The Rights of Trees, Woodlands and Forests Toolkit
The University of Sussex, UK has created a comprehensive guide to delivering rights-based protection for trees, woodlands and forests. Read more here Read more
Volunteers Monitor Coastal Water Quality
The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), Surfrider South Vancouver Island’s volunteer-run water testing education and advocacy program, aims to promote environmental stewardship and ensure safe and healthy access to coastal habitats. We sample water from more than 15... Read more
City of Victoria Updates Construction Standards to Prevent PVC Pollution
Last year, Surfrider SVI identified PVC pollution near Victoria beaches and storm drains caused by the outdoor dry cutting of PVC pipes during construction. PVC is one of the most toxic forms of plastics, comprising up to 60% known carcinogens and endocrine... Read more
Volunteers Needed for Wild Animal Care
If you are passionate about wild animals and their welfare, want to invest 2-4 hours a week from April to September, and don’t mind cleaning up the odd animal mess, you may be exactly what the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) in Metchosin, BC... Read more
Save 100 Majestic Oaks
The majestic Garry oaks at 4015 Braefoot Rd. in Saanich, British Columbia, are at critical risk. Over 100 of these magnificent trees, stand on the property; many have done so for centuries These trees are not just flora; they are vital keystone components of the... Read more
Petition to save the Mighty Braefoot Oaks!
The majestic Garry oaks at 4015 Braefoot Rd. in Saanich, British Columbia, are at critical risk. Over 100 of these magnificent trees, stand on the property; many have done so for centuries. These trees are not just flora, they are vital keystone components of the... Read more
Like Wooden Tombstones: The Latest Tree Decimation in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
In the morning hours of Feb 19, 2026, tree cutting trucks towing wood chippers behind them made their way into the vicinity of Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, which is managed by the CRD. Images of these vehicles will be posted soon. In the evening, I approached what... Read more
Open Letter to David Eby
Dear Premier Eby, Ordinarily I would be classified as a natural strong supporter of an NDP government, given the claim of the party to represent the interests of the working classes and those disadvantaged by the prevailing economic system and cultural biases. I had a... Read more
Situation Critical: Please help save The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, from Clear Cutting
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska is the largest National Forest in North America. It covers nearly 17 million acres and makes up a significant part of the world’s temperate forests. I’m reaching out to share a documentary project that needs support. The... Read more
Old Growth Logging Near Fairy Creek Ridgeline
Teal Cedar is seeking approval for Cut Block 56684 8027 in Pacheedaht territory, an old growth clearcut just 30 metres from the Fairy Creek ridgeline, along with the construction of a new logging road into ancient forests. This proposal threatens to log millennia-old... Read more
Protesters Thwart Plans for Goldstream Park Highway Expansion
A big shout out to Carl Olsen and all the people who have come out in support of protecting and preserving Goldstream Park and for the Vic News for sharing this “good news” story. Read more
We are a Part of Nature
Secret #1: Humans are a cooperative species Secret #2: Self-Importance is the Enemy of Kindness Secret #3: We are a Part of Nature Every breath we take, every thing we feel, Every hope we hold, every wound that heals. Every birth that starts, every death that ends, We... Read more
Speak Up For Wildlife!
It may still be chilly outside, but February is heating up with several opportunities to voice your support for wild lives and wild places. Below, we list 7 ways you can take action: from submitting public comments on wolf, bear, and caribou hunting, to signing... Read more
144 Names for a New Economy
Compiled by Guy Dauncey, author of The Economics of Kindness: The End of Capitalism, the Birth of a New Ecological Civilization Palgrave/Macmillan, Spring 2026 This list illustrates the deep, persistent desire by so many people to create a new kind of economy, one in... Read more
Reclaim the Economy for People and the Planet
As readers of this column know, I often refer to a piece of wisdom put forth by the World Wide Fund for Nature in 2014: “Ecosystems sustain societies that create economies. It does not work any other way round.”
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Modernizing Industrial Water Rates in BC: Ending the Great Water Giveaway
Your voice is a key part of making water rates fair and protecting BC’s watersheds. Tell decision-makers that British Columbians care about clean water and strong, sustainable funding for our watersheds. Budget day is Feb. 17th. Talking points appear after you click... Read more
Science Alliance for Forestry Transformation Update
“SAFT is group of leading forest ecologists/forest practitioners advocating for both legislative/policy and forest practices changes in B.C. The forest industry to date has largely been one of unsustainable resource extraction and conversion of primary forests... Read more
Twenty-Five Ways to Make Life Affordable for All
Robert Reich is right. In a recent Substack post he laid out how tariffs, monopolies, and corporate power are driving up the cost of living for ordinary people. Much of what we call “inflation” is not an economic inevitability, but the result of policy choices that... Read moreRare Wetland For Sale
Water is life and we desperately need to keep land for nature reserves. Please lend your support for Hamilton Marsh, the largest wetland between Nanaimo, Cumberland, and Port Alberni – located just minutes from the Town of Qualicum Beach by donating or writing a... Read more
Why Become a UNESCO Urban Biosphere Region?
Largely lost in the flurry of pre-Christmas distractions was a Dec. 10 announcement from the Greater Victoria Naturehood that the Capital Regional District board had approved a staff recommendation to prepare nomination documents designating Greater Victoria a UNESCO urban biosphere region.
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City of Victoria Draft Budget Missing Important Details – Public Comments Open Until Jan. 23rd
In response to the City of Victoria offering public input (until Jan. 23) on their draft budget, Creatively United has drafted this response. The public is encouraged to use this information to let the City of Victoria know that natural solutions, like trees, are an... Read more
Protect BC Forests
Two independent scientists in British Columbia, Dr. Suzanne Simard and Dr. Rachel F. Holt have prepared a quick and simple petition to lend support for our forests. Dr. Suzanne Simard is the author of the acclaimed book Finding the Mother Tree: Uncovering the Wisdom... Read moreTrees More Valuable Standing
If in doubt as to the value of every tree left standing, please take a moment to watch and share this informative 6-minute video made by the Halifax parks department: A Tree for All Trades. This film makes clear the fact that large, mature trees are exponentially more... Read more
Template Letters to all levels of Government – Action on Urban Forest and Climate-ready housing and Communities
Letters to Government – Action on Urban Forest and Climate-ready housing and Communities Thank you for taking action for our shared well-being! Find contact information for key government contacts here. SECTION 1 – Letter to Mayor and Council re... Read moreWhat You Can Do To Defend the North Coast Tanker Ban and Protect B.C.’s Coast
The North Coast Tanker Ban is there for a reason: to keep Coastal Communities safe What you can do to Defend the North Coast Tanker Ban and Protect B.C.’s Coast Context B.C. communities and The B.C. Government and Coastal First Nations have voiced strong... Read more
The Undoing of the Islands Trust
Fifty years ago, BC took a bold step to save our islands from “exploitation by real-estate developers and speculators,”* passing the Islands Trust Act, with its famous mandate “to preserve and protect” the Trust Area. Most islanders know that... Read more
Ella Stream in Critical Danger
Ella Stream in Critical Danger: When asked if the District of Sooke had discussions with the Federal Government about damage or potential damage to the Ella Stream and its environs, Sooke’s CAO, initially confirmed that conversations between the District and the Feds... Read more
Climate Ready Communities – A Toolkit for Local Governments
How can communities in B.C. grow and create new housing options while maintaining public safety and quality of life in the face of climate change and the biodiversity crisis? How do we create climate-ready housing and climate-ready neighbourhoods that are resilient to... Read more
Community Meditation and Brainstorm for the Old Growth Forests
Sunday, December 21, 4:30-6:30 pm, Church of Truth, 111 Superior St. Agenda: 4:30 pm: Doors open 4:45-5 pm: Introduction to the gathering’s purpose and intention 5-5:15 pm: World Meditation Day silent meditation. For 15 minutes we will join globally with an... Read moreDon’t Ram a Pipeline Through the BC Coast
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the federal government have outlined a deal that will pave the way for a dirty tar sands pipeline from Alberta to the BC coast — without Indigenous consent and threatening our oceans, wildlife, rivers, and forests. The last time an... Read more
Urge Your MP to Stand Against Any New Tar-Sands Pipeline
With your help, 12,000 community members have already taken action against any future pipelines – but we can’t let up the pressure now. Look up your MP and send them a personal email urging them to oppose any new tar sands pipelines or tanker expansion, and... Read moreIf the Owl Calls Your Name
I have watched the film If the Owl Calls Your Name and have been watching the people from the film speak over the last few days. It is profound. And it is about us – Canada. It even talks about the protest for the forest and the pipeline. It is not like many other... Read more
Call for Biodiversity Protection
British Columbia is home to the greatest biodiversity in Canada, including the highest number of species at risk; The province is one of the few in Canada without a stand-alone law to protect endangered species; Habitat loss, climate change, and decades of... Read moreWhat Part of ‘Global Ecological Crisis’ Do They Not Get?
Another COP, another cop-out! As anyone who pays the slightest attention to the news must know by now, COP30, the annual global climate change jamboree — this year in Belem, Brazil — ended, yet again, more with a whimper than a bang.
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Carney Offers 20th-Century Responses to 21st-Century Challenges
It is said that, during the First World War, French prime minister Georges Clemenceau remarked that generals always prepare to fight the last war. Regrettably, it seems that this also applies to governments trying to manage our society.
Read moreOil Tanker Moratorium
Here is my request to council to support the continuation of the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. It would be helpful if you would take a moment to send a note to your council, Metchosin or other, with the same request. Dear Mayor and Council, and Admin. staff, Re: Oil... Read moreTaking a Stand for Goldstream Park and Treaty Rights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJx5luCX7xc Many close friends in Victoria love Goldstream Park with its majestic forest and river ecosystem. (Its original name is SELEKTEL in WSÁNEĆ.) Friends carry an understanding about this region as being part of the WSÁNEĆ... Read more
The Inconvenient Facts Carney and the Premiers Ignore
Prime Minister Mark Carney wants Canada to be an energy superpower, including in “conventional energy” (read fossil fuels). Far from being the climate-action champion we expected him to be, he seems to have swallowed his principles…
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Suing Canada’s Largest Pension Investment Manager Over Alleged Climate Risk Mismanagement
Ecojustice announces the first case of its kind… they are representing four young Canadians taking on the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), one of Canada’s largest financial institutions, for putting our pensions at risk. Learn more about this... Read more
Protect Goldstream Salmon Now
I think that saving the salmon spawning area of Goldstream River is a very important cause. If people even know about this highway expansion, they probably don’t know that nobody will get to their destination any sooner. The highway will still be single lane... Read more
Save the Tsitika! Take Action Before Sept. 30th
The Tsitika Valley is home to beautiful ancient trees and countless animal kin. Along its beaches, where streams from the Tsitika watershed meet the sea, lies one of the only places on Earth where killer whales are known to rub their bodies along the shoreline... Read more
Save the Garry Oaks And Tree Canopy on Lynnfield Crescent
The historic Garry Oaks on Lynnfield Crescent are more than just trees; they are living monuments to our shared heritage and an essential part of the urban canopy that enriches our community. These majestic oaks, some which have stood for over two centuries, not only... Read more
Vast Tree Removals Set For Victoria, and Victoria’s OCP Update Means Significantly Fewer Big Trees
The following was posted on the Friends of Vancouver Island Facebook page: Friends of Vancouver Island | Tree Removal Notices Appearing Across Victoria | Facebook “Tree Removal Notices Appearing Across Victoria If you’ve been walking around Victoria lately, you... Read more
National Tree Day 2025
Celebrated annually on September 24, National Tree Day is a holiday dedicated to recognizing the importance of trees in our lives. Initiated in 2011 by Tree Canada, this day serves as a tribute to the beauty, resilience, and crucial role of trees across Canada’s... Read more
Cougar Sculpture Blocking Logging Trucks in Upper Walbran Valley
Press Release: Defenders Call for Protection of one of BC’s Last Intact Old-Growth Watersheds August 25, 2025 — Upper Walbran, Tree Farm License 44 —A 15-foot tall cougar sculpture has been erected to block logging trucks on Monday morning from actively logging in the... Read more
Let’s Talk About Becoming A Well-Being Society
Last month I noted a growing recognition that the many challenges we face, from environmental degradation to concentration of wealth, structural inequality and exclusion, are a product of the economic and other societal systems we have created.
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Petition that the District of Saanich Phase out Highly Polluting Gas Landscaping Equipment
A new petition for the District of Saanich, calls for the municipality to take the crucial action of immediately deciding to phase out highly polluting gas landscaping equipment.
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Stand Up for SELE₭TEȽ (Goldstream Park)!
We are writing to ask for you and your organization’s support for W̱SÁNEĆ community members and allies who are protecting SELE₭TEȽ (Goldstream Park) along the Malahat Highway from a “highway improvement project” Our request is that you write a letter from your... Read more