Thank you so much Greater Victoria Green Team participants for your hard work and enthusiasm:
Abhishek, Akihiro, Akina, Alexander, April, Ava, Ayzar, Camila, Charlotte, Chloe, Choha, Earl, Erica, Erwin Jose, Grey, Israel, Jasmine, Jayanna, Kumiko, Kyrie, Leia, Lelito, Marissa, Mason, Oluwateniola, Owen, Paige, Rodney, Ryan, Shane, Sherwin, Stephan & Suzuna!
It felt like summer again on this warm sunny day spent connecting to others and to nature, all while restoring habitat! Keep on reading to find impacts, highlights and more from the day…
Impacts
- 33 community members engaged
- 102.5 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 12 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- 20 people visited Colwood Creek Park for the first time
- 19 cubic metres (about 119 bathtubs full) of invasive Himalayan blackberry , English holly, English (Cherry) laurel and Morning glory removed
- 178 square metres of habitat revitalized
Highlights
- Community members of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels joined us today, including folks from Colwood and beyond!
- We built on work of past activities by putting a stop to any invasive blackberry that was starting to regrow in areas we previously cleared
- This site was transformed by everyone’s efforts! It was very inspiring to be part of this positive impact
- Many passersby thanked us for the work we were doing, including Pat Anderson who has lived right by Colwood Creek Park for 30 years as well as Tracy, Jennifer, Dave and Patty
- John W. (CJ) who lives right across from Colwood Creek Park offered to come by future Greater Victoria Green Team activities and provide cold drinks, energy bars and even a washroom!
- Many furry dog friends came by for pets while we were working
- Jasmine rode her bike all the way from Royal Oak to this activity!
- Stephan was inspired by the GVGT and started the Friends of Colwood Parks! Check out his Facebook Page to get involved HERE
- Cupcakes were a big hit today, along with homegrown apples from Georgia’s backyard, fresh veggies, mandarin oranges, dried fava beans, a variety of granola bars, and more during our snack break
- A big thank you to EVERYONE who helped pack up our tools and supplies!
- Mason came early and helped set up – a special thank you to him!
- Check out our recent efforts removing invasive plants at this park on July 5, 2025 and planting native species on May 11, 2025. We first started working in this park in 2014!
- Join us next time we visit this park on Sun Oct 5, 2025! Sign up here
What Community Members Said
Video of Abhi talking about learning something new and meeting new people!
Video of Sherwin talking about how happy he is to participate, the sense of pride he feels to help out and encouraging others to join!
Video of Teni talking about experiencing a feeling of peace giving back to the community, the improvement in mental health and making friends!
Video of Ava talking about how this is a great opportunity to connect to nature and promote biodiversity in local parks!
Video of Akina and Lelito talking about how much they enjoyed participating
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to the City of Colwood for providing the financial support, ecological expertise and guidance for this activity!
Through this partnership, we are creating opportunities for community members to come together, connect with each other and nature, and take care of the environment!
Our next Colwood activity will be back at Colwood Creek Park on Sun Oct 5. Sign up to join us and continue our important efforts in this park!
In-Kind Support
A big thank you to our in-kind supporters for donating products to show appreciation for our community members:
- LUSH for sharing their eco-friendly personal care products such as body scrubs, body wash and lotions
- Gathering Place Trading for sharing their fair-trade and organic spices
These Canadian businesses have wonderful, sustainable products that support more responsible consumer choices!
If you’re interested in contributing in-kind or have ideas for potential partnerships, please contact Kaitlin. 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, and litter clean-ups, 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 special guests Ashton, Lower Mainland Green Team Partnerships Manager, and Lyda, Green Teams of Canada’s Founder and Executive Director, with support from the Greater Victoria Green Team’s Program Assistants, Nicola and Georgia!
Interim Partnerships Manager, Kaitlin, who works hard behind the scenes to run and grow our Greater Victoria Green Team, also supported this activity behind the scenes!
