Thank you to our Greater Victoria Green Team community members who joined this activity:
Daegan, Tristan, Ademola, Hugh, Ariana, Porter, Crispin, Patrick, Andromeda, Scott, Samantha K., Ray, Josh, Charles, Kathy, Robin, Dennis, Vern, Raphael, Otone, Ethan, Adam, Tony, Sergio, Leia, Bahare, Benito, Christine, Chloe, Rafael, Caitlin, Toby, Homero, Ayaka, Tesla, Trevor, Rei, Allison, Ava, Jessica, Alexis, Jennifer, Samantha D., Arthur, Lauren, Ida, Mark, Ryan, Janice, Robert, and Jasmine!
Community members came together to connect & steward this beautiful park!
Impacts
- 51 community members engaged
- 11 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- 23 people visited Portage Park for the first time
- 114 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 16 cubic metres (about 100 bathtubs full) of invasive English Ivy (& some holly & Daphne!) removed
Highlights
- The View Royal Habitat Restoration Group (Dennis, Kathy, Bruce, Ida, Janice, and others) joined us, it was such a pleasure working side by side with them and building on the care they already bring to this park.
- Community members of all ages, backgrounds, & experience levels joined us from View Royal as well as Saanich, Esquimalt, Victoria, Oak Bay, Colwood, Langford, Sooke, Metchosin, and even Stewart! There is real value in people coming together from near and far to look after both one another and the environment. We were also grateful to welcome participants from Ecuador, Mexico, Nigeria, Japan, and Iran.
- There were some standout moments on the ground:
Mark tackled a massive invasive English holly using the weed wrench
Tristan removed all the Daphne from the site — an incredible effort
Samantha and Ethan gathered English ivy vines to weave into baskets
Otone and Adam took the initiative to collect all of our directional arrows
Alexis, Caitlin, and Ava helped set out refreshments – thank you!
- EVERYONE who helped pack our tent, table, tools & supplies. Especially Pat and Porter!
- Passersby thanked us for the work we were doing!
- We also enjoyed a great spread of snacks and drinks, including: chocolate chip mini muffins, grapes, carrots, mini donuts, granola bars, tomatoes, bananas & mandarins!
- Despite having to end early due to wind picking up, there was an astonishing amount of invasive plants removed and a huge impact made on the local ecosystem – way to go team!
- Check out some of our previous activities at this park:
- Feb 20 2026
- Jun 18 2025
- Mar 1 2025
- Feb 28 2025
- Nov 10 2024
- Thanks to the many activities that have taken place in this park over the last several years, and it’s incredible to see how much healthier and more vibrant the ecosystem has become thanks to our ongoing community stewardship and partnership with the Town of View Royal!
What Community Members Said
Video of Ademola talking about making an impact on the environment
Video of Jessica talking about improving ecosystem health
Video of Homero talking about meeting new people
Video of Caitlin talking about being out in nature and making a big impact with the community
Community Investment Partner
Thank you Chris, View Royal’s Habitat Restoration Coordinator, for helping to facilitate this activity. Email Chris at restorevr@gmail.com to get involved
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! This was our 3rd of 11 activities together in 2026 and we are so excited for another fantastic year of work together!
In-Kind Support
Thank you to LUSH for providing their fantastic shower gels, body conditioner and bath bombs that use natural ingredients, sustainable packaging, and are made in Canada! Our participants were excited 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 Manager, Kaitlin supported this activity behind the scenes.