Participatory Restoration of the Mill Site, Galiano Learning Centre

Abstract

The Mill Site, located at the entrance of the Galiano Learning Centre, was the object of a participatory restoration project led by the Galiano Conservancy Association. The 0.25-hectare site was used as a portable sawmill and log staging area for a decade, and was found in a heavily degraded state when the GCA acquired the property in 2012.
Five goals compatible with the Galiano Learning Centre Management Plan were established for the site: 1. Re-establish ecological integrity in consistence with the CDFmm subzone, 2. Provide educational opportunities and contribute to ecological restoration science, 3. Engage the community, 4. Aesthetically improve the site and honour the transformative power of the restoration process, and 5. Create low-impact parking spaces to accommodate the needs of the Galiano Learning Centre.
Initial observations indicate that the site has been effectively de-compacted and infiltration and drainage have already started to improve. Aesthetical improvements are already undeniable, and the topographic and structural complexities of the site have been effectively enhanced. Perhaps most importantly, over 150 volunteer days have been spent on the Mill Site so far, and it is hoped that this has allowed the development of long-lasting bonds and reciprocal healing between the people and this little piece of land.