Thank you so much Greater Victoria Green Team participants for your hard work and enthusiasm:
Al, Bill, Chloe, Clarisse, Denise, Dennis, Jane, Laura, Lela, Lesley, Linus, Lyla, Mark, Matte, Matthew, Mitchell, Nathan, Peter, Quinn, Rowan, Selena, Trina, Tristan, Vera, and Yuka!
What a fun day we had connecting people to one another and nature, all while restoring habitat! Keep on reading to find impacts, highlights and more from the day…
Impacts
- 27 community members engaged
- 80 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 5 people removed invasive Himalayan Blackberry & English Ivy for the first time
- 8 people visited this park for the first time
- 22 cubic metres (30 hot tubs full) of invasive plants and flammable material removed
- 205 square metres of habitat revitalized
Highlights
- This was our second activity in Oak Bay this year!
- We joined the local stewards of this park and learned about the amazing restoration that has been happening in this sensitive ecosystem since 1993!
- Together we hauled out dead plant material that had accumulated from previous invasive plant removal activities to reduce the risk of fires in this dry area
- Anderson Hill Park is a popular greenspace for the community, proving gorgeous ocean views, unique trails and pathways, and stunning wildlife!
- Anderson Hill Park is also a treasured ecologically significant area, home to some of the last few remaining Garry Oak ecosystems! Learn more on the District of Oak Bay website here
- Many community members stayed to help with pack up: thank you so much! Your extra help was so appreciated!
- Community members enjoyed the additional education provided by the plant signs, learning about identification in a fun, creative way!
- All ages, backgrounds, and experience levels were engaged including nearby residents, newcomers to Victoria, returning Green Team members, and first-timers!
Community Investment Partner
A huge THANK YOU to the District of Oak Bay for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, and making this activity possible with their financial support and direction!
We were joined on Saturday by one of the District of Oak Bay’s council members, Lesley Watson! Thank you Lesley for joining us to help improve ecosystem health and show your support within the community!
Together we are achieving our common goals and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in environmental stewardship.
Volunteer Park Stewards
THANK YOU to Christina Johnson-Dean and all of the local stewards of this park for helping us with this activity!
Christina has been stewarding this park for decades. Beginning in 1993, Christina has been taking care to preserve this integral ecosystem by hosting regular events with the local residents who come together to preserve biodiversity!
If you are interested in joining the dedicated group of folks who take care of this park weekly, you can find them in Anderson Hill Park almost every Saturday from 10am – 12pm!
In-Kind Support
Thank you to the fantastic Canadian eco-friendly businesses If You Care, Green Beaver, Earth Rated, and Honey Candles for donating in-kind for our hard-working community members to take home!
Please contact Viloka Luna. if you are interested in providing in-kind.
Why We Do This Work
The Greater Victoria Green Team organizes hands-on educational activities that have a positive environmental impact to empower people. Through activities such as invasive plant removals, plantings, litter cleanups and more, we are fostering connections with others and nature so that health and well-being is prioritized, lifelong environmental stewardship is promoted, and community members are enabled to take care of themselves, each other and the places they live. We all have the power to make a difference!
We all experience mental and physical health benefits from spending time in nature, including reduced stress and anxiety, and improved mood, focus, memory and more. While doing so, we can also have a positive impact on the environment as demonstrated through this activity!
Staff Who Made This Activity Possible
Greater Victoria Green Team Program Manager, Kaitlin Warren and Partnerships Manager, Viloka Luna work hard behind the scenes to bring these high-quality activities to you.
Partnership building, outreach, social media, activity logistics, leading on-the-ground, reporting on impacts and more – they can do it all!