Cardou Lab

I’m an MSc student studying how urbanization and water availability shape plant communities in naturally regenerated no-mow areas across Calgary. My research highlights the ecological value of these often-overlooked spaces, showing how their growth supports biodiversity and contributes to climate resilience. I’m particularly interested in how informal green spaces can be integrated into urban planning to enhance sustainability, beauty, and livability. Beyond my research, I’m passionate about conservation and understanding the roles of woodlands and herbaceous communities in maintaining ecological stability. In the long term, I aim to build a career in conservation, focused on protecting and restoring ecosystems through applied research and collaborative stewardship.

I am interested in the long term health of urban woodlands, which include the portions of the urban canopy that are self-regenerating. My research investigates tree regeneration dynamics across an urbanization gradient in the Greater Toronto Area. Using long-term monitoring data collected by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, my work focuses on the abundance, composition and stability of seedling, sapling and canopy trees. The main goal is to understand how the pressures of urbanization can impact tree regeneration. Outside of my research, I play on the Premier Senior Women’s rugby team with the Canucks RFC, and enjoy hiking and backpacking.

Co-supervision: Lyndsay Cartwright (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)

Drawn to misunderstood and unloved species, my research focuses on poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). As a notoriously poisonous plant, advancing our understanding of its ecology will have important applications in urban green space management. Specifically, I am investigating its phenotypic plasticity and taxonomic diversity as drivers of its success in urban environments. More generally, I am passionate about the importance of urban nature both for biodiversity conservation and as a means for people to connect with nature. Outside of my research, I enjoy participating in community initiatives that encourage environmental stewardship including an urban greening project, a collective garden, and a science outreach program.

My research focuses on vegetation regeneration following mine abandonment in the Labrador Trough. This project aims to identify potential obstacles to primary succession in fine tailings resulting from iron ore mine excavation. As part of this study, I document vegetation patterns and examine seed rain and the seed bank, which may help explain the observed vegetation expression. Following my PhD on urban greening operations, defended in France in 2025, I aim to further my understanding of the ecological processes at play in an ecological restoration context.