Thank you Greater Victoria Green Team members:
Adriana, Aeyah, Alex, Andromeda, Anim, Aoxiang, Arden, August, Brody, Charles, Chloe, Corbin, Crispin, Daiang, Den, Eli, Emma, Estefany, Ethan, Guilherme, Hailey, Hannah, Harrison, Ira, Jenica, Keira, Leo, Lin, Mars, Matias, Maya, Nicolas, Olivia, Piper, Rafael, Raphael, Rei, Riley, Sebstian, Shannon, Shinyoung, Tony, Urara, Yuhan, Ziqi
It was drizzling today, but we still had a blast connecting with one another & making an impact!
Impacts
- 45 community members engaged
- 14 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- 7 people visited Alumni Chip Trail for the first time
- 7 UVic students participated
- 144 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 11 cubic metres (about 68 bathtubs) of English Ivy
Highlights
- We had 1 person ride their bicycles and at least 10 participants take the bus
- We had a family from Columbia join us, along with participants from Costa Rica, Japan & France
- Thank you to Alex and Jenica for helping set up the refreshments
- Thanks Shin for cleaning our table
- Thank you Crispin & Hailey for being our First Aid attendants
- Thank you to Lin for giving another participant a ride
- So many people walking by thanked us for the work we were doing, one cyclist rode by quickly cheering us on loudly with “Go Green Team Go!”
- This was our first 2026 trip to Alumni Chip Trail, building on many previous activities in this location! Read summaries of recent activities in this part of campus below:
- Community members joined us from across the Greater Victoria region including from Oak Bay, Victoria, Saanich, Langford, Central Saanich, View Royal, Oak Bay…
- Our activities are designed to foster a sense of community that extends beyond municipal borders. By engaging community members from across the region, we are reminded that we are part of a larger, interconnected community and have a shared responsibility of creating a cleaner, healthier environment regardless of where we call home!
- We made sure everyone knew how to identify our native trailing blackberry which was growing through the English Ivy
- Our snacks included: English ivy shaped home baked sugar cookies, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, veggie chips, granola, chocolate eggs, sugar donuts, Yummy!
What Community Members Said
Video of Mars talking about coming together as a team to help the environment and support ourselves and communities
Video of Aeyah talking about helping nature and the benefits of spending time outside
Video of Lin talking about how meaningful it is to learn from nature
Video of Shinyoung talking about enjoying spending time in nature and meeting new people
Video of Crispin talking about meeting new people and having a tangible impact on the environment
Video of Adriana & Anim talking about meeting new people, helping the environment, and spending time in nature
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to UVic’s Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability (special thanks to Claire, & Peter) for partnering and working with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, and making this activity possible with their financial support and direction!
This was our first partnership activity of the 2026 year and we are excited for many more to come!
Together we are achieving our common goals and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in environmental stewardship.
In-Kind Support
Thank you to Lush for providing their fantastic shower gels, body conditioner, bath bombs, with natural ingredients, sustainable packaging, and made in Canada! Our participants were really happy to take these gifts home!
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 dedicated team is passionate about creating engaging, high-quality activities that foster a sense of belonging, connection to nature while raising environmental awareness. We strive to make a positive impact on our environment and to build a thriving community that cares for it.
This activity was run by Green Teams of Canada’s Founder and Executive Director, Lyda ,and Sara, Greater Victoria Green Team’s new Program Manager.
Partnerships Managers, Kaitlin, and Ashton supported this activity behind the scenes.