Thank you to our Greater Victoria Green Team participants for their hard work and enthusiasm:
Ada, Aram, Bahareh, Beren, Brody, Chloe, Clayton, Evan, John, Kayden, Leslie, Lorraine, Michelle, Oliver, Parmjeet, Shane, Shawn
It started off rainy and ended up being a nice cool perfect fall day connecting to others and to nature, all while restoring habitat! Keep on reading to find impacts, highlights and more from the day…
Impacts
- 16 community members engaged
- 49 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 7 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- 16 people visited Dickson Woods for the first time
- 8 cubic metres (about 35 bathtubs full) of invasive English ivy removed
- 100 square metres of habitat revitalize
Highlights
- This was our first of 5 activities in Dickson Woods this fall and what a great start it was! Check out the next opportunities to participate in the restoration of this site HERE
- Shawn was there to help with setup — a special thank you!
- John helped direct cars to parking spots
- Michelle helped with setting up the refreshments
- Kayden helped lead community members to where to drop of the ivy they pulled
- Community members of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels joined us today, including folks from North Saanich, Sidney, Saanich, Victoria and Langford
- Anne Marie, a local resident, came by to thank the community members and to give the Greater Victoria Green Team two organic Salish Sea Soap Pebbles as a thank you!
- We had many yummy snacks & drinks including: home baked english ivy shaped sugar cookies, carrots, two bite brownies, apples, chips, fruit bars, lemonade, and apple juice
- A big thank you to EVERYONE who helped pack up our tools and supplies!
What Community Members Said
Video of Bahar talking about what it was like participating for the first time
Video of Michelle talking about learning about biodiversity and giving back to our parks
Video of Brody talking about meeting a great bunch of people
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to Victoria Airport Authority 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 activity will be back here at Dickson Woods on Sunday November 9, 2025. View details and sign up here
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 guest Lyda, Green Teams of Canada’s Founder and Executive Director
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!