Beautiful Tree in Downtown Victoria Slated For Removal
This beautiful and established tree at the corner of Humboldt and Government Street by the Visitor Information Centre adds beauty, character, charm and works 24/7 for no pay cleaning the air, absorbing excess water and providing habitat for birds, yet, like the stump... Read more
FOCUS Magazine Article: Victoria’s diminishing urban forest
A big shout out to Leslie Campbell for her excellent article in this month’s Focus Magazine on Victoria’s urban forests and the rise of the Community Trees Matter Network. We are so fortunate to have a publication like Focus Magazine telling it like it is.... Read more
Plenty to Celebrate!
Thank you for being part of the Creatively United community. We are honoured that Guy Dauncey has endorsed CreativelyUnited.org as the go-to-place to post and find local thought-provoking events, information and resources. This past year we have seen our community... Read moreGrizzly Bear Hunting Banned
Thanks to Barb Murray and the Bears Matter team for their years of hard work to ban the Grizzly Beat hunt. More than 300 grizzlies were saved this year and hundreds more will be spared each year the ban is in place. Charlie Russell was instrumental for changing how... Read more
Planting Our Future – A Tree Toolkit for Communities
Although this document was created in 2008, the information remains relevant and provides useful planning tools and strategies that can be used to help communities to enhance the value of their urban forest. The benefits of trees are clearly listed, issues and... Read more
Presentation to Esquimalt Council
Thank you mayor and council for your service to our community and the opportunity to address you. I’m here on behalf of the Community Trees Matter Network and the Creatively United for the Planet Society. We’d like to thank the Township and staff for being proactive... Read more
Victories To Celebrate!
Thank you to all the people and groups taking a stand for our community trees. The Community Trees Matter Network came together out of a desire to bring more voices together in support for our urban trees and forests and to find out what resources and information we... Read moreRecommendations To Make Trees Matter
Members of the Community Trees Matter Network and the Creatively United for the Planet Society have enthusiastically encouraged the City of Victoria to strengthen its tree preservation bylaws and adopt the strategic plan and budget that will see the Urban Forest... Read more
Art, Poetry & Prose Exposed
Eileen Curteis, a Sister of Saint Ann and Victoria resident, has just released her 12th book, Exposed, featuring 58 original works of art and divinely inspired poetry and prose addressing a journey of spiritual healing and enlightenment for our time. Sister Eileen has... Read more
Remembering City of Victoria Election Promises
With mayors and councils making important budget decisions now, these questions are more relevant now than ever. For example, Lisa Helps sent out a campaign news release saying we could celebrate Tree Appreciation Day by planting trees in neighbourhoods all over the city, up to 1000. However, only four were planted this year, about a quarter of the number that was planted last year.
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Master Forester Ray Travers Honoured by Distrist of Saanich
What a delight to see master forester Ray Travers honoured by the District of Saanich for his work on bringing attention to Shelbourne Street’s heritage trees planted in honour of 600 local Victorians killed during the First World War. Members of Creatively... Read more
Clubs & Recurring Community Events
Want your club or recurring events here? Let us know! All Month CRD Parks hikes, explorations and events for all ages. Change the World on Shaw TV, with Guy Dauncey. Interviews with local people who have big bold ideas and positive solutions for the future. Shaw TV... Read more
The Human Benefit of Trees
Kudos to Michael Meagher for this Letter to the Editor in the Nov. 22nd Times Colonist. “Anyone for a tax reduction on properties that contain trees?”
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Development With Vision
Victoria’s lush natural environment is what the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral is to Paris, a crowning jewel. No one would suggest taking the Notre Dame apart stone by stone to the ground and selling it off, however, that is exactly what we are doing to our... Read more
Healthy Saplings Lead to Healthy Ecosystems
The first three years, especially the first, are the most critical to tree saplings as they don’t have a developed root system to gather water, ward off pests, avoid being trampled or damaged. We lose the benefits mature trees provide when we replace them with... Read more
Proportional Representation: Getting More of What We Want
Would you like to live in a fairer, more compassionate world where community issues are are given consideration and you are inspired to have someone and something to vote for? This fall we will have a historic, once in a generation opportunity to say goodbye to First... Read more
Community Trees: Questions for Candidates
Thank you to the candidates who responded to our tree preservation questionnaire and put themselves forward to run in the 2018 municipal elections. Congratulations to all! Updated October 19th with new responses Dr. Jennie Moore of BCIT recently estimated the... Read moreWatch: Oil’s Deep State with Kevin Taft Livestream Broadcast
Thanks to the more than 300 people who attended this inspiring evening by multi bestselling author Kevin Taft and Elizabeth May. For those who missed it, or want to hear all the gems shared, here’s your chance. There is a wealth of incredible knowledge here.
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A Victory To Celebrate
Victories are being won that bring power back to the people and help protect our planet and democracy from abuse. This story is one to celebrate. It’s a victory for all of us. — Dear Avaazers, Our hearing just ended, and the judge absolutely DESTROYED... Read moreWatch Now: Creating a One Planet Community Event
Everyone wondered how we could possibly feature more than 20 presentations in less than two hours, but we did it! Inspiring stories of innovation, collaboration, community and creativity were shared with both a live and livestream audience worldwide around the theme... Read more
My Journey of Compassion
I love that the word passion is in the word compassion. My compassion for the underdog has become one of the reasons why I volunteer thousands of hours to my passion project, Creatively United for the Planet, in support of our community. I suppose I’ve always related... Read more
Informative Tree Links
List updated August 13th, 2019 Urban Forests: A Climate Adaptation Guide Planting Our Future: A Tree Toolkit For Communities Citizen’s Coolkit on Climate Change & Urban Forestry Tree Canada Resource List Read moreWhale of a Wake Up Call
When I think of the 17 days of the “tour of grief” exhibited by the endangered female Orca whale known as J35, I can’t help but think this was done as a very public way of saying “look at what you’ve done you ignorant humans!”... Read more
City of Victoria Honorary Citizen Awards 2018
What a huge honour to receive a City of Victoria Honorary Citizen Award today at the Victoria Conference Center with so many lovely and well-deserving people as: Marika Albert, Mark Ashfield, Fiona Bramble, Diya Courty-Stephens, Denis Donnelly and Siobhan Robinsong,... Read more
Environmental Lawyer to lead Sierra Club BC into 50th Year
Environmental lawyer Hannah Askew will be leading the Sierra Club of BC as its new Executive Director. She replaces Bob Peart, former Executive Director, who retired last year. 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of Sierra Club BC’s founding. Confronting the climate... Read more
National Indigenous People’s Day 2018
Creatively United was honoured to be invited to take part in the 2018 National Indigenous People’s Day at the invitation of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) at their fabulous Regina Avenue location in the Burnside/Tillicum area. The drumming, dancing,... Read more
Springing in to Festival Season with Two Amazing Events
What a celebration of community these past two weekends have been! Creatively United was proud to help sponsor two inaugural festivals to launch. Starfields – A Festival of Hope, featured a wide variety of amazing speakers, Juno award-winning musicians, and... Read moreA Poem For You & Me
Trees provide beauty, shade, fresh air, habitat for birds and animals, ambiance, sequester carbon and help fight climate change, plus provide chemicals that we inhale that have a calming influence. Now, when we need them the most, trees are being treated as disposable... Read moreLocal Heroes Bringing Hope to Millions in Epic Plea
Victoria’s own Compassionate Resource Warehouse (CRW) is partnering with ICROSS Canada in sending 2 x 40′ HC containers to YEMEN. I have personally visited the Compassionate Resource Warehouse and can say they are a vital, proactive volunteer organization... Read more
Book Excerpt: Conversations With A Tree by Jane Warren Campbell
The book explores Jane’s communication with trees, revealing that what they have to share is deep wisdom and pure love. Jane not only shares the heart-felt messages from the trees, she shows you how to experience for yourself the guidance and healing that the trees have to offer.
Read moreA Reflection on Being
I was moved to deep silence when I heard April Hambley share this piece at the Church of Truth – Community of Conscious Living’s regular 11 am Sunday gathering, at 111 Superior St. I love co-creative, collaborative projects and envisioned putting some of... Read more
Open Innovation Challenge
Are you ready to unleash your most innovative ideas to help solve Greater Victoria’s real-world challenges and have the chance to win $15,000 in prize money? On November 25, the South Island Prosperity Project brought together residents, local leaders, First... Read moreSolutions Episode Three: Food & Farming
Local food experts share a wealth of knowledge on everything from growing citrus fruit to food security, featuring Vancouver Island non-profits and leading edge small businesses dedicated to healthy, nutritious and delicious food. “What a fantastic segment. I’m... Read moreSolutions Episode Two: Artists As Change Makers
Our second episode covers how an internationally-renown filmmaker, photojournalist, singer/songwriter duo, and a fine art photographer are all creating change through their craft. Featuring striking imagery and insight into the power of art.
Read moreSolutions Episode One: The Future of Transportation
Our first show takes a creative approach to the future of Transportation and includes interviews with numerous people throughout the region and Salt Spring Island.
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Canada C3: Honouring the past and looking towards the future
Canada C3 is an epic 150-day sailing journey from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage. Through this unprecedented journey, Canada C3 is celebrating our environment, sharing the stories of coastal communities and connecting Canadians from coast to coast to... Read more
ECOreport: What Do You Think Site C Is Really About?
“They are going about it in completely the wrong way. To force this project through on First Nations that does not want it, on a public that does not want it: is not how you build support and trust. “
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Lieutenant Governor recognizes Government House Gardens as part of a NatureHood
The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and Nature Canada, Canada’s oldest national nature conservation charity, officially designated the grounds of Government House, a NatureHood site, as part of the expansion of the existing Saanich... Read more
Local Senior Making A Difference | Planting the Way to a Sustainable Future
Retirement isn’t in the vocabulary of Victoria speech language pathologist Marlene Lewis. By day, this vivacious Victoria-based, 65-year-old mother is on a mission to end-dyslexia and by night, she volunteers with Landmark Education Worldwide as a... Read more
Car Free Day YYJ 2017
Thanks to everyone who came out this past Father’s Day to Car Free Day YYJ and to Andrew Duffy for the coverage of This Is Leadership and End Dyslexia, one of our community members in this week’s paper. More photos inside!
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Making History Together!
Thank you to everyone who came out in support of Creatively United’s Sixth Annual Earth Day Community Celebration & Sustainability Showcase. The crowds were steady, the displays interesting and meaningful, the art and music beautiful and plentiful, and the... Read moreSHAW TV Pilot Debut
This is the pilot episode of an upcoming six-episode series to air this fall on Shaw TV by This IS Leadership, a program dedicated to showcasing local leadership and changemakers in action!
Read moreCreative Upcycling
Creative Upcyclist and SaltSpring Island textile artist, Jaime Murdoch, leads this fascinating workshop that explores the question: Where do T-shirts come from? And where do they go?
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Shaw TV Pilot Training & Launch
This Is Leadership, an initiative of the Creatively United for the Planet Society, will be launching a community television series this April that showcases and celebrates local individuals, organizations, businesses, institutions and groups in our region. Produced in... Read moreClimate Change & Sustainability and its Relevance to Society
Having recently attended a climate action talk this week hosted by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC it was extremely encouraging to hear how engineers are now questioning their liability, ethics and moral responsibility.
Read moreGrowing Awareness & Interest in All Ages
There is definitely a growing awareness and interest in curbing fossil fuel expansion and moving towards a carbon neutral economy that puts people and planet first.
Read moreNaturally Inspired
Thank you to everyone who came out in support of our recent fundraiser at the Robert Bateman Centre, featuring Sherrill Miller’s inspiring presentation The Gift of Change with images by landscape photographer extraordinaire, the late Courtney Milne. Big thanks... Read more
TV Training for This Is Leadership
We are so fortunate to have the opportunity for community-led television programming with Shaw TV. Thanks to community leaders like Daphne Goode and the incredible camera/tech team led by Chris Weatherhead and Orlando Carillo at Shaw, our enthusiastic volunteer team... Read moreUrban Sanctuaries Project
The Capital Regional District (CRD) has teamed up with many regional partners to celebrate the 2017 centennial of the Migratory Bird Convention Act. The CRD is home to 3 of BC’s 7 bird sanctuaries, in Shoal Harbour, Esquimalt Lagoon and Victoria Harbour.
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