This activity was organized in partnership with the City of Langford!
Thank you to Lisa Park’s Grade 2 and 3 students from SĆIȺNEW̱ SṮEȽIṮḴEȽ Elementary School who joined us!
Michael, Davina, Remy, Llewelyn, Carter, Ella-Jen, Harrison, Tayven, Alejandro, Blair, Christian, Nora, Charlee, Isabelle, Evelyn, Bellamy, and Easton, Isabella.
Thank you to Merridee Hamilton’s Grade 4 students from SĆIȺNEW̱ SṮEȽIṮḴEȽ Elementary School who joined us!
Davis, Ryan, Yuvi, Chloe, Bria, Natalie, Keenan, Minha, Tynan, Daxton, Zayden, Mason, Yoohyun, Brooklyn, Carter, Hudson, Owen, Jacob, James, Dylan, Kira, Kellin, Toryn, Jenny, Vera, and Adiel
Youth Impacts
42 students were engaged, contributing 63 hrs to environmental action!
- 70% planted native species for the first time
42 students participated in a show-of-hands poll, results showed:
- 95% felt inspired to take future environmental action
- 100% felt a sense of belonging & connection to others
- 100% felt their well-being improved
- 100% said time spent in nature contributed
- 100% said helping the environment contributed
- 88% increased their understanding of environmental issues
- 95% gained practical knowledge (e.g. impacts of invasive species)
- 83% developed new skills (e.g. teamwork & hands-on stewardship action)
Change starts with people. To have a lasting environmental impact, people need to feel connected, capable and empowered to take action.
Our activities are designed to increase:
- Community resilience & social connection
- Well-being through time in nature
- Participation in climate & environmental action
- Awareness of environmental issues
- Connection to local places & natural areas
- A culture of volunteerism & civic engagement
Environmental Impacts
- 543 native trees & shrubs were planted including Pacific Ninebark, Slough Sedge, Soft Common Rush, Oregon Grape, and Red Flowering Currant.
- 80 square metres of habitat revitalized!
Highlights
- Students brought real personality and joy to the site by naming their newly planted shrubs! Creative names included Bob, Phyllis, Johnny, Pickles, Emma, Bobby Jr, Leafy, Jeams, Mason, Erik, Jimmy, Timmy, LG, and many more. The planting area quickly turned into a “neighbourhood of plants,” with students excited to return in the future to visit their living “friends.”
- Students also learned about rain garden benefits, including filtering pollutants, slowing stormwater, and supporting cleaner waterways and healthier ecosystems.
- On their way home, many students brought their parents back to the site to proudly show what they had accomplished. Families were amazed by the transformation and the hands-on work that went into building a rain garden designed to filter clean water into Pritchard Creek.
- Wildlife appeared almost immediately after planting, as if celebrating the new habitat. Butterflies and dragonflies were spotted visiting the rain garden shortly after installation.
- Keenan also discovered a tiny slug in the soil, sparking curiosity about the hidden ecosystem beneath the surface.
- Thank you to City Councillors Kimberly Guiry and Mary Wagner for joining the activity on site. They actively participated in planting and supported students throughout the day. Their involvement highlighted the importance of community leadership in environmental stewardship.
- Students enjoyed Lyda’s homemade tree-shaped cookies during the snack break. The cookies were a big hit and were rated a “10 out of 10” by students. Juice boxes were also enjoyed at the end of the activity to celebrate a successful planting day.
- Special thank you to:
- Teachers Merridee Hamilton and Lisa Park for their leadership, organization, and support in preparing students and guiding learning throughout the activity.
- Kam, Marcus, Tyler, Nathan, Scott, Moon, Kai, Tyler #2, and Wes for their hard work preparing the site, supporting students, and helping with planting techniques and root system care.
- Kaitlyn, Brent, and Kate from the City of Langford for their partnership, collaboration, and hands-on support that helped make the rain garden planting a success.
- This was our first time working at this location, but we’ve been working in Langford since 2024! Check out past activities below:
What Youth Said
16 students shared what this activity meant to them:
Video of Bria, James, and Natalie speaking about all the new things they learned.
Video of Chloe, speaking about the importance of growing and having fun with friends.
Video of Ryan, speaking about the new plants he learned.
Video of Vera, speaking about how plants are good for the environment.
Video of Dylan and Tynan, speaking about working together and growing trees.
Video of Keenan, speaking about how plants are good for the environment.
Video of Steven and Christian, speaking about all the fun parts of the day.
Video of Isabella, Charlie, and Davena speaking about their favourite parts of the planting.
Video of Isabel, Blaire, and Nora speaking about the smell of being outside and having fun planting.
Video of Evelyn and Bellamy, speaking about getting dirty in the soil and messaging the plants.
Community Investment Partner
Delivered in partnership with the City of Langford our Community Investment Partner.
Green Teams of Canada and Langford are working together to achieve our shared environmental and community objectives.
Langford provides ecological direction, while we bring expertise in community engagement – mobilizing people to take meaningful environmental action and inspiring future stewardship.
This partnership includes financial investment from the city to build connection, improve well-being, and create lasting environmental and community impact.
Special thanks to Langford city staff Kaitlyn and Brent for their valued contributions in bringing this activity to life.
Project Supporters
Thank you to Draycor Construction, Listco Landscaping & Irrigation, MDI Landscape Architects, McElhanney for their work to create this rain garden and on the ground support to help make this activity the success it was!
Thank you also to Green Thumb Nurseries for supplying the plants needed for this project.
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.
Lyda Salatian, Green Teams of Canada’s Executive Director co-lead this activity with Sara Schwartz, the Greater Victoria Green Team’s Program Manager.
We Are All In This TOGETHER! The Future Depends on Us
The Greater Victoria Green Team is a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada, engaging communities in hands-on environmental action since 2014.
We bring people together to improve well-being and inspire environmental stewardship. Through activities like invasive plant removal, native species planting, and litter clean-ups, participants take practical action and see the impact they can make.
What sets us apart is our focus on people. Our activities are inclusive and accessible to all ages, abilities and experience levels, especially those new to environmental action. Many join for the first time, deepen their understanding of environmental issues and leave feeling capable and motivated to take future action.
We also strengthen and support the broader stewardship network by working with governmental agencies, non-profits, land trusts, volunteer-led groups, schools, and businesses, bringing new people into existing efforts and expanding their reach. Many participants go on to deepen their involvement, take on leadership roles, or contribute to other initiatives.
We believe lasting environmental change starts with people. By creating meaningful opportunities for people to take part, we help build more connected, resilient communities.
We can all make a difference!