Our Work
Ecos has completed and continues to work on several restoration projects from private homeowner properties to local municipalities throughout the Western New York region. In addition, our grant writing team has earned millions of dollars in grants for our clients.
Restoration Projects
Riverside-Salem United Church of Christ
The Riverside-Salem United Church of Christ is located on a 3-acre plot on Grand Island, NY. This beautiful waterfront property was riddled with invasive plants including dense thickets of common and glossy buckthorn, honeysuckle, goutweed, mugwort, periwinkle, and lily-of-the-valley. In addition, the plot had many standing dead trees, old debris, and, while native, potentially harmful poison ivy plants. The Friends of Riverside-Salem hired Ecos and a landscape architect to design and implement a variety of aesthetically pleasing native gardens. These gardens and restoration actions include the Native American Garden, Peace Garden, Ecological Garden, Labyrinth, Vernal Pool enhancement, Musical Amphitheatre, and strawbale renovation. Ecos is working to remove invasive plants, standing dead trees, debris using manual removal methods like solarization and seed bank burnout and minimal herbicide. Once the clean-up is complete Ecos will complete the garden designs by planting an assortment of native perennials, shrubs, and trees.
Filmore Ave, Buffalo Residential Property
This residential restoration project entailed the removal of several invasive trees including tree-of-heaven and Norway maple as well as the removal of invasive plants and the shallow root layer of the area. In place of the invasives, Ecos planted native perennials, shrubs, and trees such as Carex sedges, Tiarella, Arborvitaes, and ferns. To replace the shallow root layer, Ecos installed several yards of topsoil and mulch. Ecos also installed a path and sitting area platform using pea gravel and flagstones as well as an irrigation system.
Forest Hill and Pioneer Cemeteries
During this restoration project, Ecos was hired to assess and develop a management plan to improve the health of these forested areas. The tree assessment included identification of all trees, hazard assessment, and mitigation recommendations. Using the assessment, Ecos created a tree database on Excel, GIS layers of the property, and a tree management plan.
Ecos Consulting Branch Services
Grants management including grant opportunity prospecting, grant writing, and grant administration for clients ranging from nonprofits to municipalities. We also specialize in environmental planning and assessment projects on a local and regional scale, such as the Forest Hill and Pioneer Cemetery Tree Management Plan; and the Broome County Natural Resource Inventory Update. We also provide trainings for clients’ workforce development needs, including National Green Infrastructure Certification Program worker certification, environmental restoration, invasive species management and beyond.