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
- June 13, 2026
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Florence Lake and Langford Lake Birding
June 13, 2026 7:30 am - 10:30 am
Victoria RegionFlorence Lake and Langford Lake Birding
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2 —Paths can be narrow with uneven terrain)Meet at 7:30 a.m. Join us at Florence Lake (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1501897 ) and Langford Lake
(https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2423287 ). At Florence Lake, listen for Soras or Virginia Rails. Sometimes we find Steller’s Jays, Band-tailed Pigeons, and other birds not too common in town. Then we’ll continue to Langford Lake, to look for birds of the marshy areas, open fields, and woods.
DIRECTIONS TO FLORENCE LAKE: Take the Island Highway to Exit 15 (McCallum Road). Turn right at the stop sign and you will be on McCallum/Spencer Road. Turn left on Springboard Place. Park at the end of the road (not in the turnaround), where we will meet.
DIRECTIONS TO LANGFORD LAKE: Return on McCallum/ Spencer Road to the corner by the gas station. Curve around the front of the gas station on to the frontage road that leads to the Leigh Road overpass. Turn left at Leigh Road and cross the highway on the overpass. Turn right on Goldstream Avenue. Park at the west end of Goldstream Avenue just before it dead ends at the highway. Meet at the parking pullout; the group will walk to the boardwalk from there.For more information, please email birdingfieldtrips@gmail.com.
Rain or shine. 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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- June 14, 2026
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Evening Chorus at Blenkinsop Lake
June 14, 2026 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm
The Evening Chorus at Blenkinsop Lake
SUNDAY, JUNE 14
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1 —Easy walking, mostly level paths)Meet at 7:00 p.m. 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 for awhile after sunset. Crepuscular birds such as owls will be active.
DIRECTIONS: Parking is available between Don Mann Excavating (4098 Lochside Drive) and the Lochside Trail.
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- June 16, 2026
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Tuesday Birding
June 16, 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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