With the upgrade to our natural gas line from Surrey to Coquitlam nearing completion, our focus shifts to restoring habitat and landscaping, and helping make sure landowners are happy with the results.
Bruce McTavish and his team from McTavish Resource & Management Consultants LTD have been contracted by FortisBC to lead the restoration work.
FortisBC truly does have the landowner’s interests at heart, They don’t just want things to look the same as before, but want us to go that extra distance, to try to make things look even better than before.
Bruce and his team follow customized restoration plans for each home and business affected by construction, and work closely with the cities of Coquitlam and Surrey to restore municipal areas such as parks.
Restoration plans are developed with input from the home or business owner, and start with a thorough assessment. Once construction is over, the area is assessed again before restoration begins.
Bruce explains that restoration includes work done to lawns, shrubbery and driveways. Areas that are not formally landscaped – both public and private – are hydroseeded. Where construction has passed through water courses such as rivers, riparian restoration has to be done.
Hydroseeding is an important way to restore and reseed areas. The green hydroseed mixture consists of green mulch, water, seed, fertilizer and a “tackifier”, that holds the slurry together. Once sprayed, the mixture solidifies and sticks to slopes, protecting the soil and insulating the seed from the elements. It also makes it tougher for the birds to feast on the seed!
Despite facing challenges such as rainy weather, logistical pressures and keeping landowners informed, Bruce and his team find the restoration work very rewarding. “Landowners will forget about the noise and the disruption, but every day they’re going to look in their backyard and hopefully what they see is something that makes them happy.”
