Community Stories
BC Budget Consultation – by 2 pm, June 19
The NDP Budget Committee is accepting written submissions for its 2027 Budget. What should we be asking for? You can make up to three recommendations, with an explanation for each. Participate by using the submission form HERE . We have set up a google doc to share…
Flood the Consultation: Don’t Fast-Track Destruction
The Government of Canada is proposing major legislative changes that would make it easier for mega-corporations to profit while our communities and the planet suffer the consequences. Act now. See email template to send critical feedback to Prime Minister Carney and…
One of the Strongest Marine Protected Areas in the World
Six First Nations, BC and Canada will preserve and steward a large chunk of the Central Coast. That means no pipelines. The area will be protected under Indigenous law, and known as Mia-yaltwa Ha’lidzogm hoon , pronounced “Me-ah-yall-twa Ha-lee-joh-gom hOH-own,”…
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Urban Forest Master Plan report to Victoria Council, Dec. 12
For City Hall watchers who missed this, staff provided a detailed report on how they plan to implement the Urban Forest Master Plan. The city posted the highlights here: https://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/parks/urban-forest.html The reports Council received are…
City of Victoria Tree Planting Challenge, Mapping Tool and Workshops
Victoria is the first city in Canada to join the UN’s Trees in Cities Challenge. The City will work with the community to meet its goal of planting 5,000 trees on public and private land by the end of 2020. Residents and groups can join in the Trees in Cities…
Mature Trees Best at Absorbing Carbon
Anyone interested in the importance and value of old trees, should find this interesting. For years foresters have assumed that old trees have stopped growing and in many cases are decadent. Good we have forest researchers to do this important research. From The…
New City of Victoria Urban Forest Manager, Brooke Stark
The City of Victoria has finally filled the newly funded position of Urban Forest Manager. We look forward to working with Brooke Stark, former manager of Parks Operations, in her new role. She will now be responsible for long-term planning, the city’s natural area…
UBC Survey for EV Owners
EV owners, please consider taking this quick (5 minute) survey from UBC students on EV charging.
Key Public Health Issues for the 2020s
I was prompted to write this column by an article in The Tyee (a Vancouver-based online news service) about public health issues in 2020. It’s not often people write about public health, as opposed to health care, so the attention is welcome. However, I found the…
Skaana Podcast: David Suzuki on Our Past, Present & Future
Dr. David Suzuki (@DavidSuzuki) is Canada’s most iconic environmentalist and even in his eighties, he’s still fighting for our future. Skaana celebrates the end of the decade by recycling our premiere episode where we talked about fake facts, toxic whales and taking…
Birds Need Trees
When I first moved to James Bay, I often awoke to the sound of robins warbling in the trees, the chatter of sparrows and the sight of swallows elegantly swooping in between buildings. Sadly, this is no more. There is a strange silence in my neighbourhood. The reason?…
Garry Oak Comic Strip
A love of Garry Oaks and their Ecosystem compelled me to find a simple way to show my appreciation. Maybe through shared laughter it may bring more awareness.
First They Came for the Whales…
While there has been an increasing public focus on climate change in the past few years, and a slow awakening to the threat it poses, we have yet to wake up fully to an even bigger problem. I noted in a September column that we face not only a climate emergency but an extinction emergency.
Best Video of 2019
This is by far the best video I’ve ever seen on addressing climate change at home. Short, sweet, to the point and solutions based. Yes, we can do this. One small action by each of us amounts to a whole lot. Thank you Greta Thunberg! For 58 ways to lighter and…
Oppose Military Exercises in Washington State Parks
Tell the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to not renew the military’s permit to access our public parks! In 2015 the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission issued a 5-year permit allowing the U.S. Navy to occupy five Washington State…
