About Us
Ecotone is an expression of care for the Earth and all her children (human and other). Restoring biodiversity is an act of respect and love for all, including those yet to come. We advocate for those that will benefit from green infrastructure, whether green roofs, rain gardens, urban forests, wetlands, parks or private gardens. Our vision, or North Star, is a world where all beings can flourish, supported by landscapes that are functional, equitable, healthy and beautiful.
Our Founder
Christine Thuring is a collaborative ecologist with over 20 years’ expertise with green infrastructure and urban ecology. Her career began in ecological restoration and applied plant ecology. Christine strives to ensure ecological principles are translated into the built and natural environments. She is an accredited Green Roof Professional (GRP) and a Meadow Maker, with a PhD in Landscape from the University of Sheffield.
A skilful communicator, Christine is able to transcend boundaries between science and art, ecology and engineering, research and practice, government and grassroots. Her diverse portfolio of work includes consulting on green roofs, advising on plant lists, creating pollinator meadows, and supporting decolonization of cities, education and minds.
Passionate about implementation. Adaptable and creative, with a positive work ethic, and love of life.
Learning by doing brings joy, humility and expertise. As President of the Native Bee Society of BC, Christine is a frequent speaker about native bees. One project she’s proud to have worked on is the forage guide for specialist bees in BC (find it here). She is keen to design, build and maintain pollinator meadows, having been trained as a Meadow Maker (a partnership between Satinflower Native Plant Nursery and Pollinator Partnership Canada). As Executive Director of GRIN (Green Roof Infrastructure Network of BC), Christine is working to overcome barriers to implementation in BC, and championing green roofs designed for biodiversity.
As a botanist of dual citizenry (Swiss-Canadian), Christine has developed relationships with many floras in the northern hemisphere. Her career began with restoration ecology at the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. She’s combined research and practice on green roofs and urban ecology in Pennsylvania, Germany, Switzerland, England. Since 2006, she is at home in the Pacific Northwest. As Ecotone, she ensures projects and plantings are relevant to native ecosystems and their relations. She reviewed the plant list for a 3 acre pollinator meadow at Vancouver’s Oakridge Park, to ensure it will benefit native bees and butterflies
