A conversation about the distribution of biodiversity within and between the City of Victoria’s neighbourhoods.
To complement the City’s excellent inventory of all trees on public land, the Victoria Community Association Network (VCAN) has involved each neighbourhood in an inventory of Garry oaks and other elements of biodiversity on private property. Each neighbourhood developed their own approach and will be reporting back to residents on what they learned and what we have learned about the larger patterns within our urban forest.
The urban area of the City of Victoria is the Garry oak ecosystem (GOE)–– a fact often left out of discussions on the urban forest. Objectives of the project include:
- to connect people, cultural connections to the territory, map current Garry oak distribution, enhance canopy equity.
- to directly benefit residents and wildlife, wildlife corridors for the movement and dispersal of organisms, and establish nodes of functioning.
- assist in protecting and restoring the function of sensitive ecosystems and natural areas, including habitat corridors and assist with the parks acquisition strategy (9.2 of the Official Community Plan).
This project was made possible by a City of Victoria “My Great Neighbourhood Grant”, the volunteers, a GIC consultant, and support letters from the Sierra Club and the Rockland Neighbourhood Association who administered the grant.
GOMPS provided a letter of support and urban forest expertise via a walking tour for participants.
Presenatation Slides
Presentation slides by Carollyne Yardley (.pdf) (Rockland Neighbourhood)
Printed slide deck at wrap up event by Jacklyn Jolicoeur(.pdf) (James Bay Neighbourhood)
Mapping Tutorials
VCAN Mapping Tutorial (.pdf) (Cedar Shore Consulting)
Ken Wong’s Organic Maps Tutorial (.pdf) (Hillside/Quadra)
Preliminary Suitable Habitat Analysis
Preliminary statistical analysis of environmental characteristics at mapped Garry Oak Tree locations (.pdf) (Cedar Shore Consulting)
Dear Developer: An Earthly Invitation template (.pdf) (March 2025)
Final Report – VCAN Community Mapping Project (.pdf) (March 2025)
Zoom to enlarge areas on the map. The City of Victoria Garry oak tree inventory data is noted in green. Other points represent individual trees or areas where Garry oaks exist. Please note, this is not an individual Garry oak tree count and does not represent all Garry oak trees in the City of Victoria. Neighbourhoods participating in this community building project included Burnside Gorge, Downtown, Fairfield / Gonzales, Fernwood, Hillside Quadra, James Bay, North Jubilee, South Jubilee, North Park, Oaklands, Rockland, Victoria West.