Thank you to our Greater Victoria Green Team participants:
Adam, Artemii, Clayton, Curtis, Esther, Mark, Denise, Mia, Natsuki, Otone, Rafael, Rebeca, Rei, Rena, Robert & Shawn
It was a brisk and beautiful to get outside and connect with others in the community while also taking care of a local urban forest!
Impacts
- 16 community members engaged
- 5 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- 5 people visited Dickson Woods for the first time
- 49 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 11 cubic metres (about 68 bathtubs full) of invasive English ivy, Himalayan Blackberry, Evergreen Blackberry, Daphne & English Holly
- 25 trees, 6 ferns, 2 Oregon Grapes and countless native plants saved from being strangled by English Ivy
Highlights
- The weather was warm for this time of year & we had a great time rescuing trees & native species from invasive plants
- Artemii came all the way from Coquitlam to participate & helped set up
- The sugar cookies in the shape of invasive ivy were a HIT!
- We had a mother & son team (Denise and Raf) work together
- Natsuki & Rena WON the longest English Ivy vine contest and got the Victoria Airport Authority jar of honey. Good job Otone, Adam and Rebeca for giving them a run for their money !!
- 7 participants took the bus, 1 rode his bike (Curtis!). Thank you Mark for giving Rebeca a ride back to Esquimalt
- When participants were asked what their favourite activities were we heard: Running, hiking, badminton, riding, paddle boarding and swimming
- Community members of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels joined us today, including folks from North Saanich, Saanichton, Coquitlam, Sidney, Saanich, View Royal, Esquimalt, Victoria & Langley
- We had many yummy snacks & drinks including: sugar cookies, apple slices, bananas, brownies, cinnamon rolls, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, popcorn, granola bars, fruit treats
- This was the fourth of five activities we’re organizing at Dickson Woods in fall 2025 in partnership with the Victoria Airport Authority and we were excited to build upon our previous efforts!
- See summaries from activities on: October 19, 2025, November 18, 2025, November 29, 2025
- Sign up for our next activity at Dickson Woods: Saturday Dec. 13, 2025
What Community Members Said
Video of Rebeca talking about how great it is to meet new people
Video of Rena & Natsuki talking about how exciting it is to be in nature & meet special people
Video of Denise talking about how great it is to participate with her son Raf
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to the 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 at Dickson Woods will take place on Saturday Dec 13, 2025 from 9:45am-1pm. View details and sign up here!
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.
Partnerships Managers, Kaitlin Warren and Ashton Kerr supported this activity behind the scenes.