Tod Flats

The Tod Flats project in Saanich, BC involved working with a group of property owners and stakeholders to address flooding, and associated shorter growing season concerns, in an agricultural lowland landscape.  Historical information and analysis of landscape systems were used to understand how the Tod Flats area functions presently compared to historical observations.  MDI worked with local stakeholders to develop a framework or concept plan that optimizes the use of the site for agriculture, flood plain function and wildlife habitat values.

Through a charrette process, it became evident that understanding landscape function was critical to developing a successful plan.  Alteration of landscape processes due to human interventions (i.e. drainage modifications, land use changes, and vegetation management) contributed to the degradation of  the site and diminished the intrinsic value and usability of the land.  The framework plans developed by the group represent working concepts based on the present understanding of the site and the desire of the current land owners to work with the land and the landscape processes that originally sustained this site. The future plans take a holistic view where agriculture, wildlife habitat, aesthetic and social values, and flood control all have a weighting and relevance. The plans illustrate a vision for the Tod Flats landscape that best approximate a sustainable landscape for the future.