Ecological Landscaping & Restoration Resources
Resource Quick Links
- Native Plant Lists
- Ecological Landscaping How-to Guides
- Ecological Landscaping Factsheets
- Rainscaping
- Ecological Landscaping Services
What is Ecological Landscaping?
Credit Valley Conservation encourages ecological (or, environmental) landscaping and gardening on all lands.
Ecological landscaping is a way of thinking about and caring for land, water, air, plants and animals. Among other practices, it includes:
- planting native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses
- reducing lawn and planting low-maintenance lawn or ground covers
- conserving water by planting drought tolerant species, planting adjacent to water features and using rain barrels or cisterns
- working with environmentally friendly materials, such as permeable paving and sustainably harvested wood
- adopting environmentally friendly landscape maintenance practices and products
- managing invasive plants that enter your land, and
- reducing or eliminating pollutants, such as litter, oil spills and overuse of de-icing salt.
Benefits of Ecological Landscaping
Ecological landscaping can help protect and restore the natural environment, while making our communities even better places in which to live and work. Among other benefits, ecological landscaping helps to:
- create a more diverse, naturally-beautiful, green landscape
- improve air, water and soil quality
- mitigate impacts of global climate change and increasing urban temperatures
- provide shelter from the sun and wind
- improve tree cover
- protect and restore natural areas, such as forests, streams and meadows
- protect and restore native biodiversity (i.e., diverse native plants, birds, fish, butterflies and other wildlife)
- protect and restore environmentally important connections between natural areas
- reduce flooding and conserve water
- reduce long-term maintenance costs and energy used for maintenance
- create new economic , environmental education and recreation opportunities, and
- contribute to the quality of life and human health.
Resources
CVC and, in some cases, our partner agencies have produced a variety of programs, workshops, fact sheets and information resources for landowners, tenants, and the landscape industry.
- NEW Plant List: Native Plants for Pollinators
- NEW Plant List: Native Plant List for Breeding Birds
- NEW Plant List: Native Plant List for Migrating Birds
- NEW Plant List: Prairie & Meadow Plants for Landscaping
- NEW Plant List: Woodland Plants for Landscaping
- Top Plant Picks for your LID Garden
Printed booklets available for purchase here. |
Ecological Landscaping How-to Guides
- Native Prairie and Meadow Gardens and Landscapes for Homes, Businesses and Institutions
- Native Woodland and Forest Plantings for Businesses and Institutions
- Native Woodland Gardens for Homes
- How to Plant a Potted Tree or Shrub
Ecological Landscaping Factsheets
- Bird Gardens
- Butterfly Gardens
- Naturescaping
- Beneficial Insects
- Caring for Your New Tree or Shrub
- How to Plant a Potted Tree or Shrub
- Rain Gardens
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Greening Your Grounds: A Homeowners Guide to Stormwater Landscaping Projects