On Aug 31, 2024, 20 local community members and volunteers gathered under the towering trees in the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden for our Nature is for Everyone: Annual General Meeting. Erin Knock, Free the Fern President, welcomed everyone and gave a land acknolwedgment. We then… Read More »Annual General Meeting 2024
In honour of Indigneous History Month & Pride Month, Free the Fern hosted a free public event, BioDIVERSITY, on Saturday, June 22, 10am-1pm. It was held at the beautiful Douglas Fir Teaching Garden, which was recently designated a National Healing Forest for reconciliation. Approximately 40… Read More »BioDiversity – June 22, 2024
On Tuesday, June 25 at 6pm, we held a painted lady butterfly release on the Red Alder Trail! Inspired by the local Champlain Heights Annex school, who raise butterflies for release each year, Free the Fern Executive Director, Grace, had ordered the catterpillars from Education… Read More »Butterfly Release!
On Thursday, June 20, in the lead up to our BioDIVERSITY event, 6 volunteers gathered at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden for some collaborative chalk drawing! We were inspired by the mandala art form and decided to make our art in concentric circles. We attached… Read More »Collaborative Chalk Drawing!
Today, we were happy to join the Champlain Heights Summer Fair organized by the Champlain Heights Community Association. The event included live entertainment, inflatables, consession stand, & community booths. We were grateful to have 8 (6 pictured) wonderful Free the Fern volunteers join us at… Read More »Champlain Heights Summer Fair
Today, it was a light misty rain. But, spirits were not dampened at our monthly Invasive Pull. 11 volunteers gathered at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden. We began with a welcome in a circle, which included each volunteer offering a body stretch. It was a… Read More »Invasive Pull – June 1, 2024
We have been busy this past month adding new signage to the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden, as part of our Healing Forest Project. In August 2023, the David Suzuki Foundation designated the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden as a National Healing Forest for reconciliation. Thanks to… Read More »Signs of Healing
This afternoon we welcomed Métis herbalist and educator, Lori Ann Bird (Lori Snyder), to lead a Healing Salve Workshop. She began with a very generous welcome, inviting others in the room to introduce themselves. Which turned into a free flowing dialogue on nature and reconciliation.… Read More »Healing Salve Making – May 25, 2024
This morning we welcomed artists, Elena Kirby and Masumi Rodriguez, to share their knowledge of paper making with invasive ivy. Elena & Masumi had spent 7 months studying the traditional art of papermaking (washi) in Kochi, Japan. They studied at a Kozo (mulberry) farm, and… Read More »Ivy Paper Making Workshop – May 25, 2024
Today, our Executive Director, Grace Nombrado, guided a grade 1 class from the local Champlain Heights Annex school for a fieldtrip along the Champlain Heights Trail system. The kids were excited for the fieldtrip, as Grace had previosuly presented to their class, and they were… Read More »Planting Cedars! – May 9, 2024