Home / Science and the Environment / February 2023 Newsletter - Sustainability and Ecological Restoration
Fall course registration opened on May 1, 2023. Courses can fill up fast, so be sure to register early to get your seat! Please register for your course online if you are a program student or call the Continuing Studies registration desk 250-472-4747.
FALL 2023 TERM:
FALL 2023 TERM:
Bookmark the 5-year program schedule for quick access:
Join us on Saturday June 17th, 5-8pm for an evening of socializing, ER390 posters, a talk organized by the Society of Ecological Restoration Student Chapter, and light refreshments in room 276 of the Continuing Studies Building.
Please RSVP to ecorestoraupdatestion@uvic.ca by June 1st.
You can read all about the members of our RNS Advisory Committee here. If you have questions about careers or want to get some advice, these members would be happy to answer your questions:
To get in touch with any of these members, contact the program coordinator at resscipc@uvic.ca
The team behind the Vancouver Island Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (VIDER) is seeking volunteers for Make A Difference Week 2023! From June 3-11, 2023, local organizations in the Greater Victoria area will be hosting a wide range of events encompassing the principles of ecosystem restoration.
Last year, volunteers cleaned litter from beaches, planted native seedlings, removed invasive species, hopped around the Gulf Islands, fawned over baby Great Horned owls and so much more. If you are passionate about hands-on restoration work and collaborating with other restoration enthusiasts in your community, email makeadifferenceweek@gmail.com.
Our VIDER team is made up of UVic students Rachel, Madeleine, Isabel, and Andrea, who are always game to talk restoration. Interested in hosting your own event for Make a Difference Week 2023? Send us an email and you'll find support on registering as a host organization and accessing volunteers to make your event a success.
Two awards of up to $2,500 are given annually to entering or continuing Canadian-born Indigenous students in the Restoration of Natural Systems (RNS) program with demonstrated financial need. Contact the program coordinator for more information resscipc@uvic.ca.
There's a new online resource in Brightspace for the Restoration of Natural Systems programs. Enrol yourself and find resources to orient yourself to the program. You’ll find information to help you plan courses and complete your program. There is also information on local volunteering opportunities and professional development. It’s free to sign up! View resource site
There has been a surge of student activity in the restoration realm on campus, and it has created amazing opportunities to increase your involvement with restoration and interact with your fellow students:
We encourage you to sign in and check your final grades online. Depending on whether you are a credit or non-credit student, there are different places to check your final course grades.
If you are an RNS Diploma (credit) student: you can view your grades by signing in to the UVic home page and searching under “My online tools”.
If you are an RNS Certificate or ER Certificate (non-credit) student: you can view your grades by signing in to Continuing Studies Website. Click on “My Account” near the top right of the page, then click on “Transcripts, Reports, Tax Forms” on the left hand side menu and select Administrative Transcript.
Wondering what to put behind your name once you graduate? Here are the post nominal letters according to program:
If you are interested in finding a 390 project, please consider the following:
The Gorge Watershed Action Society has been restoring and maintaining a diverse pollinator garden in Victoria. Over the past two years, GWAS has completed four biophysical inventories and three insect and bird point surveys of the area to help determine species diversity and abundance of the restoration site. GWAS is grateful for the opportunity to work within Gorge Park to help enhance biodiversity, as well as provide an educational space for young professionals to develop critical hands-on jobs skills to help advance them in the environmental job sector following university. They are planning on expanding and enriching the garden over the next few years, and looking for a student to support their efforts.
The Executive Director of Shekinah Homes, three homes and support adults with diverse abilities, has approached us about a local project. They are interested in partnering to make a design plan and to possibly execute a renovation to their yards. They need a design for garden spaces that are accessible, greener, include seating, water feature, low maintenance, visual attraction, touchable, fragrance, and with privacy for the diverse community members. They are a non-profit organization based in Victoria, and are raising funds towards these upgrades.
The Land Conservancy is looking for interested students to help support and plan restoration in Ayum Creek in Sooke. To date, work has focused on hydrology and invasive species control. Ongoing efforts would include real-world aspects like funding, partnerships, permits, First Nations relations, etc. Students can participate in the actual field work, planning for and implementing additional restoration, and/or project mapping.
If you are interested in getting emailed updates about potential projects, and announcements about information sessions, please let Nancy know (nshack@uvic.ca).
Please don’t forget to apply for the Lorene Kennedy Field Award for some financial support for your final project!
The following groups are recruiting volunteers:
Tusa Shea, Program Coordinator 250-721-8463 | ecorestoration@uvic.ca
Aly Trippel, Program Assistant | 250-721-8458 | bstadmin@uvic.ca
Nancy Shackelford, Academic Director | 250-472-4387 | nshack@uvic.ca
RELATED TOPICS: Ecological RestorationSustainability
Tel 250-472-4747 | Email uvcsreg@uvic.ca
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