Invasive Species Removal and Native Tree Planting at Peter Grant Park, Sidney – September 23, 2023
Highlights From The Day
- 34 amazing members of the community joined us and contributed a total of 100 volunteer hours!
- Thank you to everyone for participating: Andrew, Arlo, Carol, Changwen, Cliff, Chloe, Cindy, David, Elisa, Harvey, Jaeden, Jianming, Jonathan H., Johnathan L., Jordan D., Jordan T., Kiersten, Lillian, Lynda, Maria, Marianne, Mauricio, Michelangelo, Nataliya, Randolph, Rhys, Scott, Stacy, Stephanie, Susan, Theo, Travis, Valerie, and Wallace!
- Together our team:
- Removed a volume of 5.5 cubic metres (over 34 bathtubs full) of invasive plant material!
- Revitalized about 86 square metres of the park!
- Planted well over 200 native trees!
- Scroll down to see before and after photos, as well as some in-action shots!
- All ages, backgrounds, and experience levels were engaged including families, returning Green Team volunteers, and first-timers!
- 16 people visited Peter Grant Park for the first time
- 7 people removed invasive plants for the first time
- Our Community Investment Partner, the Town of Sidney, provided direction and funding to make this activity possible!
This was our sixth time working in this park and we look forward to returning to continue our restoration work together! Today was also Sidney’s Tree Appreciation Day! Volunteers spent the day clearing space for native trees by first removing some invasive English ivy and then planting in key areas of the park to increase biodiversity, provides shade and cooling, purifies the air, increases spaces for habitats, and contributes to the beautification of the park! We were thrilled to have Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith and Councillor Scott Garnett join us for the activity!
Before & After Photos
Why Do 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!
By being out in nature doing something positive as a team, our community members:
- Develop a sense of belonging to community and place
- Have improved mental and physical health
- Connect to nature, which leads to environmentally responsible behaviour
- Learn about local environmental issues and actions they can take
- Learn the value of bringing together people to work towards a common goal
- Become leaders in their communities
- Increase confidence, resilience and perseverance
Partner For This Activity
A big thank you to the Town of Sidney for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada and providing the financial support and direction to make this activity possible – a big shoutout to Mike, Cliff, Clay, and Kira for all your support before, during, and after the activity!
Thank you for recognizing the importance of collaboration in community engagement and ecological restoration! Together we are restoring habitat and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in environmental stewardship!
We are very much looking forward to returning to Pater Grant Park to keep building off of our ecological restoration momentum!
Community In Action!
What Participants Are Saying…
“The impact is both significant and positive. Not only environmental but also socially; we have encouraged neighbours to volunteer and have enjoyed working alongside them.”
– Val
“It felt great to help restore the natural landscape of my community and tackle deforestation and invasive species on a local level. I enjoyed the sense of community I felt while volunteering”
– Arlo
Thank you to the fantastic local eco-friendly business LUSH that donated In-kind products for our hard-working community members to take home!
Our community members took home a thank you gift from one of our in-kind supporters! If you have any suggestions for sustainable/eco-friendly rewards, know of or own a business who would like to provide in-kind to our Green Team, please contact Kaitlin at kaitlin@greenteamscanada.ca
Our Staff
This activity was run by our Program Manager, Kaitlin Warren (third from the right) and our Program Coordinator, Severine Tyszewicz (second from the right).
Severine was hired as part of the Youth Leadership Program, intended to empower the next generation of environmentally-focused community organizing!
A big thank you to the Sidney Staff who helped with all of their support: Clay (far left), Cliff (second from the left), Kira (third from the left), and Mike (far right).