Events

The Camosun Community Associations presents a free lecture in partnership with the Mount Tolmie Community Association, featuring guest speaker, Ryan Senechal.
Ryan Senechal is an educator and a practicing consulting arborist/ urban forester with experience across municipal, commercial, education and nonprofit sectors. He is a lecturer in the Bachelor of Urban Forestry and Master of Urban Forestry Leadership programs at University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry. 

Speaker: Ryan Senechal
When: Wednesday, May 7th
Time: Doors open at 6:45 pm – Lecture 7-9 pm – includes Q&A
Where: Broad View United Church – 3703 St. Aidan’s St. (enter at lower level at back of church)Cookies, coffee and tea will be provided.
You may read online about Ryan to get a notion of what keeps him active locally using these links:

• Ryan Senechal is a Sessional Lecturer at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry and a practicing consulting arborist/urban forester with experience across municipal, commercial, education, and nonprofit sectors. Scroll down on this page https://forestry.ubc.ca/future-students/graduate/professional-masters-degrees/master-of-urban-forestry-leadership/meet-the-mufl-faculty/
• New housing rules in B.C. trigger fears of ‘catastrophic’ loss of urban trees https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-ndp-bill-44-urban-forests/
• Ryan Senechal: Removing Sequoia Would Violate City of Victoria Policies https://creativelyunited.org/ryan-senechal-removing-sequoia-would-violate-city-of-victoria-policies/, https://martlet.ca/community-fights-to-save-trees-set-to-be-removed-from-centennial-square/, https://creativelyunited.org/an-analysis-of-dialogs-technical-memorandum-on-the-centennial-square-sequoia-tree/
• Remote Sensing: Garry  Oak Species Detection Project https://www.garryoak.info/news

As the health & safety of our members, volunteers & interested public are paramount, the Garry Oak Meadows Preservation Society (GOMPS) has POSTPONED our Annual General Meeting in accordance with Government Health directives.  GOMPS Board of Directors will be in touch with members when we have determined how best to proceed in this regard.

While our Garry Oak Nursery no longer has official volunteer work parties, our Board members work to ensure the nursery continues to function. We have just finished planting the collected fall 2019 sprouting acorns!  The Nursery work area is structured to ensure social distancing, so interested volunteers are welcome to join us weekly on Sunday mornings from 10am to 1pm.

During this challenging time, GOMPS deeply appreciates the SUPPORT shown by our members & interested public through their memberships and donations. 

Even though there is uncertainty, please know that we continue to advocate for Garry oaks and their associated ecosystems as well as growing Garry oak seedlings for planting in our communities!

Moralea Milne was a former Director with our Society and one of the most devoted and passionate voices in our struggle to save Garry oak ecosystems.

Milne, a member of Metchosin council since 2008, was known for her leadership and her commitment to environmental issues.

Her celebration of life was held at 2 p.m on Sunday August 5th at  the Metchosin Community Hall, 4401 William Head Rd.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Metchosin Foundation.

Text adapted from the Times Colonist, August 6, 2018 and photo from http://camashill.blogspot.com

GOMPS 2018 Annual General Meeting

Join GOMPS on Tuesday, May 29 @ 7PM at the University of Victoria in David Turpin Building Room A102.

Protect your land: Learn more about  Conservation Covenants

After a short Annual General Meeting of the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society, our guest, Barb von Sacken of Habitat Aquisition Trust (HAT), will present information on Conservation Covenants.

You can prevent damage to natural areas
– limit logging to ecologically sustainable forestry
– prevent sub-division and development
– protect a wetland

Barb is originally from the Okanagan Valley where farm life provided ample opportunities to explore fields, forests and wetlands and peek her interest in the natural world.   This lead to a degree in Geography from UVic followed by over 10 years working with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) , developing provincial standards for ecological classification and mapping. Travel and work with MoE honed her appreciation of the varied landscapes in B.C. and piqued an interest in land protection strategies, particularly of rare and endangered landscapes.  Prior to joining HAT Barb was also involved in environmental education and outreach through the Environmental Technology and Geography Departments at Camosun College.

Since the fall of 2015 Barb has been with the HAT as the Land Acquisition Coordinator.  At HAT Barb leads the work on the covenants program, working with public and private landowners to assist them in placing permanent protection on their lands through conservation covenants or acquisitions. In addition, Barb performs annual compliance monitoring on HAT’s covenanted properties.

Note: This presentation is meant to introduce  participants to Conservation Covenants and will present a general overview. Conservation covenants are complex legal documents and legal advice should be sought.

Click here for a poster of the event.

GOMPS AGM 
GARRY OAK NURSERY ESTABLISHMENT & FUTURE 
DATE: Monday, April 24, 2017 
TIME: 7:00-9:00PM 
LOCATION: UVic, Rm C118, David Strong Building 
​(Evening parking is available on-site for $3 after 6PM) 

​​Please join GOMPS (Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society) for its AGM & to celebrate the Establishment of GOMPS Garry Oak Nursery!

​GOMPS Board is excited to share with you an update on the establishment of GOMPS Garry oak nursery & plans for its future as well as a celebratory cake! 

The nursery ground is being prepared now and we hope to move our new seedlings (grown from locally-sourced acorns) this month into the nursery. Volunteer opportunities will then be available.

Please remember to renew your membership (just $15 individual, $20 for
family) to support this venture and/or advocacy for Garry oak meadows.

ALSO:  As our Board is always looking for new members, please consider letting your name stand for election – everybody wins!

Please NOTE:  Our updated GOMPS website: http://www.garryoak.info 

There have been many exciting changes at GOMPS. Do you have any questions for our Directors? Have you renewed your membership for 2017?

You can email us or use our Contact Form on the website. Memberships will be sold at the AGM.

Your voice is important as is your support and we look forward to seeing you at our AGM!

Garry oaks’ future is in all our hands!

GOMPS Board of Directors
Website:  http://www.garryoak.info