At IslandWood, we try to approach everything we do with intention and care—and that includes how we take care of the land. Recently, our facilities team—Technician PJ Merz and Senior Manager Mark Becker —have been putting that philosophy into practice with something they call mindful maintenance. It’s a new way of thinking about how we manage our natural spaces, and it’s already having a big impact.

So, what is mindful maintenance?

It starts with this simple idea: sometimes, good plants grow in inconvenient places. We’re talking about native plants popping up in the middle of trails or right next to buildings—places where, traditionally, they’d be removed with a weed whacker or mower.

But rather than wiping them out, PJ and the team are relocating these plants to areas where they’re really needed—like places where we’ve just removed invasive species (like ivy and blackberry) or wild zones that we’re working to re-wild. These native plants aren’t just being saved—they’re getting a second chance to thrive.

So far, we’ve already rehomed over 100 plants, and we’re just getting started. As PJ said, “We’re starting to reforest IslandWood,” and that’s something we’re really excited about.

To support this work, our team built three large garden beds behind the Facilities building, using upcycled cedar logs and incorporating two fascinating farming techniques: Terra Preta (an ancient Amazonian method using biochar) and Hügelkultur (a German method of layering compostable materials like logs and sticks). These beds are now home to rescued plants waiting to be replanted elsewhere—or finding a permanent home in the Native Plant Garden itself.

Looking ahead, we’ve got some big dreams. Imagine a child planting a tree during our School Overnight Program, and then coming back 20 years later, picking up a slip of paper from our Front Desk with a geotag on it, and heading out to visit “their” tree. Or a couple getting married at IslandWood and receiving yearly updates about a tree planted to grow along with their love.

Mindful maintenance is just one way we’re rethinking how we steward the land—and inviting others to do the same, because sometimes the smallest act, like digging up a native fern instead of mowing it down, can be the beginning of something much bigger.