Thank you to instructor Dr. Noémie Boulanger-LaPointe, TAs Ms. Krezoski, Ms. Bell, Ms. Amanda Ketch, and the UVic Biogeography students who joined this activity:
Alexander-Mitchell, Janet, Élisabeth, Taya, A-C, Sasha, Aila, Jaimee, Zoe, Arien, Joseph, Tanya, Casey, Jahi, Aaron, Faolan, Breanna, Carmen, Keira, Paige, Stellen, Ross, Kyla, Carson, Mariah, Claire, Thea, Genevieve, Frances, Julia, Jacob, Thomas, Alana, Faro, Samuel, Gregory, Marin, Thea, Grace, Nabila, Jill, Declan, Maya, Oliver, Quintin, Claire, Tim, Esteban, Juliet, Emilie, Rachael, Mercedes, Alexa, Frances, Léa, Alex, Jace, Julia, Najai, Emma-Jeanne, Rebecca, Michael
A great day working alongside UVic Biogeography students to restore habitat while exploring the real-world impacts of invasive species! Keep on reading to find impacts, highlights and more from the day…
Impacts
- 60 UVic students and 3 teachers engaged
- 90 hours contributed to habitat restoration
- 95 square metres of habitat revitalized
- 9.5 cubic metres (about 60 bathtubs) of English Ivy
Highlights
- The sun came out and the clouds cleared giving us a gorgeous clear day under the forest canopy!
- Many UVic students got to explore the forest right in their own backyards for the first time including Jace and Alex.
- We had fun in the soil while untangling the invasive ivy from the native trailing blackberry and Janet found many earthworms!
- Many trail users thanked and cheered us on for the work we were doing!
- We had students say they were so excited to come back and see the success of the work they had done!
- We’ve been working to steward Mystic Vale in partnership with UVic’s Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability for many years and there’s been a noticeable positive difference being made! This was our 3rd trip to this trail in 2026.
- All the students will use the knowledge and skills they learned today for their class project, identifying different native and invasive species in the CRD and applying their classroom learning out in nature.
- Students learned to identify the difference between native Oregon grape and invasive English holly, as well as native Trailing blackberry and invasive English ivy!
- Students explored the abiotic (non-living) impacts of English ivy, including how its shallow root system can contribute to increased soil erosion.
- A great human moment: one student was excited to meet Lyda, sharing that her own middle name is Leda, she said she had never met anyone with such a similar name before.
- Students also learned about the biotic (living) impacts of ivy, such as how it outcompetes native plants and trees, leading to reduced biodiversity.
- Working side by side outside the classroom, students connected with one another in a new way, building relationships while tackling a shared challenge.
- There was a strong sense of engagement and curiosity, with many students expressing interest in continuing to take part in environmental stewardship activities beyond this experience.
- UVic Sustainability Project (UVSP) students were part of this class and were excited to work with the Greater Victoria Green Team.
What Students Said
Video of Thea and Janet talking about the wonderful sun and helping the environment!
Video Elizabeth and Jacob talking about how nice it is to get your hands in the dirt and how health promoting today has been!
Video of Aila talking about how great it is seeing everyone come together!
Video of Alana and Claire talking about excited they are to be out in the sun and getting good hands on experience!
Video of Quinton and A-C talking about placemaking and how they are meeting more classmates today!
Video of Jace, Rachel, and Frances talking about helping the forest and connection!
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 2nd 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.
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 Sara Schwartz , Greater Victoria Green Team’s new Program Manager, with support from Green Teams of Canada’s Founder and Executive Director, Lyda Salatian.