Thank you so much Greater Victoria Green Team participants for your hard work and enthusiasm (rain did not hold you back!):
Bryan, Carmel, Chloe, Chris, David, Desmond, Estella, Jeff, Jenn, Jenny, Katie, Kim, Larissa, Lucas, Mary, Rebecca, Remington, Shakya, Sherry & Tristan
Thank you to Langford Fire Rescue FireSmart Team: Gabe, Ken & Tianna
Also, a thank you to Langford Firefighters who came by to cheer us all on & helped cut down a bone dry Cedar Tree: Brody, Mitch, Darryl & Evan
Jess, from Langford Parks joined us too!!
What a fun day we had connecting people to one another and learning about how to FireSmart a park in a hands-on way! Keep on reading to find impacts, highlights and more from the day…
Impacts
- 24 participants contributed 81 hours towards FireSmarting this park
- 1 person removed invasive Scotch broom for the first time
- 6 people visited this area for the first time
- 6.25 cubic metres of Scotch broom (40 bathtubs worth) & 8 cubic metres of dead woody debris (50 bathtubs worth) removed from Solstice Park!
- 2,329 Square metres of habitat revitalized and FireSmarted
Highlights
- We removed invasive Scotch Broom and woody debris from Solstice Park to increase the health & resilience of the park and to reduce the risk of wildfire.
- This activity was guided by Tianna, the Langford Fire Rescue FireSmart Coordinator, following FireSmart BC practices of removing flammable material and invasive plants from parks in close proximity to residential areas to reduce the risk of wildfires.
- Jess from Langford Parks joined us
- We were joined by firefighters from Langford Fire Rescue who helped remove a ton of invasive plants and dead woody debris. Thank you all for your support!
- Jeff, the President from the Langford Residents Association (they focus on community building within the city of Langford) joined us! We loved having him join us.
- Mary Wagner, Langford Council member, joined us and encouraged everyone to share ideas and thoughts on community projects at: Let’s Chat Langford
- Habitat restoration is a very satisfying and empowering aspect of environmental stewardship in which to involve the local community and is a great way to connect people with neighbours and new friends.
- Community members enjoyed the satisfaction of working together as a team to remove a ton of invasive Scotch broom and wood debris and make a real impact!
- Everyone loved the hot chocolate, tomatoes, tim bits, cucumbers and granola bars to help keep energy levels up!
- Our work helped build on previous firesmart activities! Read about our last activities here below:
- While we had a lot of local Langford residents participating, people came to this activity from all over the region as well. It was great to have a mix of first timers, newcomers to the community, and local longtime residents together! Everyone learned more about FireSmart initiatives and local native and invasive species together as a community!
Community Investment Partner
A huge THANK YOU to Langford Fire Rescue and the BC FireSmart Program (Tianna its FireSmart Coordinator in particular!!) for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, and making this activity possible with their financial support and direction!
Together we are achieving our common goals and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in FireSmarting & environmental stewardship.
In-Kind Support
A big thank you to our in-kind supporter, Lush!
Thank you Lush for providing their fantastic shower gels & body conditioner with natural ingredients, sustainable packaging, made in Canada!
If you’re interested in contributing in-kind or have ideas for potential partnerships, please contact Kaitlin Warren. Your support makes a difference!
Why We Do This Work
The Greater Victoria Green Team is a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada.
We believe in the transformative power of hands-on environmental activities to empower individuals and strengthen communities.
Through initiatives like invasive plant removals, tree plantings, litter clean-ups, and more, we not only foster connections among participants but also deepen their relationship with nature. Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing mood, focus, and overall mental and physical health.
Our activities are designed to be inclusive, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and skill levels.
What sets us apart is we attract a wide mix of young community members who may not otherwise spend time outside, igniting their passion for nature and environmental care.
We are committed to instilling an environmental ethic that leads to lasting behaviour change. We aim to create a sense of belonging and connection to place, encouraging participants to recognize their ability to make a meaningful impact.
Together, we can all make a difference. Join us as we build a brighter, greener future for everyone!
Staff Who Made This Activity Possible
Our staff work hard to run high-quality community activities. Outreach, activity logistics, social media, reporting on impacts, partnership building and more – they do it all!
This activity was run by Greater Victoria Green Team’s new Program Manager, Jace.
This activity was supported by Kaitlin, Greater Victoria Green Team Partnerships Manager.
Lyda , our Founder and Executive Director who works hard behind the scenes to run and grow our charity, also supported this activity!