On a bright and and beautiful January morning we met at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden for a Buds, Branches & Bark walk with Julia Alards-Tomalin. This was the third year we have partnered with Julia to run this free walk for the community. Julia… Read More »Buds, Branches, & Bark – Jan 17, 2026
We washed away the old year and started the new year fresh on Sat, Jan 3, 2026 with a Wet & Wild Invasive Pull. 14 amazing volunteers (7 of them volunteering for the first time) braved heavy rain to join the pull. We gathered at… Read More »A Wet & Wild Invasive Pull!
On Dec 14, 2025, we held our 5th annual Light up the Night in Champlain Heights festival! Despite rainy weather, over 70 local residents gathered together at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden. The event began with a welcome blessing by Musqueam artist Nova Wolf. Then… Read More »Light up the Night in Champlain Heights – Dec 14, 2025
Today, on Dec 7, 2025, Free the Fern held two free public lantern making sessions – Globe (Balloon) Lantern Making & Milk Carton Lantern Making! These were led by Executive Director Grace Nombrado. Globe Lanterns 12 local community members came together to learn how to… Read More »Balloons & Milk Cartons!
Today, 17 volunteers gathered at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden for our monthly Invasive Pull (and bonus planting!) After a nice welcome stretch we headed down the Red Alder Trail, Champlain Heights Trails. After having several days of rain, the sun graced us with its… Read More »Planting & Pulling!
On Sat, Nov 15, 2025, we were honoured to have teacher, Amanda Stevenson, share her knowledge about how to care for mason bees. This was part of our Leaves & Bees Workshop. Following, an autumn walk, we returned to the Kinross Creek common room, to… Read More »How to care for mason bees!
On Friday, Nov 14, 2025, Free the Fern and the Everett Crowley Park Committee welcomed 5 UBC ENVR 400 students for a walk through Everett Crowley Park and the Champlain Heights Trails. ECPC chair, Damian Assadi , and Free the Fern Executive Director, Grace Nombrado, led… Read More »Welcome ENVR 400 Students!
On Thursday, Nov 13, 2025, we welcomed 7 partner artists to collaborate with us for lantern building. This is in preparation for our 5th annual Light up the Night in Champlain Heights Festival. The session was led by crafter extraordinaire Kiki Nombrado Together, we learned how… Read More »Artist Lantern Making Collaboration
On Sat, Nov 1, we held our monthly Invasive Pull. For the first time in the history of Free the Fern our invasive pull fell on a very wet, rainy day. But, the rain didn’t keep our volunteers away! 17 people gathered at the Douglas… Read More »Singing in the rain!
On Oct 30, 2025, we welcomed 6 staff from B.C. Housing for a Healing Forest Walk. This was part of their effort to support their staff’s mental health and healing. For this walk, we were honoured to partner with Leona Brown. Leona is a Gitxsan mother… Read More »Healing Forest Walk