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
- July 18, 2026
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Birding Muir Creek and Ed McGregor Park
July 18, 2026 8:30 am - 11:30 am
Victoria RegionFIELD TRIP
Level 3 Obstacles in paths or steeper grades, requiring agility
Birding Muir Creek and Ed Macgregor ParkMeet at 8:30 a.m. at the Ed Macgregor Park parking lot (see directions below). From there, we will carpool to the very small Muir Creek parking lot on the west side of the Muir Creek bridge (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1503877 ). We will cross the bridge east and take a trail north along the east side of the creek upstream. We will only do this if the water level is low enough for the “slippery when wet” cobbles to dry out. From here, we will backtrack to the parking lot and walk to the beach on a wide, flat trail. The beach access may involve stepping over driftwood onto a pebble beach. Again the tide will largely dictate the view and how far we go down the beach. If we are able to walk east on the beach, we will only go a short distance, staying close to the fossil-containing cliffs to avoid the large, slippery boulders. We will then return to Ed Macgregor Park
(https://ebird.org/hotspot/L10189904?yr=curM&hs_sortBy=date&hs_o=asc ) and walk down to the harbour on the boardwalk loop.DIRECTIONS: The Ed Macgregor Park parking lot is on Sooke Road, a short distance south-southwest of Atherley Close.
For more information, please email birdingfieldtrips@gmail.com.
Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome. Non-members can participate up to three times, after which they are expected to join the Society.
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- July 19, 2026
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Evening Birding at Blenkinsop Lake
July 19, 2026 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Evening Birding at Blenkinsop Lake
FIELD TRIP
Level 1 Easy walking, mostly level pathsMeet at 7:30 p.m. This is part of the continuing series of evening walks. Blenkinsop Lake
(https://ebird.org/hotspot/L578884 ) is a great place for evening birding. Commuting cyclists and group running clubs are done for the day and we should have the trail largely to ourselves. Late in the day, diurnal birds are starting to wind down but are still foraging for the day’s last meal for themselves and their young. A few songbirds sing until late in the day or even at sunset. Around sunset, birds such as owls and Common Nighthawks may be active.DIRECTIONS: Parking is available between Don Mann Excavating (4098 Lochside Drive) and the Lochside Trail.
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- July 21, 2026
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Tuesday Birding
July 21, 2026 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, VictoriaWe meet every Tuesday between 8-9 am one block south of the foot of Bowker Avenue on the waterfront. After 9 am, the group will then go to various locations around Greater Victoria, finishing at noon.
Novice and experienced Nature Victoria members are welcome!
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