Tracing an autoethnography to identify opportunities and challenges of implementing backyard biodiversity installations in Winnipeg’s residential spaces

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dc.contributor.authorDowie, William
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeThompson, Shirley (Natural Resources Institute)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeCicek, Nazim (Biosystems Engineering)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeMcCance, Erin (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
dc.contributor.supervisorSinclair, John
dc.contributor.supervisorBaydack, Rick
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-16T17:45:26Z
dc.date.available2025-01-16T17:45:26Z
dc.date.issued2025-01-14
dc.date.submitted2025-01-14T22:38:10Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineEnvironment and Geography
dc.degree.levelMaster of Environment (M.Env.)
dc.description.abstractAn autoethnography of a twenty-five-year adult learning journey (formal, non-formal, and informal approaches) is used to trace the processes and dynamics of installing native plants in the City of Winnipeg, Canada. Merging these educational experiences with activities of a homeowner, a horticulture-sector professional, and a researcher gives unique insights and perspectives into adding appropriate biodiversity to the private residential space. Native plants are an important part of the regional ecosystem as these organisms have co-evolved with other organisms for thousands (and even millions) of years. This helps form the basis of the food web creating a stable and resilient life-giving ecology. Further, native plants provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, food provisions, flood protection, control of pollution, heat regulation, carbon sequestration, and healthy soil. Unfortunately, due to various factors including habitat loss due to urbanization, there is a crisis of biodiversity loss (coupled with climate change). Therefore, this thesis reveals the importance of establishing native plants of all forms in the urban realm. Such plantings are an opportunity for city residents to contribute to the restoration of the local ecosystem by supporting the flora and fauna of the corresponding ecodistrict, ecoregion, and ecozone. Since design with, and installation of, native plants in the residential backyard is not a widespread practice, the purpose of this thesis is to understand why the planting of native species is not ubiquitous in urban areas. Management models, archival videos, and professional design-build research reflections are part of the analysis that helps sort out the complexity of residential ecosystem. When keystone woody native plants or modified nativars (trees) are used in purposeful installations, they would benefit a future-forward City of Winnipeg – especially when shifting climate and extreme weather will be prominent. Generally, trees that are suited for the urban forest that can support Lepidoptera larva can also simultaneously contribute to adaptation and mitigation of climate change – one yard at a time.
dc.description.noteFebruary 2025
dc.description.sponsorshipSelf - Ecoplicity Environmental
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/38831
dc.language.isoeng
dc.subjectBackyard Biodiversity
dc.subjectUrban Ecology
dc.subjectNative Plants
dc.subjectSustainability Frameworks
dc.subjectPESTEL Analysis
dc.subjectAutoethnography
dc.titleTracing an autoethnography to identify opportunities and challenges of implementing backyard biodiversity installations in Winnipeg’s residential spaces
local.subject.manitobayes
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