Let nature give back to you

Nature gives back to each of us differently. From a walk in a park to learning about our unique ecosystems, click through the bubbles to see how nature can give back to you.

Check out some of the different ways below!

Being physically active

Improving our health and fitness can be easy and free. It can be as simple as going for a walk in your neighbourhood park or as tough as running up Churchill Drive in Mount Douglas Park. The key is to go at your own pace and enjoy nature around you while you are active.

With 170 Saanich parks and over 100 km of trails available, chances are you will find the right fit for your activities. Being active in nature is not an obligation; it is an opportunity. 

 Some ideas to try:

  • Experience fresh air in a Saanich Park
  • Soak up the Vitamin D while on a walk during your lunch hour.
  • Enjoy running, biking or hiking through a park’s designated trails
  • Spot birds in their habitat
  • Grab a Naturehood map and build your own outdoor local adventure

↑top

Trails you can explore from the CTV News Hike the Island Series

↑top

Easing your mind

Spending even a little bit of time in nature helps our mental health. Research has shown that spending just two hours over a week in nature improves our mental health. That can be all at once or many small nature breaks. Give yourself a mental break by spending some time in nature.

 Some ideas to try:

↑top

Boost your spirit

Let nature give back to your senses including sight, smell, touch and sound. When you are out and about in nature, take a moment to observe, breathe in, pat a tree, and listen to the wind and birds. These small actions can help increase mindfulness, creativity and boost your spirit.  

 Some ideas to try:

  • Be creative – let the natural environment inspire painting, writing, sketching, etc.
  • Practice mindfulness and meditation – allow yourself to be more present
  • Journal – write down your feelings can help some to be more aware of their emotions
  • Volunteer with an environmental group or donate to a cause you to believe in
  • Deeply inhale the scent of your favourite flower, fresh-cut grass or the air after a rainfall
  • Stand in the warmth of a sunbeam, or the cool of a stream
  • Listen to soothing water flowing, wind through trees or birds singing
  • Walk barefoot on the grass
  • Watch the clouds float past, or the stars shine at night
  • Ground yourself by pressing your back up against the trunk of a tree

↑top

Connect with others

We find comfort in social connections. For some, this means catching up with a friend or family member while walking along a trail. For others, it could be a picnic at the beach or attending an outdoor event such as Music in the Park. Nature is the perfect place to connect with others.

 Some ideas to try:

  • Picnic in a park with friends
  • Joining an outdoor yoga class where you can meet new people
  • Reconnecting with an old friend over a walk in nature
  • Join the Gentle Walk and Talk

↑top

Visit a Saanich Park

Explore nature in your local neighbourhood park. Please take pictures and add the hashtag #SaanichParks and tag @saanichprcs (Facebook), @saanparksreccoms (Instagram) or @SaanichParksRec (Twitter) with your observations. Check out the maps showing parks and trails.

Saanich is home to diverse natural areas including wildflower meadows, forests, streams, wetlands, seashores, rocky hilltops and more. These spaces provide important wildlife habitat as well as opportunities for everyone to respect nature’s gifts.

Enjoy some of the unique ecosystems you can find in Saanich Parks:

  • Garry Oak habitats (meadows, woodlands, rocky outcrops)
  • Salmon-bearing streams
  • Coastal shorelines
  • Douglas-fir forests
  • Riparian habitats
  • Wetlands and bogs

"With every walk-in nature, one receives far more than [they] seek"  John Muir

↑top