Support Nature in Your Neighbourhood
Naturescape is a program and concept to protect, maintain and enhance wildlife habitat and native biodiversity. It encourages creating diversity, layers and edges and using native plants on your property and in the re-design of landscapes. Saanich Council endorsed the principles of Naturescape and a plan for implementation in 2000.
Basic principles
- Stewardship
- Create and preserve habitat
- Preserve biodiversity
- Conserve water
Naturescaping is fun and can bring endless enjoyment of nature right in your backyard! While being a steward of nature, you are also doing something that benefits your family’s health and potentially saving money (less water, mowing and other gardening expenses).
While we encourage you to use native plants, the main goal is to create habitat. We do recommend many non-native plants.
See our Naturescape brochure [PDF – 1 MB] for more information and use our Naturescape Yard Checklist [PDF – 259 KB] to make plans.
Download provincial Naturescape resources from HCTF Education: Naturescape Provincial Guide and the Plant and Animal Guide for our region.
Design ideas
You can make something as small as a window planter box or a larger butterfly garden plot with bright colours and interesting textures to create habitat. You can also create naturalistic designs to cover a large spread of land and recreate the feel of a natural meadow or woodland.
Your urban yard can become an extension of natural areas and provide valuable habitat for wildlife – as well as helping to create wildlife corridors across the landscape.
More benefits:
- Save water
- Reduce use of fertilizers
- Eliminate pesticides and imported peat moss
- Reduce mowing cost
- Improve air quality and human health
- Reduce cost of buying, planting and tending annuals
- Reduce impact of invasive plant species
- Support for regional plants and animals at risk
- Help to define an image unique to our region
Benefits for Children
Have fun naturescaping with young people in your life. Studies show that spending time in nature, playing and connecting with nature has many health and healthy development benefits for children, including:
- Supporting creativity and problem solving
- Improved academic success
- Increased physical activity
- Improved social relationships
- Increased self-discipline
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased confidence
- Building a sense of wonder
Naturescape Information
Saanich Naturescape Resources
- Naturescape brochure [PDF – 1 MB]
- Naturescape Yard Checklist [PDF – 259 KB]
- Marine Backshore and Riparian Native Plant List [PDF – 555 KB]
Bird Resources
- Chickadee/Nuthatch nestbox [PDF – 100 KB]
- Invasive Birds [PDF – 227 KB]
- Naturescaping for Butterflies and Birds [PDF – 203 KB]
- Nest Box Building Instructions for Victoria Birds [PDF – 251 KB]
- Swallow-Wren Nest Boxes [PDF – 41 KB]
Gardening with Native Plants
- Bee Gardens: Create Habitat in Your Backyard [PDF – 322 KB]
- Gardening with Native Plants
- Native Plants for the Home Garden [PDF – 1012 KB]
- Selecting Plants for Pollinators
Other Naturescape Resources
- Naturescape BC Provincial Guide
- Naturescape BC Native Plant and Animal Booklet, Georgia Basin
- Bat House plans [PDF – 3 MB]
- Local Bat Guide
- Butterfly ID Sheet [PDF – 6 MB]
- Dragonfly checklist [PDF – 146 KB]