#WesternTrillium.
This is an older Western trillium, in urban forest. They're usually all white. As they get older(takes many years), you'll see shades of pink & purple petals.
Please never disturb Western trilliums in the wild. They are extremely sensitive native plants & need to be left alone to visually admire. Western trillium takes up to 15 years to flower. Once it has been picked/heavily disturbed, it dies. Please leave them growing 🙏

#Spring #perennials #Saanich #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #flowers #botanical #plants #Bloomscrolling #florespondence #ForestFlowers #FlowersIdentification #NativePlantsOfPNW #NativeWildflowers #NativePlants #wildflowers #nature #ForestUnderstory #LearnAboutPlants #Wsanec

Mixed clouds over a nearby urban forest. More rain expected today; clearing up by evening.
Tomorrow's forecast is all sunshine. Perfect conditions for our galpals mini golf adventure 😊

#Wsanec #Saanich #UrbanForest #trees #skies #TreeCanopy #GarryOak #Spring #clouds #nature #Greenspaces #UrbanTrees #ecological #environment #forest #atmosphere #weather #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #Cascadia #YYJ

Small creeks are essential life feeders in forests. This small creek is a part of our local watershed. It is small, yet mighty with it's life-source; sustaining life for many cedar trees & the plants that grow on forest understory. Creeks need protection as much as big rivers do 💧🌲💧

#nature #hiking #Saanich #waterway #cedar #trees #watershed #creek #ecosystems #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #Wsanec #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #ForestWalks #Cascadia #PNW #ecological #stewardship #conservation #biodiversity #environment #TakeAHike #GetOutside #DisabledHiker #ecology #NaturalWorlds #SacredNature #WaterIsLife #NatureEducation

#MosstodonMonday
This mossy covered fallen log hosts abundant plants life; as part of a biodiverse forest understory ecosystem. Nature wastes nothing. Fallen logs essentially feeds new ecological life. You can witness, respect & appreciate entire, sustainable, natural life cycles, within biodiverse forests. It's well worth paying close attention to 💚

There's at least 4 different moss species, covering this natural life sustaining log. There's ferns, cleavers, purslane, wall lettuce, sorrel & trailing blackberry, all growing out of it.

#nature #Saanich #forest #trail #moss #plants #ecosystems #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #Wsanec #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #ForestWalks #Cascadia #PNW #ecological #stewardship #conservation #biodiversity #environment #GetOutside #DisabledHiker #DisabledPhotographers #NaturalWorlds #SacredNature #WorldInMyEyes #photography #mosstodon #Green #NatureAppreciation

#SilentSunday

A small, relatively unknown, Saanich community park. I discovered it over a decade ago. Jada found it about 2 years ago. She was surprised that I'm very familiar with this park because no one else she knows has been there before. We both love it because we see no other humans while visiting & exploring trails. I was telling her that you can find native sundew plants by lakeside & it's a good place to harvest fiddleheads & look for mushrooms. Told her about the beaver history of this tiny lake/wetlands spot too. The older huge beaver lodge was decimated a few years ago, due to human impact/road construction near their wood harvesting areas. The beavers weren't seen for awhile after that. They returned sometime over past 2 years & built a new beaver lodge - it's currently about 1/3 size of the previous lodge. No photos of it because we didn't go close to lakeside on our hike. Neither of us were into getting super muddy yesterday.

This park space features:
- multiple hiking trails from relatively easy to moderate levels
- diversity of native plants/wildflowers
- native amphibians are present; many frogs & turtles live there
- healthy biodiversity of insects & invertebrates
- birds diversity
- beavers habitat
- trees diversity
- wetlands & marshes
- fish bearing habitat
- mix of sunny & shady rest spots; no benches or tables but some larger, open spaces that are good for resting at
- community stewardship

Super limited parking space. Only room for 2 cars on side of road, by the small park sign. Very easy to miss the sign if you're not paying close attention.

#nature #hiking #Saanich #CommunityPark #forest #trail #footpath #wetlands #ferns #ecosystems #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #Wsanec #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #ForestWalks #Cascadia #PNW #lake #ecological #stewardship #conservation #biodiversity #environment #TakeAHike #GetOutside #DisabledHiker #DisabledPhotographers #NaturalWorlds #SacredNature #WorldInMyEyes #photography #NatureLovers

From last #Spring.
I'm waiting for local #GarryOak #camas #meadows to showcase their annual full blooms. Another 2 weeks 💜

#ecosystem #KeystoneSpecies #nativeplants #nature #Saanich #Wsanec #IndigenousFoodPlant #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PNW

Metis Nation of Greater Victoria invites you to join for the annual Knowledge Keepers Gathering! This is an event where we highlight and showcase Metis knowledge from academic researchers, Metis-focused research, to cultural knowledge holders, storytellers, artists, musicians and dancers.

This event is free, for anyone and everyone to attend, and there is no registration required.

*I'll update with more detailed info, closer to event date. A few things are still being worked out.*

#Indigenous #VictoriaBC #BCIndigenous #CommunityBuilding #CommunityEvent #CommunityConnecting #CulturalConnecting #Metis #KnowledgeKeepers #Lekwungen #Xwespsm #Wsanec #YYJEvents #FreeEvent #CulturalWisdom #CulturalSharing #POCVoices #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #FirstPeoples #MetisCulture #CulturalArts #CulturalDance #CulturalMusic #IndigenousStorytellers