Garry Oak Ecosystem Tools

For Gardeners

Garry oak ecosystems contain some of Canada’s most endangered habitats and species, and they’re unique to this region. What can a single landowner or community group do to make a difference? Actually, quite a lot.

You can help save these ecosystems by making changes to the land you manage—be it a small yard or a large acreage—that will add to the beauty and value of the land and benefit the many plants and animals that rely on Garry oak habitat.

Beautify your garden with native plants

See The Garry Oak Gardener’s Handbook for details on planning your garden and working with native plants. This resource is a comprehensive guide to planning, planting and sourcing your garden.  It will assist both the gardener and the restoration practitioner in to choose plants whose needs will be satisfied as much as possible by the environmental conditions of a site, to know the growth requirements and natural habitats of native plants and to identify and work with the natural features of specific property.

• Plant Propagation

  For more information on plant propagation and seed supply, here are some additional guides:

  • native plant flowering times
  • native plant seed collection times
  • Native Seed Network is a resource for both the restoration community and the native seed industry, providing powerful search tools and information on aspects of native seed (USA-based).

   




• Plant Salvaging

  Never take plants from local parks or natural areas. Often they do not transplant well, you will be harming the natural environment, and the practice is illegal. Be careful about suppliers of salvaged plants, as illegal plant scavenging is a concern for the future health of natural areas the plants came from.

  Local naturalist groups may be aware of legitimate plant salvaging opportunities. When a new road or subdivision is going in, for example, a local group may ask for permission to remove healthy plant material for use elsewhere. Offer to help with these salvaging operations, and you may be able to keep some of the salvaged plants. See our Guidelines for the Collection and Use of Native Plants.

  Contact your local naturalist group to ask if they are aware of salvaging programs in your area.




• Rare Plants

  Use of rare plants is not recommended. When you are getting native plants for your garden, make sure they are local, common species and not rare ones. The use of rare plant species is a complicated process that needs expert assistance and carefully prepared plans. For further information visit COSEWIC or the BC Conservation Data Centre.




• Maintaining Your Garden

  Native plants have survived in this area for many hundreds of years. Let nature take its course.

  • Continue to remove invasive species as they reoccur
  • Avoid pesticides and herbicides, and use only organic fertilizers
  • Mulch at least once a year (see our mulching guidelines PDF 463KB)
  • Let oak leaves remain around the base of Garry oak trees and elsewhere.The Propertius Duskywing butterfly, a species at risk, over-winters in the leaf litter. Also, leaf cover protects the soil underneath and enriches the soil as it decomposes. If you have to remove leaves from one area, consider spreading them in another or adding them to the garden compost. Remove and throw away any diseased leaves. A low fence can help to keep leaves from blowing onto a neighbor’s property, and can protect the area from human and dog activity.

  Be patient and persistent. Some plants take years to become established, and even longer to bloom. Removing and controlling weeds and invasive plants on your property may also take time.

• Dealing with Deer

  One of your goals in establishing or restoring Garry oak habitat may be to attract native wildlife. For example, you may have chosen particular native plants to provide food and water for birds and butterflies — and find you have created some tasty treats for deer as well.

  Some people enjoy the deer, and welcome their presence. Others want to discourage them. Deer can do a great deal of damage, especially to young and tender plants. Well-established plants will often re-grow the parts that have been eaten, leaving little long-term impact.

  While it may be easy to justify excluding exotic animals such as rabbits or grey squirrels from your restoration site, excluding native deer may seem to go against what would be considered “natural” for Garry oak and associated ecosystems.

  However, in urban areas where predators have been removed, hunting is banned, and food sources are abundant, deer populations often far exceed natural levels. In this case, it may be advisable to exclude deer. This is especially recommended if you have planted greenhouse-grown plants that may not have had the opportunity to adapt to pressure from herbivores.

  If you decide deer control methods are necessary, here are some ideas to try:

  Fencing
  You may decide to fence the area you’re working with. Check your local bylaws first. If possible, fencing should be at least 3 m (10′) high and set at least 30 cm (1′) below the ground. Openings should be less than 10 cm (4″). Durable, black plastic fencing can be installed with minimal impact to vegetation and can be virtually unnoticeable if seen from a distance. Visit the restoration project at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site or the University of Victoria’s Quercus Project to see this kind of fencing.

  Netting
  Individual trees and shrubs can be covered with stiff plastic netting. This helps to reduce browsing but does not eliminate it.

  Repellent plants
  Some plants — such as catnip, garlic, lavender and yarrow — are reputed to repel deer.

  Resistant plants
  Many plant species — such as Oregon grape and kinnikinnick — are more deer resistant than others. Ask your local nursery for suggestions of appropriate species for your area. Many native plants are more tolerant of browsing than exotic species.

  Scare tactics
  Strobe lights, motion detector lights, radios, pulsing sprinklers, aluminum pie pans and other deterrents can startle deer, especially when they first appear. The presence of dogs is also helpful.

  Odour and taste repellents
  There are several commercially available products which may help to repel deer, and many people have homemade recipes for repellents.

  Another option is to grow plants that deer prefer to eat and hope that they leave your other plants alone. For example, many deer enjoy red osier dogwood, which is a native plant that’s easy to grow.

• Additional Resources and Publications

  Native Plants in the Coastal Garden: A Guide for Gardeners in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest; by April Pettinger with Brenda Costanzo

  Propagation of Pacific Northwest Native Plants; by Robin Rose, Caryn E.C. Chachulski, and Diane L. Haase.

  Plants of Coastal British Columbia, including Washington, Oregon & Alaska; by Pojar & MacKinnon

  Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest; by Mark Turner and Phyllis Gustafson

  Trees, Shrubs & Flowers to Know in British Columbia & Washington; by C.P. Lyons and Bill Merilees

  Indicator Plants of Coastal British Columbia; by K. Klinka, V.J. Krajina, A. Ceska, and A.M. Scagel

  Caring For Wildlife Habitat At Home: Provincial Guide; Naturescape BC.

  The British Columbia Stewardship Centre has several online publications.

  For a discussion of plants found in Garry oak ecosystems, see Towards a Recovery Strategy for Garry Oak and Associated Ecosystems in Canada: Ecological Assessment and Literature Review (PDF 768KB). An entire chapter is devoted to the topic, including a list of plants associated with Garry oak ecosystems (Latin names only) on pages 9–22.