Tuesday, June 11, 2024 | 10 a.m.
Faculties & programs
- Social Sciences
- Environmental Studies
- Psychology
- Graduate Studies
Order of proceedings
To be announced.Honorary degree recipient
Margaret Lidkea, Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc)
Margaret Lidkea, a champion of environmental stewardship, has devoted her life to fostering ecological awareness and restoration efforts, particularly in Victoria's Garry oak ecosystems. As a teacher, naturalist, and volunteer, she has positively impacted generations of children and youth.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of British Columbia in 1968 and a teaching certificate in 1973, Lidkea blended her passion for biology with her commitment to teaching. Early in her career, she served as a lab technician in Thompson, Manitoba, and later as a secondary school teacher in Delta, BC.
In 1988, she assumed the role of Program Naturalist at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary in Saanich, where she led outdoor programs for preschoolers, school children, youth and families. As a Girl Guide leader, Margaret started restoration in Uplands Park and Anderson Hill with Girl Guides in 1992. Upon retirement in 2009, she co-founded Friends of Uplands Park and dedicated herself to ecological restoration in Uplands Park, Oak Bay, and other natural areas.
Her outstanding contributions, including organizing over 170 restoration and education events and dedicating more than 1000 hours in 2019 alone, earned her recognition on the Municipality of Oak Bay's Wall of Fame in 2021.