A vital urban sanctuary
Cara Gibson, Executive Director at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary
October 2024
Photos: Agile Drone Services
Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary is celebrating 50 years of service as a community hub for sharing nature conservation and stewardship in 2025. Located just 6km from downtown Victoria, BC, the Nature Sanctuary’s 170 acre footprint represents 10% of Saanich’s natural park area and includes a lush wetland, wildflower-rich oak meadows and critical migratory bird habitat. This site is also home to ~10% of the District’s rare, threatened, and endangered biodiversity, including one of the last breeding populations of Western Painted Turtles.
In contrast to other urban parks, the lands and waters at Swan Lake are zoned for conservation. This means that our main focus is protection and care of native plants and wildlife. Despite this, the Nature Sanctuary offers spectacular, accessible infrastructure that ensures city residents have a welcome place to find peace; with an added advantage of programs to expand appreciation and awareness of nature just a short trip from everyone’s front door!
Links
info@swanlake.bc.ca
Office Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00am – 4:00pm
3873 Swan Lake Road,
Victoria, BC, V8X 3W1
swanlake.bc.ca
We acknowledge the lək ̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the Nature Sanctuary stands, and the lək ̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
We respect the vital relationships of First Peoples with these lands and waters for countless generations. We are honoured to receive Indigenous guidance and welcome collaboration in stewardship and appreciation of the Nature Sanctuary.
