Who We Are
Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary is a charitable, non-profit organization that cares for 170 acres of wetlands and Garry oak meadow.
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.
Since 1975, Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary has been a vital gathering hub for people of all ages to connect with nature and with one another through educational programs and hands-on ecological restoration opportunities. We have an interpretive Nature House on site with a classroom and library. The Nature Sanctuary is both a critical habitat for migratory birds, plants, and other wildlife and an important greenspace just 6 km from downtown Victoria, B.C., Canada.
Vision
We foster community appreciation and respect for natural systems and the knowledge and skills to act responsibly to benefit the environment and future life.
Mission
We conserve and restore Nature Sanctuary lands and waters while inspiring stewardship through community engagement and collaboration.
Our Values
Land Stewardship
Our integrated approach to conserving and restoring Nature Sanctuary ecosystems is grounded in practices that are ecologically sound and based in science, research, consultation, and traditional ways of knowing.
Community Engagement
We build relationships with a diverse community of learners, nature lovers, neighbours, partners, advocates and local organizations who are vital to sustaining and elevating our ecosystem restoration efforts. The Sanctuary’s welcoming urban greenspace fosters connection with nature and with each other.
Inspiring Action
We encourage curiosity, independent exploration and discovery of the natural world. Through inquiry-based learning, we inspire others to value the critical role that natural systems play in sustaining our quality of life and to be responsible advocates for nature conservation.
Care and Respect
In our stewardship of the land, we cultivate a strong ethic of care and respect for people and nature, and for the relationship between them. Nature uplifts and renews us and in turn supports community health and well-being.
Organizational Sustainability
To increase and sustain our success, we thoughtfully manage our financial and human resources, data, and on-site facilities and infrastructure. We are ethical, accountable and transparent in our work.
Memberships
The Nature Sanctuary is both a non-profit society and a charity. We are fortunate to have support from both the District of Saanich and from community members like you! Membership in the Nature Sanctuary is a great way to further engage with nature and to keep up to date on the work that we do. With your support, we care for 170+ acres, provide nature education to 17,000 learners, and maintain our beautiful natural space for the enjoyment of 70,000 visitors to the site every year.
Volunteers
The Nature Sanctuary is supported by 250 active volunteers! From invasive plant pulling to serving on the Board of Directors to baking cookies, there are so many ways to support us by sharing your time. In 2022, volunteers worked for over 7,720 hours, pulling 20 truckloads of invasive plants, supporting educational programming for local school children, and raising nearly $12,000 in support of the Nature Sanctuary through the sale of handmade items.
Programs
The Nature Sanctuary offers all sorts of programming for our community! From educational programs for K-12 school groups to workshops on drought-tolerant gardening (proudly sponsored by the CRD) to mindfulness in nature, we want to educate as many people as possible about the natural world around us and how to increase our connection to it.
Site
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary oversees 170+ acres of two distinct ecosystems. Swan Lake and the surrounding area is a wetland ecosystem, home to waterfowl, fish, and all sorts of riparian plant life. Christmas Hill is an oak meadow ecosystem, and the site represents 2% of the remaining ecosystem in British Columbia. In ~8% of Saanich’s total park area we protect 10% of the rare, threatened and endangered species.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a community-focused organization. We centre human dignity and growing our connections to each other and to our environment. We believe that each of us is responsible for addressing discrimination and that we co-create peace and good relationships.