Haliburton Biodiversity Project

09/28/2026

We had an awesome work party in September working on removing some shrubs to get to dreaded landscape cloth from longgg ago. We have learned that ANY use of artificial, non-biodegradable landscape cloth or fabric in restoration is a bad idea. It eventually breaks into tiny pieces. Now we have some digging to do, but it was a great day!

Also some photos from August that we missed. Thanks to Same Sun Farmers for joining us for lunch. 🌞🌿

08/18/2026

You are invited - Wednesday Aug 19 at 6:30pm to 8:00pm for a special evening mini power hour and lookin for bats!

We are curious whether any late-summer bats are feeding above the wetland; we will be working to source an echometer to help us narrow down which species might be flying overhead. We will also be removing some invasive plants like reed canary grass, thistle, and blackberry.

Meet us at 741 Haliburton Road in front of the farmhouse at 6:30pm.

Thank you so much to all who could join the last work party - what a GREAT turnout! We have 17 volunteers and completed the entire wood chip pile after laying cardboard to create an impressively long path. We also removed loads of invasive Canada thistle to reduce seed spread, and collected seed from three native meadow species - Pacific Sanicle, Yellow Rattle, and Sticky Cinquefoil. Frogs were frolicking too, thanks to Graham and Elijah for the pic

REQUEST: We still want your cardboard for smothering. Please bring it to the work party :)

RSVP by email [email protected]

08/05/2026

Hey HUB Friends,

You are invited to the next HUB Work Party this Saturday August 8 for frog fest (so many frogs) 🐸🌼 and mulch mayhem as we load chips on chips to build paths and remove a bit of reed canary grass to help the frogs. Then LUNCH is provided, which will be mexi quinoa salad + tortilla chips. Feel welcome to bring friends and family.

Last month, we focused on moving mulch and spreading it around the picnic tables area, clearing the trail of overgrown branches, removing the thistles in the meadow, and finding salamanders in the ponds! We found what we think to be long-toed salamanders and a golden tree frog (see attached photo). We were also happy to see new farmers Megan and Breagha from Same Sun Farm with their helpers - check them out http://samesunfarm.square.site/land

Next HUB Work Party: Saturday, Aug 8 2026, 10 am to 1pm.

REQUEST: We want your cardboard! for smothering. Please bring it to the work party :)

NEW VOLUNTEER ROLE OPEN: Our resident monthly bird surveyor, Maeve, is heading off to school in the fall, and we are looking for a new monthly birder volunteer - email or chat with us at the work party for more info. Rocky Point Bird Observatory

This little patch of land thrives because of your dedication, and there’s no better way to reconnect with nature, meet like-minded folks, and make a real impact. Whether you’re a longtime volunteer or new to the HUB community, we’d love to have you there.

Event Details:

Time: 10 AM to 1 PM
Lunch: 12 PM – Provided for volunteers, bring a snack to share if you like!
Location: Haliburton Farm - Urban Biodiversity Project, 741 Haliburton Road
What to Bring: We have work gloves and tools, so you just need water, weather protection, sturdy shoes, long sleeves, and pants (for blackberry removal). Food can be kept in the refrigerator in the farmhouse while we work. Access to a stove and microwave is available. Friends and family welcome! Kids too.
Weather Considerations: Will happen rain or shine!
Volunteer RSVP: You can RSVP by emailing [email protected]
Accessibility Information: Uneven farm path terrain, many picnic benches in the shade, and there is a single stall individual washroom available
Safety and Orientation: A quick welcome briefing at the start of the event
Parking and Getting There: Parking is best outside of the gates along the driveway, parallel park. The bus 72,75 gets close along the highway, then it is a 15-minute walk up the hill. Email us for details to carpool as well!
Meeting Location: We will meet in front of the farmstand area, near the picnic tables, to sign waivers and do intros. We will walk in together.

06/11/2026

Want a free nature activity in this weekend? check out this year's wetland explore day hosted by Haliburton Biodiversity Project
at Haliburton Community Organic Farm in the District of Saanich
Free and family friendly, Saturday June 13 2026 10 am to 1pm explore the ponds, forest, and meadow - mini demo habitats - here's a video of a past exploration day. join us! all welcome.

More info at: https://facebook.com/events/s/hub-wetland-tour-amphibian-sur/1504611994735830/
email [email protected] to register

06/11/2026

02/12/2026

A neat article just came out about biodiversity and Shelterbelts - also called treelines or hedgerows, planting trees and shrubs along the edges of crop fields can be hugely beneficial to many species, BUT planting them in large open wetland areas can negatively impact open wetland-dependent bird species.

This is important because agricultural wetlands (often now called seasonally flooded fields) are not only human food-producing systems but also key habitats for many bird species, including migratory species along major flyways. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-tree-belts-farmland-overlooked.html

Understanding the site's ecology and the species that depend on it is important in agricultural areas. Do you have a shelterbelt?

A research team has conducted a study to examine how shelterbelts influence bird species diversity and composition in an agricultural wetland landscape on the western coast of central Japan. They determined that shelterbelts, trees planted to protect the land from wind in farmland are not automatica...

02/02/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out to the January Haliburton Biodiversity Project work party Haliburton Community Organic Farm to support biodiversity on the property.

We had a great crew of 10 volunteers, including the field crew from Habitat Acquisition Trust who dug out some amazing blackberry root crowns along the fenceline.

We invite you to the February work party on Saturday Feb 7 10am to 1pm - free lunch included!

01/04/2026

Thanks to a crew of 8 volunteers last month, we were able to dig out many blackberry root crowns, remove biomass along the fence line, and steward the meadow through some seed cleaning of large leaved lupine and great camas, as well as planning the maintenance strategy for 2026. We also used some pond liner to smother a spreading patch of invasive yellow archangel.

This month let's come together to spruce up the HUB and share a delicious meal - it's a special date you won't want to miss out on!

Visit the wetland, meadow, forest, hedgerows, and riparian areas all stewarded by volunteers. Family friendly.

Co-learn about restoration techniques for invasive plant removal.
See how biodiversity can benefit farmers and food producers.

Give back to nature!

At 12 PM, We will be serving lunch for all volunteers—so come hungry and ready for a meal with great company.

This little patch of land thrives because of volunteer support, and there’s no better way to reconnect with nature, meet like-minded folks, and make a real impact. Whether you’re a longtime volunteer or new to the HUB community, we’d love to have you there.

🌿Event Details:

➡️Time: 10 AM to 1 PM Saturday January 10th 2026

➡️Lunch: 12 PM – Provided for volunteers, bring a snack to share if you like!

➡️Location: Haliburton Farm - Urban Biodiversity Project, 741 Haliburton Road at

Let’s get our hands in the dirt, restore this space, and celebrate community together. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you.
RSVP for more details via email [email protected] for details.
Event link:
https://facebook.com/events/s/january-hub-restoration-work-p/1605417267135082/