Nature & Conservation Archives - Page 15 of 17

If you live in Saanich, you can get a free tree planted on your boulevard! Check out this link for more info. (If you live in Oak Bay, they have a similar program! It is not posted, but for more info on Oak Bay’s boulevard tree program, call... Read more

One Planet Saanich – Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

Based on Bioregional’s 10 “One Planet” principles, the initiative addresses the “usual suspects” of sustainability — energy, transportation, food, materials and waste, water, green space and so on. But Bioregional begins with three principles about people and community: Health and happiness, equity and the local economy, and culture and community.

‘One planet’ Communities Look Forward

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation

On July 29 we reached Earth Overshoot Day — the day when humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint (EF) exceeded the Earth’s ability to replenish sufficient biocapacity to meet our demands.

Care about the Colquitz? Elk/Beaver Lake are the head waters of the Colquitz

This event will provide an opportunity to learn more about water quality issues at Elk/Beaver Lake and how you can support the development of a watershed management plan. Tasty, light refreshments will be provided! Join the CRD and the community on Wednesday, July 31... Read more

Welcome to the Anthropocene – Dr. Trevor Hancock Presentation

Nature & Conservation, Video

The Creatively United for the Planet Society is honoured to have Dr. Trevor Hancock on our board of directors. His columns appear weekly in the Times Colonist, and he is an in-demand speaker world-wide. This video was captured at one of our recent events on Creating... Read more

Presenting the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society

The Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society (GOMPS) was formed in 1992. Local citizens were concerned that native Garry oak woodlands and meadows were rapidly disappearing in the Capital Regional District. Development and human actions have caused and continue to be the... Read more

Residents’ Group Fights for a New Park in Langford

Nature & Conservation, Podcast

(200 residents attended a rezoning meeting recently to request some of this property be left as parkland. Please read on for an update.) On July 8, 2019 the City of Langford Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee moved to proceed with comprehensive... Read more

Skaana Podcast: Lummi & Orcas

The latest on the Lummi Nation’s fight to free Lolita (Tokitae), ceremonial feedings of the southern resident orcas, rights, responsibilities and reunification from Kurt Russo of the Lummi Nation Sovereignty and Treaty Protection Office. Stories of inspiring actions to save the orcas for Orca Action Month.

Highlands Strip Mine Not in Public Interest

Please take a moment and let Premier John Horgan know that you object to a proposed strip mine in the South Highlands. Now, more than ever, we need leadership on climate change. Turning 43 acres of hills, forest and wetlands into a deep and barren crater is not in the... Read more

Conservation of Resilience, Renewal and Complexity in B.C.’s Forests

Here is my input to Minister Doug Donaldson’s invitation to comment on the “Forest and Range Practices Act’ Improvement Initiative: Renewal and Resilience.” Click here to read my full report, “Conservation of Resilience, Renewal and Complexity in B.C.’s... Read more

Tree planting ‘has mind-blowing potential’ to tackle climate crisis

Planting billions of trees across the world (and preventing more deforestation) is by far the biggest and cheapest way to tackle the climate crisis, according to scientists.

Mudflats in the Colquitz River Estuary & Cuthbert Holmes Park

Barn Swallows, feeding at the tributary in the Colquitz River estuary. Globally listed under SARA as Threatened, and BC Blue listed status. How fortunate we are to have these visitors stop by on this flyway. We must protect these mud flats from disturbances by... Read more

The Need For Change Can Provide Opportunities

A few years ago, Naomi Klein wrote a book about climate change titled This Changes Everything. Her point was climate change is a crisis of capitalism and we need to radically rethink our society and economy, if we are to deal with it. But she was only discussing... Read more

Move From Denial, to Protests, to Building Better Mousetraps

Courtesy of the Times Colonist “Stop denying our Earth is dying,” read a poster held by a young woman taking part in a protest by the Extinction Rebellion group outside the BBC headquarters in London recently. Young people can see what is coming, and they are... Read more

Urban Forests Benefit Us All

Thank you to the more than 100 people who attended Community Trees Matter Network’s April 17th discussion with Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk. His inspiring presentation clearly illustrated the true value of trees from a public health and wellness perspective and why we... Read more

Help Us Save The 6

The 6 acres, located beside Wildwood, were once part of Wildwood and despite several changes in ownership have remained intact. Merv did some selective harvesting in line with his ecoforestry principles and practices, but the property hasn’t been touched for decades.... Read more

Earth Day In The Gardens Community Event

Meet and interact with earth-minded community groups, nonprofit organizations, green businesses and more at this, “enviro expo for all things eco!” Admission is free and includes access to our nine acres of demonstration gardens to inspire you, as well as interactive children’s activities to engage the next generation of environmental stewards.

Municipal Survivor Climate Challenge

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Nature & Conservation

The District of Highlands initiated the Municipal Survivor Climate Challenge in response to the catastrophic climate impacts we are experiencing and that will continue to escalate if we don’t collectively and immediately reduce our emissions. Here in BC and Canada we... Read more

The Redfish School of Change

The Redfish School of Change is an Environmental Studies field program open to ES students at the University of Victoria and at Western Washington University. Now entering its tenth year, this field school takes students on a tour through the the communities on both... Read more

Happy National Volunteer Week

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Food & Health, Nature & Conservation

Thank you for your support of our Volunteer Friends of Uplands Park Society. We greatly appreciate the many ways that our members volunteer: helping to restore Uplands Park and other natural areas in Oak Bay, stopping by to appreciate those that are able to do this,... Read more

Senate Needs To Protect Our Health and Environment

In recent weeks, we have seen large Canadian industries pressuring the Senate to favour their special interests over the wider health and environmental interests of Canadians. In the process, this unelected chamber is being asked to subvert the will of the elected House of Commons by delaying and effectively killing two bills.

Ecotoxicity and the ‘enormity of tiny-ness’

Nature & Conservation, Review

Courtesy of the Times Colonist Persistent organic pollutants, covered by the 2001 Stockholm Convention, are described as “chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of... Read more

Book Review | Unprecedented Crime: Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival

The authors do a good job of indicting as criminals the corporations, the governments at national and other levels and even the media for their concerted efforts to avoid dealing with climate change.

Park Protection Needs Vigilance

Check out the fabulous images/video of the diversity of wildlife living in harmony just 30 minutes from downtown Victoria. The NDP wants to put a highway through Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park. Fortunately and thankfully, the CRD board, with tremendous public... Read more

What Are We Doing?

I received a Saanich Parks newsletter and on page 3 is an article in which the Nature Conservancy of Canada is announcing the Garry Oak Meadow Marathon. Throughout February and March parks and conservation groups across southern Vancouver Island are hosting volunteer... Read more

Municipal Survivor Climate Challenge

The District of Highlands Council would like to challenge all of the AVICC Local Governments to a Municipal Survivor Climate Challenge. The goal of the challenge is to initiate a fun and friendly local government competition with each participating council measuring... Read more

Youth Climate Strike Movement Builds in Victoria

Local youth and students, families and adult supporters will be mobilizing in solidarity with youth world-wide for a safe, livable climate future. Join us on March 15th!

Green New Deal

“For more than a decade, the biggest progressive ideas about curbing climate change have relied on technical or narrow market mechanisms. They have required regulators to make emitting carbon dioxide costly. By prescribing industrial policy, the Green New Deal goes in a different direction: It throws all of American government and industry behind an attempt to make renewable energy cheap.”

Improvements to Saanich Tree Protection Bylaw

Article, Community Trees, Nature & Conservation, Transportation

Some good news. According to the Saanich News on-line (Wolfgang Depner), there’ll be a debate about this Notice of Motion regarding improvements to Saanich’s tree protection bylaw next Monday 11th March, at Saanich Municipal Hall. Meeting starts 7 PM.... Read more

Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Highway Proposal Update

Thank you to everyone who has written letters and showed up at CRD meetings to speak against the province’s desire to see a highway pushed through our precious watershed in the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park. The insanity of this proposal shows that the Ministry of... Read more

Together Trees Stand, Divided They Fall

It was such a disappointment to see the media slant a celebratory good news story into a negative piece of journalism by sensationalizing one council member’s comments. As community members and volunteers, we can honestly say we are very pleased at how receptive... Read more

Urban Forest Master Plan To Be Implemented

Thank you to Victoria Council (technically the Committee of the Whole) for approving $1.26 million in new funding for our urban forest, in addition to the $110K already approved to update the 2005 Tree Protection Bylaw. Finally, the Urban Forest Master Plan adopted in... Read more

Re: Generation – Why older people must stand in solidarity with the youth climate strikes

“But those of us who have long been engaged in this struggle will not abandon you. You have issued a challenge to which we must rise, and we will stand in solidarity with you. Though we are old and you are young, we will be led by you. We owe you that, at least.”

Healing the Pain of Climate Despair

The problems facing the world right now, the litany of environmental and social problems, are hard to bear. We feel despair, anger, and apathy. It hurts to engage deeply again and again with this very heavy material. And so it should. Use that pain, as it is fuel.

Why we still need to love this planet

The proximity of Valentine’s Day and the plan by a University of Victoria student, Antonia Paquin, to create love letters for the Earth for Valentine’s Day, put me in mind of the work of Dr. Helen Caldicott, an internationally renowned Australian physician and anti-nuclear activist.

Youth Rising For Climate Justice Rally

Kudos to Antonia Paquin and all the students and youth who came out this morning to the Youth Rising for Climate Justice rally at the Victoria Legislature where songs and many wise words were shared. A few of the many notable quotes: “We’re the first generation to be... Read more

National Geographic Video: Forest Garden With 500 Edible Plants Could Lead to a Sustainable Future

This is brilliant! It clearly shows how nature has set us up to thrive pre colonization…when people were free to live in harmony with the land. If we truly want to address climate change and food security, let this serve as a simple example of what is possible... Read more

Historical Garry Oak Ecosystems of Greater Victoria and Saanich Peninsula

This map, shared by landscape architect and planner Moira Wilson, offers helpful information and a challenge to regenerate and expand what remnants remain of this precious ecosystem in our region under pressures of population growth. Read more

Protect Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park

Creatively United will be standing up for the East Sooke Regional Park on February 20th at the CRD headquarters, 625 Fisgard in the 6th-floor boardroom on the importance of protecting and preserving East Sooke Regional Park. Please join us! Read more for more information.

The Importance of Trees in an Urban Setting

Last year there was quite a bit of talk about the heat in Montreal and the fact that so many people were dying during one of their heat waves. That was directly attributed to the lack of trees and their ability to significantly lower temperature. Read more

Honouring the Trees

On Sunday, Jan. 20th, a group of neighbours and citizens gathered in front of the gate at 1201 Fort Street. They offered their thanks and goodbyes to the 29 beautiful trees expected to soon be removed. The developer has sent notices of blasting work to begin in early... Read more

Solutions to the EDPA

Insuring gaps in protection and proactive conservation seen in the light of a climate change emergency is logical, insulates from us the impacts of climate change and saves money.

Beautiful Tree in Downtown Victoria Slated For Removal

Nature & Conservation, Podcast

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

Skaana Podcast: Sea Shepard Captain Paul Watson

Captain Paul Watson (@CaptPaulWatson) founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (@SeaShepherdSSCS) on the Sea Shepherd’s journey from outlaws to law enforcement and his battles to save the fish, the whales and the oceans.

Grizzly 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

Solstice a timely reminder of our place in the universe

I have never lost the sense of awe I experienced one night as a teenager as I lay down in a dark spot and really looked at the Milky Way. It was overwhelming and humbling to realize what a small part of the galaxy our own seemingly vast solar system is, and what a tiny part of all that I am.

The Value of City Trees

Some cities really understand the value of trees. Melbourne is planning on doubling its canopy by 2050. Athens wants to plant more trees to help it deal with urban heat islands, and flash floods. Seoul recently planted more than 2000 groves and gardens.

Increasing Benefits of Trees