Restoring Slopes, Oceanfront Shorelines, and Disturbed Sites
Soil bioengineering and ecological restoration across British Columbia, using living roots, woody material, and natural recovery processes to stabilize oceanfront shorelines, slopes, and disturbed ground.
Colquitz Creek, Saanich. November 2013 and August 2014.Drag or use arrow keys
Natural processes have been revegetating naturally disturbed sites since the advent of terrestrial vegetation about 400 million years ago.
David F. Polster · Living on the Edge, 2021
When site conditions are right, PES gives that process a foothold. Dormant willow, balsam poplar, and red-osier dogwood cuttings are set into unstable ground. They draw on stored energy to form roots and shoots. The roots bind loose material while new growth begins the next stage of recovery.
Drawn from field practice
How the Living Structures Are Put Together
The hand-drawn diagrams show the working parts clearly: where the cuttings sit, how water moves, and how each treatment changes conditions on the slope.
Steep slopesWattle Fencing
Horizontal cuttings laid behind vertical posts, then backfilled and lightly tamped down, create short retaining steps. The structure works immediately; the cuttings then root and grow.
View method
Seepage waterLive Pole Drains
Bundles of living cuttings provide a preferred path for seepage while new roots spread into the surrounding soil.
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Raveling groundModified Brush Layers
Woody benches interrupt rolling material and create protected sites where cuttings and other vegetation can establish.
View methodTreat the Conditions Keeping the Site Unstable
PES begins with the processes keeping a site unstable or bare: concentrated water, over-steepened slopes, compaction, erosion, or poor conditions for plant establishment. Treatments are selected to address those barriers and support natural recovery. Explore our methods and services.
Slope Stabilization
Live staking, wattle fencing, brush layers, and living retaining walls add root reinforcement to steep or eroding ground where site conditions suit these treatments.
Oceanfront Shoreline Restoration
Oceanfront erosion can come from wave run-up, unstable fill, and poor planting conditions. Where suitable, PES combines regrading, anchored beach logs, live staking, dune grass, and native planting as an alternative to continuous riprap.
Mine Reclamation
Rough-and-loose surface preparation addresses compaction, erosion, and limited microsites on mine waste and other drastically disturbed ground.
Who We Work With
We work on oceanfront banks, mine waste rock and road cuts. We start by finding what is preventing recovery, then select a treatment that fits the ground, water, access and budget.
Government and Districts
Municipal, regional, and provincial government clients on public land, road corridors, and riparian areas.
Mining and Resource Sector
Open-pit mine operators, tailings area managers, and legacy reclamation programs across British Columbia.
First Nations and Land Trusts
Technical support for restoration and stewardship work led by First Nations, land trusts, and conservation organizations.
Same slope, first growing season
Living structures become living cover
At Juniper Place, wattle fences and living cuttings were installed across the slope in spring 2016. The comparison shows the installation in March and new growth documented on May 29, during the first growing season.
See how wattle fencing works
One slope, one growing season. Wattle fencing completed in April; new growth documented May 29.Drag or use arrow keys
Our Work
Recent Projects
North Pender Island · 2024–2025Pender Island ShorelineA failing residential shoreline rebuilt with the Green Shores method: slope regrading, beach logs, and live staking.Read the case study →
Thetis Island · Completed May 2026Clam Bay, Thetis IslandCompleted shoreline restoration with live stakes, native planting, mulch and irrigation, documented in May 2026.Read the case study →
Interior BC · 2024–2025VBNWA Wetland RestorationInvasive reed canary grass management and native vegetation restoration across a mapped set of treatment polygons.Read the case study →Learn the Methods From the Source
The course adapts the Living on the Edge manual into ten online modules covering recovery filters, natural processes, and field techniques.
Explore the Course →Start With a Site Assessment
Tell us what is happening at your shoreline, slope, streambank, or mine site. PES can review the available information, identify questions for field assessment, and outline practical next steps.