Blog
Research, news & community stories
Explore urban forests, neighbourhood planning, and the many species that share our city—with updates from community events and a squirrel’s perspective on civic life.
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Urban Forest and Land Use Development Analysis: Rockland Neighbourhood Ryan Senechal MUFL, October 2025
AbstractThis report examines the relationship between urban forest canopy, land-use policy, and development pressures in the Rockland neighbourhood within the context of the City of Victoria’s 2025 Official Community Plan update and its 2050 urban…
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City of Victoria – Official Community Plan 10-Year Update: Official Community Plan Bylaw, Zoning Bylaw 2018 and Zoning Regulation Bylaw Amendments
The Rockland Neighbourhood Association and the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society presented at the public hearing for the Official Community Plan Update on September 11, 2025. The hearing took place over the course of four…
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The Inconvenient Garry Oak Ecosystem: Distinguishing Native Trees from House Plants through Victoria’s Draft OCP.
Summary: This article examines how Victoria’s planning policies address the urban forest while considering the unique conservation needs of the Garry oak ecosystem. The article explores the relationship between native ecosystems, biodiversity, and municipal planning.…
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Neighbourhood saves a tree in Saanich
Times Colonist, Opinion. Letters July 30, 2025 At 5032 Wesley Rd. in Saanich stands an iconic, 100-year-old big leaf maple. Neighbours were surprised when a notice was hammered into the trunk of this tree by…
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Do Tree Protection Bylaws really “protect” the urban forest since the introduction of new housing regulations and legislation?
Summary: This article explores how recent provincial housing legislation has affected the effectiveness of municipal tree protection bylaws. The article examines the interaction between development policy, tree retention, and long-term urban forest conservation. Tree Protection…
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Why is Plantable Space an important metric
As a measurement, plantable space is the leading indicator of an sustainable urban forest, while overall tree canopy measurement is a lagging indicator. A loss of plantable space reduces the opportunity for canopy at the local level, meaning at the neighbourhood…
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Comment: Without more trees, B.C.’s next heat dome could be even deadlier
Re: “Without more trees, B.C.’s next heat dome could be even deadlier,” comment, July 2. Many thanks to Dr. Bethany Ricker, David Quigg, and Dr. Melissa Lem for pointing out in their op-ed the reality of…
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Gonzales Community Green Map
In 2018, the Gonzales Neighbourhood Association (GNA) initiated a community mapping exercise in cooperation with the University of Victoria – Geography Department. Seven years later, they are proud to announce that the Community Map is…
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Urbanists vs. the Nature in My Backyards. District of Saanich – Special Council Meeting for Draft Quadra McKenzie Plan July 7th, 2025.
A Special Council Meeting was held at the District of Saanich’s July 7th meeting regarding the proposed Quadra McKenzie Plan (QMP). More than 100 people packed Saanich municipal hall. Each presenter had three minutes to…
