Urban Ecosystem Restorations

We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization, created to find mutually beneficial ways of working with landowner-partners to place Eco-Functioning Spaces (EFS) on their lands and then protect and enhance those EFS (and their functions) over time. Teaching people about the many ways Eco-Functioning Spaces benefit their lives, how to enjoy and respect these spaces for long-term individual and community benefit, and building STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills through an understanding of the science that makes EFS work are all also part of UER’s role.

The spaces we call Eco-Functioning Spaces® restore “ecosystem functions” -- ecological functions that occur within normal, undisturbed ecosystems and that provide some of the basic necessities for human survival, such as: stormwater and flood capture and infiltration; groundwater recharge; climate change mitigation; living soils; decomposition/composting; the provision of native habitats that support naturally-occurring food webs, and land and water temperature modulation that enables the growth of various native plant and animal communities.

Volunteers can help UER with a range of activities, such as: advertising events and educational materials across online and social media networks; research on topics of concern to UER; assisting in invasive plant removals; producing educational materials; grant writing and stakeholder relationship building; supporting our board of directors and technical advisory panel.