Thank you so much Greater Victoria Green Team participants for your hard work and enthusiasm:
Alicia, Allison, Alexandra, Anita, Ben, Betty, Brandon, Cassandra, Cher, Chris, Christine, Emma, Erin, Gina, Isaac, Jaden, Jamie, Janice, Jennifer, Judy, Kaden, Karen, Kathleen, Kirsty, Kody, Laike, Leslie, Lucas, Madison, Mark, Mia, Nan, Rebecca, Ridhi, Salar, Sarah, Siyu, Suyu, Thadd, Trevor, Wayne, and Yugansh!
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
- 43 community members engaged
- 139 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 16 people removed invasive Himalayan blackberry and English Ivy for the first time
- 17 people planted native plants for the first time!
- 21 people visited this park for the first time
- 9.6 cubic metres (60 bathtubs full) of blackberry, and ivy removed
- 25 native shrubs planted
Highlights
- Hands-on learning opportunity for the community planting native species Flowering currant, salmonberry, ocean spray, snowberry, honeysuckle, and nine-bark!
- Working together, community members won many tug of wars removing invasive plants Himalayan blackberry and English ivy!
- Everyone loved the homemade brownies, fresh fruit, veggies, and granola bars to help keep energy levels up!
- Many community members stayed late and arrived early, to help with set up: thank you so much!
- Community members enjoyed the additional education provided by the plant signs, learning about identification in a fun, creative way!
- Esquimalt Gorge Park is a popular greenspace for the community, proving gorgeous water views, unique trails and pathways, all entering around the new Gorge Pavilion which hosts many events throughout the year!
- All ages, backgrounds, and experience levels were engaged including nearby residents, newcomers to Victoria, returning Green Team members, and first-timers!
What Community Members Said
Video of Madison, talking about why she joined this activity and about her experience of the day!
Community Investment Partner
A huge THANK YOU to the Township of Esquimalt for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, and making this activity possible with financial support through the local grants program and direction from Esquimalt Parks staff!
Together we are achieving our common goals and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in environmental stewardship.
In-Kind Support
Thank you to the fantastic eco-friendly business Lush Cosmetics for providing spectacular gifts to dedicated community members!
Please contact Kaitlin, Partnerships Manager: Kaitlin@GreenTeamsCanada.ca if you are interested in providing in-kind. Your support makes a difference!
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, Jace Hjermstad, and Partnership Manager, Kaitlin Warren, 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!