Natural Environment
Naturescape

Naturescape BC is a program that provides educational support to protect, maintain and enhance wildlife habitat. Naturescape encourages creating diversity, layers, edges and using native plants when designing and retrofitting landscapes. These principles support Official Community Plans, local area plan policies, and the management goals of natural areas of Saanich's Parks Department.

The basic principles of Naturescape are:

• A commitment to stewardship
• Habitat creation & preservation
• Preservation of biodiversity
• Water conservation

While the use of native plants is encouraged, the main goal is to create habitat. Many non-native plants are recommended in the guide. Habitat creation can be as small as a window planter box or a larger butterfly garden plot consisting of bright colours and interesting textures. Alternatively, designs can be more 'naturalistic', covering large expanses of land and recreating the feel of a natural meadow or woodland. Many examples exist of beautiful, well-kept landscapes which incorporate the Naturescape principles and blend well with traditional maintenance landscapes.

With proper design your urban yard can become an extension of natural areas as wildlife habitat. The additional benefits to Naturescaping include:

• Water savings
• Reduced use of fertilizers
• Elimination of pesticides and imported peat moss
• Reduced cost for mowing
• Increase air quality and human health
• Reduced cost of purchasing, planting and tending annuals
• Reduced impact of invasive plant species
• Support for plant species which are at risk of loss regionally
• Helping to define an image which is unique to our part of the region

Native plant Nurseries and Seed Sources

• Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT) list
• Native Plant Society of British Columbia list

See winner of the Saanich 2003 Naturescape contest.

SAANICH 2003 NATURESCAPE CONTEST
Winner "Most Artistic" category

"The house and lot we purchased was a mess - neglected for over 10 years... Because of financial constraints we are very creative when it comes to plant and material acquisitions! Our mature rhodos and ferns all came from leaky condo construction sites, salvaged from compost piles, etc. We built a rustic retaining wall out of broom and holly plants we removed from the lot and neighbourhood, and we've had so much fun planning and observing the life returning to this yard."  - S Zupanec -

AFTER