Gabriola resident Nola Johnston is one of about 50 Island properties participating in a program to preserve native plants and wildlife-friendly areas. (Damon James/Island Images Photography)

By Alex Rawnsley

PLANT PROTECTION

‘We feel this is our best chance:’ wildlife friendly Gabriola gardens protecting natural Island landscape

Jul 16, 2022 | 8:35 AM

NANAIMO — One garden, one plant at a time, volunteers on Gabriola Island are preserving the area for the future.

Started in 2021, the wildlife-friendly gardens program is designed to keep as much of the Island as possible untouched, or restored back to pristine condition through the replanting of native species of plants and trees.

Rob Brockley, president of the Gabriola Land and Trails Trust (GaLTT), told NanaimoNewsNOW they have between 40 and 50 homes on the Island signed up.

“About two-thirds of Gabriola Island is privately owned, so we feel this is our best chance of increasing the amount of protected land…increasing the amount of native habitat and help some of the fragmentation of native habitat that’s happening with population pressure.”

To participate, property owners must pledge to keep at least 30 per cent of their total land area as a native or wildlife-friendly habitat.

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Those involved work with GaLTT volunteers to support existing or plant new, native species for local wildlife.

“A land owner would contact GaLTT and we would send out one or two people to go and assess their property, walk the property with them, discuss the goals they may have in restoring or maintaining habitat, give them some recommendations on native species they might consider planting,” Brockley said.

Participants must commit to preserving as much space as possible on their properties for native plants and wildlife-friendly areas. (Damon James/Island Images Photography)

Salal and Oregon grape are popular choices to plant on already cleared properties while supporting tree species like douglas fir, grand fir and western red cedar is also high on the priorities.

The Trust has a waiting list, which will be addressed through a $6,000 grant from the Islands Trust Conservancy to pay for a program coordinator, educational materials and more signs to hang in the yards of participating properties.

Brockley added their work to support local wildlife through native plants has gotten easier over the years.

“You can get a lot of these native species at a lot of the nurseries on southern Vancouver Island. Many of the nurseries are starting to stock native plants which is something they really haven’t done in the past.”

Still, challenges for urbanization and population growth mean more needs to be done.

It’s a goal of GaLTT through this program to have 30 per cent of lands on Gabriola Island protected or committed to protection by 2030.

To learn more about GaLTT and their programs on Gabriola Island, visit their website.

The Nanaimo Area Land Trust runs a similar project which encourages the planting and protection of species beneficial to bees and other pollinators.

More information on their program is available through the NALT website.

The goal of the program is to ensure a safe, expansive place for local wildlife to thrive on Gabriola Island. (Damon James/Island Images Photography)

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