New E-news Feature: Q&A With Our Member LTs
Q: Was there a particular moment or event in your life that drew you to conservation work?I think my parents and the childhood they gave me led to my conservation work. Growing up I spent summers camping with the Girl Guides of Canada or with my family and friends. Whether close to home on Vancouver Island or further afield on summer road trips, I had the opportunity to explore the beauty of B.C. and beyond. Awe inspiring wilderness was the backdrop for our adventures: my memories include tubing the Koksilah River, craning my neck to take in the full height of Cathedral Grove, and standing in the pounding waves of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve until my toes were numb. Our critical conservation areas – and the importance they hold for so many of us – continue to inspire my work every day.
Q: How long have you been with your organization and what does your role entail?
I started with TLC as a summer student in 2008 while I was completing my undergraduate degree. Today, as Executive Director, my role includes leading a team to achieve our conservation goals. This can really run the gamut from creating annual budgets and workplans to working with partners or our Board of Directors to find the best solutions for at risk ecosystems. Each day brings a new inquiry and opportunity to use my creativity and problem-solving skills!
Q: What was the proudest moment/greatest achievement for your organization?
There have been countless conservation achievements in our history, but a recent project that has had far-reaching impacts is our work with the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council and the protection of SISȻENEM (Halibut Island). One of the first land back announcements in Canada, the protection of the 9.67-acre island off the east coast of Sidney Island was announced in 2021. Working with the local Nations, we’ve had the opportunity to get members of the local communities out to the island and work on restoration efforts together. It’s truly been a very rewarding project to be a part of.
Q: What was your biggest conservation challenge?
Capacity challenges can often be limiting factors for charitable organizations like ours. With a portfolio of more than 15,000 acres of protected areas – both conservation covenants and fee simple lands – managing our conservation responsibilities requires the mindful dedication of our resources. Thankfully we have amazing volunteers, including our Board of Directors, who make the scope of our work possible. But we’re always on the lookout for new volunteers. If you have a skill, specialty, or interest that you can offer in service of B.C.’s critical habitat, give us a call!
Q: Where would you like to see your organization in five years? OR What are your hopes for the future of your organization?
In five years, I would like to see our organization having fulfilled our newly adopted Strategic Plan. With eight areas identified to strengthen our efficiency and efficacy, the plan outlines our goals and objectives until 2029. Work on reconciliation, human resources, partnerships, education, communication, technology, fundraising, and covenant cultivation and management reflect our current operations and how we can advance our work to better deliver our mission. It will require the support of our entire network to implement but I know that we can achieve great things if we work together.
Q: Can you give us a fun fact about your organization that our readers might not know?
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the protection of Abkhazi Garden.
For those who are unfamiliar, Abkhazi Garden is the artistic expression of Prince Nicolas and Princess Peggy Abkhazi. Their story spans eight decades and three continents, and includes exile, revolution, loss, and internments. It’s truly a love story out of a Hollywood blockbuster.
For over 40 years the Abkhazis continued an intense process of experimentation and constant refinement in the garden; a process that continues today with more than 60 volunteers who spend time in the garden each week – gardening, maintaining, greeting visitors, leading tours, and sharing the history of the site.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend you stop in, chat with one of our volunteers, and enjoy a stroll around this truly unique garden. Abkhazi Garden is located at 1964 Fairfield Road, Victoria, and is open to the public seven days a week from April 1 to September 30, and Wednesday through Sunday from October 1 to March 31.
