On Sunday, September 19th the smoke cleared and the AQHI finally granted the Greater Victoria Green Team permission to safely run an event! What a relief for our community, health and green spaces!
Volunteers gathered at Esquimalt Gorge Park to plant a pollinator meadow and remove invasive species threatening their native rivals. Our efforts were led by Gorge Waterway Action Society’s Restoration Coordinator Stephanie Gurney and Esquimalt’s Manager of Parks and Facilities Rick Daykin. Park staff and 25 volunteers collectively planted 805 pollinator species and cleared invasive thistle, blackberry and grasses threatening the project.
THANK YOU
Thank you to our volunteers: Kuojung, Arthur, Barb, Bridget, Brock, Carmina, Celeste, Darcie, Yujin, Robyn, Josiah, Grace, Marjorie, Julian, Richard, Simon, Grace, Marcia, Nicole, Daisy, Raven, Taylor, Tara, and Valerie. A big thank you to Rick, Kyle and Chelsea for your direction and help facilitating.
Thank you to the Township of Esquimalt for continuing to support and contribute to GVGT programs and to Gorge Action Waterway Society for pioneering this exciting project!
A Photo Album from the day are found here!
Group Photos!
Highlights
- In total 24 GVGT volunteers came out to help plant the pollinator meadow and remove invasive species, totalling more than 75 hours!
- Volunteers planted ~150-200 plants!
- An impressive 5 cubic metres of invasive plant matter was removed from an area of 200 square metres!
- 11 people were introduced to Esquimalt Gorge Park and 18 people had never planted a pollinator meadow before!
- Volunteers reported feeling welcomed and appreciated as well as safe and left feeling accomplished.
- Thank you to our in-kind sponsors who donated thank you gifts to our community: EarthRated dog poop bags, tea lights from Honey Candles, Lush hard perfume and West Coast Seeds.
Participant Quotes
The Greater Victoria Green team allows me to give back to my community and parks in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have the chance. This is how long lasting change starts.
This was my first experience with the Greater Victoria Green Team and I felt really welcome and appreciated. It felt great to be apart of something bigger than me!
Thank you to everyone who came out and engaged in such important work! Not everyone understands why this is so important – we recognize and applaud you!
