During the May Victoria Day long weekend, Transition Salt Spring’s Climate Adaptation Research Lab (CARL), together with restoration ecology students from UVIC, UBC, and the Gulf Islands Secondary School (GISS), worked on restoring the forest understory to create a fire-resistant environment and reduce wildfire risks on the island. The high school students were excited to learn how a diverse and rich native understory can act like a sponge, dampening the forest floor and making it hard for fires to spread.
These plants help to retain moisture, creating a humid microclimate and lowering the risk of ignition. Plus, their slow burn rate can limit the intensity and spread of wildfires. As the restoration work progresses, Transition Salt Spring hopes to inspire others to recognize the power of native plants and the understory in protecting all of us and our forests from devastating wildfires.