Sharing a love of nature
Join us in celebrating, protecting, and learning about natural habitats in the Greater Victoria region.
Formed in 1944 as the
Victoria Natural History Society
What we do?
(Photo Credit: Gordon Hart)
Protecting
For 80 years, Nature Victoria has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the biodiversity of southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. The three principal areas of protection we engage in are direct advocacy, support to other organizations that are advocating for issues we support, and the annual Christmas Bird Count.
(Photo Credit: Phil Lambert)
Learning
Nature Victoria is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world through various educational initiatives. These include a member newsletter featuring articles, project updates, and event announcements; monthly evening presentations covering topics like birds, marine life, and botany; and a variety of field trips exploring diverse natural environments. These programs aim to engage participants of all ages in hands-on learning experiences, promoting ecological awareness and a sense of community among nature enthusiasts.
(Photo Credit: Robert Harwood)
Celebrating + Sharing
Nature Victoria is deeply committed to fostering education, collaboration, and community engagement in the natural sciences. The organization offers scholarships and bursaries to support students pursuing studies in species and habitat conservation. Additionally, Nature Victoria actively participates in regional science fairs by providing financial support and volunteering as judges, aiming to inspire and encourage student projects focused on ecology and nature. The organization also collaborates with various environmental groups, offering funding and support to advance conservation efforts and ensure the sustainability of these initiatives.
We Need Your Help
There are many ways to get you can get
involved and make a difference!
Donate
Every dollar donated helps us to continue do great work.
Attend an Event
Explore nature and meet others in the community.
Videos
Volunteer Passion Projects
Invertebrate Alert
This blog provides an informal forum for terrestrial invertebrate watchers to post recent sightings of interesting observations in the southern Vancouver Island region. Visit https://invertsight.com/ to learn more.
Butterfly Count
Each month from April to September, one weekend will be designated for Butterfly Counts. If you are not able to complete your count on the weekend, you may do so during the following week. Please note: we are currently looking for a new count coordinator. Email: butterflies@naturevictoria.ca
Christmas Bird Count
Register to help collect data and monitor trends on bird species of Southern Vancouver Island.
The Victoria Naturalist Newsletter
Six times a year Nature Victoria produces a top-notch member newsletter chronicling species of note, future events, activities and field trips, conservation projects and nature resources in the community.
Non-members can view archived copies of The Victoria Naturalist here.
Become a member to receive current issues of the Victoria Naturalist.
Upcoming Events
- February 21, 2026
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Birding at Island View Beach
February 21, 2026 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria Region8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Victoria Region
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)
Meet: 8:30 a.m. Island View Beach is the only local location that offers relatively undisturbed beach, dune, wetland, and shrub ecosystems, and is home to numerous resident and migratory bird species. At this time of year, Haro Strait continues to host large numbers of diving ducks, loons, grebes, cormorants, and gulls. Throughout March and April, flocks of Brant Geese stop here to rest and refuel on their northbound migration; some have been reported in the region recently, including at this location. Northern Harrier and Northern Shrike are among the possibilities in the fields. A spotting scope will be helpful to see distant birds offshore and up on the ridge.
DIRECTIONS: To reach Island View Beach, go north on the Pat Bay Highway, turn right at the lights at Island View Road (Michell’s Market) and follow that road to a left on Homathko Drive, which leads to the parking lot. Meet at the north end of the parking lot.
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- February 23, 2026
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Marine Night
February 23, 2026 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Special Delivery: The hidden costs of commercial shipping on marine life
Large commercial ships are becoming a familiar sight in our coastal waters, but with them come new challenges for ocean health. Shipping is growing worldwide, and so are incidents where cargo is lost at sea—like the 2021 container ship incident near Victoria. These events raise important questions: What happens to those containers and the debris they bring and how do they affect marine life over time? Dr. Cathryn Murray, Research Scientist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Adjunct Professor at UBC, describes how the team is exploring these impacts through dive expeditions, advanced mapping, and lessons learned from real-world incidents. At the same time, more ships are waiting at anchor in deep-water areas — places that are home to rich but little-studied ecosystems. Working together with partners, we’re using cutting-edge tools like multibeam mapping and underwater robots to see what’s happening beneath the surface and understand how anchoring changes the ocean floor. Our goal is to bring these hidden impacts to light and help protect the marine environments we all care about.
To register: Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tuvAM2z2RlCC3FnwViyYsw
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- February 24, 2026
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Tuesday Birding
February 24, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, VictoriaWe meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria.
Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!
For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273.
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