Field Trips

  • Short Day Trips Tuesday to Thursday

    Tuesday – Mystic Vale
    Duration : 1.5 hours (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus: Riparian restoration
    Mystic Vale trail meanders through a forested ravine to Cadboro Bay beaches and shops below the University. It is one of the campus’s most frequented walking areas along with Haro Woods. Students and community members have removed dense ivy on stream banks and created detention ponds to minimize stream bank erosion to protect this valuable green space.

    Wednesday – Mount Tolmie
    Duration : 1.5 hours (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)
    Trip focus: Invasive plants
    The view from the top of Mt. Tolmie to the Coast, Olympic, and Cascade Mountains and surrounding seas is a must on your list. The site of one of Victoria’s first community broom removal projects, the masses of Camas, Shooting Stars, and Spring Gold are proof of their effort. A ten minute walk from UVIC. Additional Highlight : View of the city.

    Thursday – Haro Woods
    Duration : 1.5 hours (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus: Urban Forest
    Haro Woods offers a up close look at a second growth forest of coastal Douglas Fir, western red cedar and shore pine. Threatened red-legged frogs, deer, raptors and owls call these woods home. Recently purchased by the District of Saanich, community groups are working hard to manage invasive species that call this site home too. And Great Horned Owls really do nest here! Just a 15 minute walk from UVIC.

    Friday Field Trips

    City Tour
    Duration : 7 to 8 hours (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus : Overview of restoration in the Victoria area

    Starting off at Dallas Road with spectacular views of the Olympic mountains, grab some fresh sea air while City of Victoria Parks staff talk about the restoration of Dallas Road Cliffs and the Camas meadows of Beacon Hill Park. We’ll then explore a variety of urban streams and wetlands to see how our cities and municipalities work together to restore large and small streams for habitat and salmon enhancement. This includes the Gorge Waterway, a thirteen mile tidal inlet with its own fascinating ecology, eelgrass beds, otters, and seabirds. We’ll end with a visit to Upland Parks Garry Oak meadows in full spring bloom. The trip will end at a local pub-restaurant.

    Dallas Road - Urban park restoration and shoreline protection

    City of Victoria Parks staff will talk about the restoration of Dallas Road Cliffs and the Camas meadows of Beacon Hill Park. City of Victoria Parks staff will discuss the long-range restoration plans for the shoreline bluffs along Juan de Fuca Strait. Restoration challenges include protection of plant species at risk, removal of invasive plants and replanting of native species, and protection of Dallas Bluffs from shoreline erosion and beach deflation. We’ll also have spectacular views of the Olympic range across Juan de Fuca Straight

    Cecilia Ravine Park - Riparian restoration and daylighting

    This area has only recently started to receive attention as a key natural areas park in the City of Victoria park system. City of Victoria Parks staff will show the daylighted section of Cecelia Creek and discuss storm water control issues, and restoration challenges with urban woodlands in the city core. The Gorge Waterway Initiative will also be highlighted at the creek delta. The Gorge Waterway is a thirteen mile tidal inlet with its own fascinating ecology, eelgrass beds, otters, and seabirds.

    Uplands Park - Urban park restoration – Garry Oak ecosystems

    Uplands Park contains the largest intact piece of Garry oak meadows and woodland in the Capital Regional District. Don’t miss the spring wild flower bloom in Uplands Park, which includes Shooting Stars and Camas. Margaret Lidkea and her Girl guide troop have tended the meadows. Restoration challenges in this urban park will be highlighted.

    Bowker Creek - Riparian restoration

    Working in collaboration, Oak Bay, Victoria, and Saanich municipalities developed a plan to restore Bowker Creek. The field trip will highlight both daylighted sections of the creek, and the challenges of future riparian restoration. The Bowker Creek Initiative, an non-profit group dedicated to this project, just received funding to restore additional riparian habitat along the creek.

    Mt. Douglas Creek - Riparian restoration

    Mt. Douglas Creek runs through fern-deep woodlands in Mt. Douglas Park near the University of Victoria. Friends of Mt. Douglas have restored many sections of the creek and spawning grounds using innovative streambed restoration techniques and tools. Participants will visit the stream reaches where placement of coarse woody debris and boulders have created spawning and rearing habitat for coho and chum salmon.

    Saanich Penninsula
    Duration : 7 to 8 hours (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus : Eel grass and spawning grounds restoration, landfill restoration

    The Saanich Peninsula is Victoria’s breadbasket supplying us with everything from cheese to nuts. We’ll visit local conservationist Nikki Wright, who has helped to restore 14,000 m2 of eel grass meadows in once- ruined inlets. Peninsula Steams member Ian Bruce will show sites where community and First Nations members are working to bring back salmon and cutthroat trout. Not to miss is the award-winning work of the Hartland Landfill to transform the regions solid waste facility to a natural and self-sustaining site. The trip ends at Dragonfly Wines for food and relaxation.

    Swan Lake Nature Preserve – Lake, riparian and meadow restoration

    Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary’s motto is bringing ‘People and Nature Together”. Nature sanctuary staff are doing it here by building new pedestrian infrastuctures, streams and ponds to provide the community residents access to an inner city wetland area. Visitors will view recent wetland and meadow restoration sites and discuss issues of water quality and habitat protection in the middle of the city.

    Hartland Landfill – Wetland/Forest restoration on landfill site

    Hartland Regional Landfill serves the waste disposal needs of all the citizens of the Capital Regional District. Staff will discuss their efforts to control spread of invasive plants and to return the landfill surface to a self-sustaining forested landscape upon landfill abandonment.

    Tsawout Reserve – Cultural restoration

    Tsawout First Nation members have been working to restore natural vegetation on Island View Beach, fronting the Tsawout Reserve. First Nation members will discuss their connection between cultural and ecological restoration, and the unique challenges of working on Indian Reserves.

    Airport Creek – Riparian restoration

    Riparian restoration work on a creek near Victoria’s Airport will be highlighted. The challenges of restoring a creek heavily affected by agricultural runoff and loss of riparian habitat are the focus of this tour.

    Todd Inlet – Creek and delta restoration

    SeaChange Society staff will show eel-grass restoration efforts offshore in Todd Inlet, and onshore terrestrial restoration work to complement the long term restoration of salmon streams and fish rearing habitat in the Saanich Inlet.

    West Shore
    Duration : 7 to 8 hours (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus : Preservation and restoration activities in protected areas

    This tour takes us out to the West Shore of the Capital Regional District, to explore some of our most highly protected areas. You will get a real sense of the Pacific Coast from Rocky Point Military Reserve, which protects some of our rarest plants and animals including the Taylor’s Checkerspot butterfly. Situated just east of Esquimalt Lagoon and bird sanctuary, Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site is worth the walk through rolling hills to see the historic site and wildflower meadow restoration. A brief climb up Mill Hill brings us to superb views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. At the summit the mountain view and restored camas meadows completes the hike. We’ll continue to Devonian Park tucked between Metchosin farmlands to view invasive plant management programs. This tour stops at the Six Mile Pub overlooking Esquimalt Harbour.

    Rocky Point – Forest and meadow restoration

    Work on rare and endangered species on Department of National Defense lands will be highlighted, with local biologist James Miskelly. Rocky Point Military Reserve contains the Armed Forces weapons depot, alongside centuries-old aboriginal burial cairns, and rare plant habitat.

    Devonian Park – Invasive plants

    Volunteers have been removing invasive plants in this regional park for more than 10 years. Spring flowers will be in bloom in the restored Garry oak meadows. The trip will focus on the progress that a dedicated small group of volunteers can have on local ecosystems.

    Fort Rodd Hill Historic Site – Meadow restoration

    Fort Rodd Hill staff of Parks Canada will show areas of forest restoration and the beginning of Camas meadow restoration on site.

    Goldstream River Fish Hatchery - Riparian restoration, hatchery

    Rearing of salmon species for re-introduction to local salmon streams is the focus of Goldstream Hatchery work. The chum salmon run in Goldstream River is one of the most popular autumn excursions for Victoria residents. Hatchery staff will discuss their role in preserving local salmon populations.

    Mill Hill Park – Invasive plants
    Mill Hill Regional Park has had volunteer invasive plant programs in place for many years. Parks staff will discuss their successes and challenges in maintaining natural habitat qualities in Mill Hill. Participants will view the restored sites, Garry oak meadows and wildflowers, plus views of the surrounding seas.

    Up-Island Tour
    Duration : 7 to 8 hours (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM)
    Trip Focus : Range of habitats and restoration efforts in the Cowichan Valley

    We’ll travel up the Malahat to the Cowichan Valley to witness the outstanding floral blooms of Mt. Tzouhalem Ecologial Reserve where Dave Polster will discuss work to protect rare plants from successional conifer growth. Spectacular views are offered of the Cowichan Valley from Mt. Tzouhalem. The largest most intact Garry Oak habitat areas are found at the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve, where research into fire restoration and grazing impacts are a few of many restoration methods researched here. Over 200 species of birds live at Somenos Marsh Conservation Area, along with beaver, muskrat and Roosevelt elk. For relaxation this trip ends at Merridale Cider and Bistro.

    Five Fingers - Riparian restoration

    This riparian restoration area features the building of an offchannel for salmon rearing and rearing on the Cowichan River. The Cowichan River is a salmon river of great importance to the local Cowichan Tribes and to salmon fishermen and salmon enthusiasts in the Cowichan Valley.

    Mount Tzouhalem Reserve - Forest restoration

    Mt. Tzouhalem is an 18 acre Ecological Reserve, with spectacular spring wild flowers and views over the Cowichan River Estuary. Recent restoration work involves girdling and removal of small diameter Douglas fir to prevent their encroachment on Garry oak meadows.

    Somenos Reserve - Forest and meadow restoration

    Somenos Reserve includes Garry oak meadows and Douglas fir forest. Nature Conservancy of Canada have been managing the property, and conducting regular mowing and planting of native species in meadow habitat. NCC staff and volunteers will discuss their successes and challenges in habitat restoration.

    Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve - Garry Oak Restoration

    The Nature Conservancy of Canada owns and manages this large and mostly intact Garry oak habitat area. Research has been carried out on restoration using intensive controlled experimental burns and grazing. The Preserve also has a successful native plant nursery on site.

© Restoration 2012: Beyond Borders. All rights reserved.