Become a Bee-friendly Farmer Workshop

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Created: Wednesday, 29 November 2017 10:45

Calling all farmers:

become a certified bee friendly farmer. Enhance biodiversity, reduce input costs, and increase yields. You will learn about managed and native bees, and other beneficial insects, and how to add habitat to your farm. Site visit and hands on mason and bumble bee home creation. Guides and other take-homes included. Co-hosted by Habitat Acquisition Trust, Pollinator Partnership Canada, and Saanich Native Plants.

SPACE IS LIMITED! Tell us in ~100 words why you would like to enhance native bees or other beneficial insects on your farm and what you plan to do on your farm to create more habitat.

For more information or to send in your application, email Lora: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What: Become a Bee-friendly Farmer Workshop

Where: Haliburton Farm, Saanich (741 Haliburton Rd)

When: Jan 27th, 10 am - 4 pmJan 28th 10 am - 1 pm

Read more: Become a Bee-friendly Farmer Workshop

Cool season blooms for pollinators

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Created: Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:06

Concerned about helping the pollinators through the colder months?

For fall blooms consider native species like:

• Entire-leaved Gumweed (Grindelia stricta)
• Douglas' Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) - photo top right
• California Aster (Symphyotrichum californicum)
• Yampah (Perideridia gairdneri)

Both Douglas' Aster and Gumweed are the latest blooming native plants. You might even see 

some still blooming right now!

For February and March consider:

• Spring Gold (Lomatium utriculatum)
• Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
• Satin Flower (Olsynium douglasii)
• Tall Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium) - Photo bottom right
• Grassland Saxifrage (Saxifraga integrifolia)
• Broad-leaved Shootingstar (Dodecatheon hendersonii)
• Western Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis)
• Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora)

Look for these at your local native plant nurseries.

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Philips Benefit Brew

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Created: Wednesday, 22 November 2017 11:22

It's that brewtiful time of year again! HAT is a finalist in the Philips Brewing & Malting Co.'s 2017 Benefit Brew project!

The Benefit Brew is an annual event where Philips creates a custom beer for a charitable cause. The project is a voter-style competition, where the public can vote for their favourite charity online. The winning group has a specialty beer with a custom label named after them, and recieves the full proceeds of the custom beer sales (approximately $10,000). 

To vote, go to https://benefitbrew.com/bc/ and select 'Habitat Acquisition Trust'. You can vote every single day, one vote per device, until 12pm on December 4th. 

Help HAT win support for nature through a delicious brew. How does HAT support nature? Through conservation. The conservation we practice is multifaceted, involving community outreach, species at risk monitoring, land acquisition, restoration, and stewardship. All of our work is directed towards creating a future where the full array of natural ecosystems on southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands is healthy and conserved. What makes our already rewarding work feel even better, is when it's supported by the community that we work in. So head on over to https://benefitbrew.com/bc/ and vote for HAT! It'll make that charitable brew taste even better. 

Please share with your friends and family, as well as on social media! And don't forget to vote! 

Read more: Philips Benefit Brew

HAT Returns to Matson Conservation Area in Full Force with the Help of Funders

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Created: Tuesday, 07 November 2017 16:39

This past weekend, November 4th & 5th 2017, Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) returned to the Matson Conservation Area to restore the last remaining Garry Oak Ecosystem in the Victoria Inner Harbour - but we were not alone! Not only did we have the help of many dedicated volunteers, the event was sponsored in part by a generous grant from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) and native plant seeds funded by Wildlife Preservation Canada. 

This is HAT's thrid round of funding provided by a grant from TD FEF, and we are incredibly thankful for their continued support! 

The TD FEF grant of $12,600, handed over as a giant cheque, will allow us to continue our restoration work in the Greater Victoria region, including Matson. The Matson Conservation Area is especially unique, as it encompasses the last intact Garry Oak Ecosystem along Victoria's Inner Harbour. Few of these diverse assemblages of flora and fauna remain and their protection is a primary conservation priority in our region.

Our back-to-back habitat restoration days took place along the scenic Westsong Walkway in Esquimalt, near the Westbay Marina. Saturday was spent removing invasive grasses and other weeds from the conservation area. Sunday was dedicated to enhancing the rocky meadow by planting and seeding native wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses. Our planted and seeded species were carefully selected to enhance wildlife habitat for pollinators like birds, butterflies and bees. We also had an amaznig volunteer turnout, including many TD employees. Saturday saw nearly 20 people, and Sunday nearly 40. It was wonderful to see both old and new faces! HAT is always happy to welcome those interested in volunteering. Just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information and to sign up for our many events and regular enews! 

Habitat Acquisition Trust has been protecting and restoring natural habitat at the Matson Conservation Area with community support for 12 years. A dedicated stewardship group, called the Matson Mattocks, have spent thousands of hours of volunteer time, restoring this local treasure for over 10 years, and the Friends of Matson Lands stewarded the land before them.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of restoring this land side by side with volunteers who are committed to maintaining our natural areas. We're still battling invasive plants, but the land is healing and providing some excellent foraging habitat for wildlife including the vital pollinator species."

– Wendy Tyrrell, Habitat Management Coordinator

The urban location of this park places pressures on this special natural space, but thanks to the caring hands of habitat stewards these lands nestled next to the city provide a wonderful showcase of community restoring habitat for nature. Providing recreational space for residents of Esquimalt and beyon. Matson Conservation Area is home to hundreds of Garry oak trees, hummingbirds, and pollinators like the Lorquin’s Admiral and at risk Moss’ Elfin Butterflies.

Habitat Acquisition Trust gratefully accepts donations in support of local conservation and habitat restoration. You can lend your support by visiting hat.bc.ca/donate or calling 250-995-2428. For more information on volunteering email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. today.

Read more: HAT Returns to Matson Conservation Area in Full Force with the Help of Funders