Cunningham Woods

Restoration Report and Monitoring Plan

Abstract

This report aims to improve the social, ecological, and aesthetic value of the University of Victoria (UVic) campus by working towards the restoration of the eastern portion of Cunningham Woods. The 2003 Campus Plan placed the area under a freeze on use, a decision that will come under review next fall, along with the rest of the Campus Plan. Although a biophysical inventory of the UVic campus was completed in 2007, and some removal of invasive species in Cunningham Woods took place in 2013, a large area of dying trees and the continued presence of invasive species makes Cunningham Woods an area of great concern.
Key recommendations include engaging the UVic community by holding restoration work parties to teach about species identification, removing English ivy from the ground and replanting with native species, establishment of long-term monitoring plan and photo point surveys, installation of signage, and protection in perpetuity to ensure the continuity of academic research and restoration efforts.