cycle of decomposition to occur in fallen trees and branches by leaving them to become part of the soil.
Consider leaving parts of your land unfenced allowing the movement of wildlife through your property.
When planning to clear any part of your land, consider saving the vegetation and organic debris: it is a valuable resource for restoration.
If possible, share your ecological goals with your neighbours and work together planning protection and restoration so that your efforts may contribute to larger “reserve” areas.
Consider helping to heal “unused” disturbed areas of your land through ecological restoration.
Store water for garden use in roof-fed cisterns; plant drought resistant vegetation whenever possible. Use mulches in your garden.
Get to know your non-human neighbours, local plant, animal and wildlife species.
Protect and honour your local native tree species.
Our island is a unique place on the planet. Revel in caring for nature’s bounty on our parts of it.
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