Join us for this hybrid (Zoom + in-person) event held in partnership with Oak Bay Coolkit!
Chris Hyde-Lay (Manager, Parks Services, District of Oak Bay), will provide opening remarks.
Ryan Senechal and Carollyne Yardley with the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society (GOMPS) will describe the historical significance of our Garry oak ecosystems, the critical services they provide, current policies, gaps in protection, and how GOMPS is responding to Garry oak loss in urban areas.
Ryan Senechal has been practicing in arboriculture and urban forestry work environments across sectors since 2004. As a subject matter expert, he has contributed to the development and maintenance of arborist/urban forestry regulations, safe work procedures, credentials, and curriculum across Canada and internationally. He is a graduate of the Humber College Urban Arboriculture program and completed his Master’s of Urban Forestry Leadership from UBC. His non-profit work is community-focused blending urban forest advocacy, community involvement, and nursery operations.
Carollyne Yardley is an interdisciplinary artist-researcher with a Master of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Her work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally, and her research-creation publications explore multi-species relationships in urban environments. She is a Sierra Club BC Rosemary Fox Conservation Achievement Award recipient and an active community leader—co-chair of the Rockland Neighbourhood Association Land Use Committee, Director of the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society, and a Victoria Community Association Network representative—uniquely positioning her as a subject-matter expert in Garry oak conservation, mapping, and local land-use policy.