Words & Photos Cara Gibson, Executive Director, Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary
Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary is a charitable, non-profit organization responsible for the care of 171 acres of land, water, infrastructure and trails just six kilometres from downtown Victoria.
The Nature Sanctuary includes the wetland around Swan Lake and the kwetlal – ḰȽO,EL – camas – oak meadow food system on Christmas Hill. Lekwungen-speaking peoples of the Songhees and Kosapsum Nations and SENĆOŦEN-speaking W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples have stewarded these lands since time immemorial.
Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary is a critical habitat for migratory birds, native plants and other rare and threatened wildlife within an urban envelope. Accessibly located near Pat Bay Highway and McKenzie Avenue with three public bus stops and the Lochside Trail nearby, this specially zoned conservation area provides millions of dollars in ecosystem services and wellness in the region – from urban heat island mitigation, floodwater management and fresh air filtration to climate resilience learning as well as other recreational enjoyment.
Annually, the Nature Sanctuary hosts 100,000 visitors on our five kilometres of trail, including an easy walking 2.5-km loop around the lake, with a floating bridge and lookout points to enjoy the serenity of nature. We also have an interpretive Nature House with a rentable classroom, library and educational exhibit spaces. In a typical year, we reach 15,000 learners and 19,000
Nature House visitors with the support of 300 engaged volunteers and eight staff. The District of Saanich supports approximately 30% of operations and offers capital support at times. The remainder of our operational and capital funding comes from generous donors, volunteers, members, grants and program fees.
Since 1975, the educational programs at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary have actively engaged community to help learn and share skills for species identification, habitat restoration and conservation. Events and learning opportunities for children, families, seniors and the general public are listed in our events calendar.
We approach our work and program offerings through a Two-Eyed Seeing Relational Ecology framework. This means that we weave Indigenous and Western knowledges and that we celebrate our integrated communities not as passive visitors, but as essential to our overall eco-culture. This intentional reciprocal care between people and place cultivates a self-sustaining, resilient future for all. An example of this is our Ecological Restoration meet-ups that have run continuously since the late 1970s. One of the very first offerings of its kind in the region, participants drop in casually to engage in year-round, weekly hands-on opportunities and develop ecological restoration awareness and skills while building a sense of belonging to place and people.
To learn more, get involved or sign up for our e-newsletter visit www.swanlake.bc.ca, follow us on all socials @SwanLakeNature or email us at info@swanlake.bc.ca.
