Community and special projects
Our community projects include the removal of invasive species from municipal parks such as Daphne laurel at Burnside Corner Park in View Royal coordinated by RNS student Amanda Evans (center holding sign).
Students in the Restoration of Natural Systems Program are required to do a major project as part of their curriculum. The reports for many of these students can be found at UrbanEcology.ca under the tab for RNS Student papers.
Over the years this has resulted in a legacy of numerous restored streams and forests, improved shorelines, healthier communities with more greenspace and a better understanding of the process of ecological restoration by the public. Many students in other Environmental Studies courses also choose to do community projects for course credit.
The Restoration of Natural Systems Program itself conducts some projects as a program, such as: The University of Victoria Natural Features Study, the university's Campus Tree Inventory, the Northern Grasses Key Project, and the Saanich Invasive Species Management Strategy.
The purpose of RUN is to study and enhance nature in the city. The RNS Program’s aim is to improve biodiversity and ecological function by planting native vegetation, enhancing animal populations, improving connectivity and otherwise restoring natural ecosystems.
We take a holistic approach that includes plantings, invasive species removal, workshops, community art projects and public lectures. The RNS Program promotes the value of ecological restoration and uses the latest theories, best management practices and community engagement models to restore the environment.
RUN began with an initial grant from TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.