Restoration: A Force for Good

Week of February 1, 2026 – February 7, 2026

by David DuBois, Director of Stewardship

We devote a lot of time and energy discussing the negative environmental impact that our species can wreak on the world around us. From land clearing to development, there is no question that human impacts have the potential to negatively impact the environment. However, humanity’s power to do great damage is coupled with an equally amazing ability to restore these habitats as well. 

There are a few different approaches to restoration. One way is through passive restoration, where nature takes its course. This “hands-off” management is the favorite of those who wish to leave things to take care of themselves. This method takes time to see results, but what those results will be are not clear. Passive restoration will not bring back what once was, but ecosystems will instead rebuild with new species, new communities, and new dynamics. These habitats may provide some of the benefits of the communities they replaced, but there is no guarantee of that outcome and no telling how far into the future that outcome may lay. 

The other option is to tip the balance. By putting in a little effort early in the process, we can watch our work magnify to create major effects. Seemingly small actions, such as planting native seeds or removing invasives, can forever change what becomes of a habitat being restored. Merely adding a few species to the landscape or reducing the ability for invasive species to thrive, we can set a landscape on a trajectory that will yield benefits for years to come.

Here at Baltimore Woods, we do what we can to create that positive effect through restoration activities such as seeding former corn fields with native wildflowers, removing and controlling invasive species in ecologically sensitive areas, planting trees and shrubs to jumpstart restoration, and many more projects year-round.

As Baltimore Woods Nature Center reaches its 60th anniversary, the importance of preserving the beautiful spaces we have and restoring the habitats that have been degraded is profoundly clear. These restored spaces are the places that will provide habitats for wildlife and spaces to learn for the next 60 years to come on our preserve. If you would like to be part of making a positive impact on the habitats at The Woods consider joining in on our stewardship work every first and third Saturday 10am-12pm with the TREES Crew, or 9am-12pm every Wednesday morning with the A-Team.

We invite our members to enjoy a weekly blog written by our naturalists. Every blog will be uniquely different but always inspired by nature. We may share a memory from a recent hike at The Woods or teach you about an animal or plant that lives on the preserve. No matter the topic, we will be sharing with you our passion for nature and celebrating the connections we all have to the natural world. Each blog will be connected to a weekly set of activities and ideas to help you put nature in your hands, even if you’re at home!