Since January 2021, Free the Fern has been stewarding the area of the Red Alder Trail, just east of the Kinross Creek Co-op.
15 years prior, local resident, Doug Hollick (see biography posted below), had planned and landscaped a garden in this area. Despite being in a wheelchair, he was able, with the help of an assistant, to landscape garden plots and introduce many plants.
Tragically, in 2006 Doug passed away. The garden he planted became known to local residents as “Doug’s Garden”.
Over time the area became overwhelmed by invasive plants, including English ivy, common periwinkle, Italian arum, and others.
In January 2021, noticing how invasives had taken over the area, Grace Nombrado and other volunteers, began removing the invasives. Others along the trail began to take notice and wanted to help. So, Free the Fern was born.
In October 2021 over 200 native plants (ferns, berries, and flowers) were planted in the area during a community planting. It was decided that the garden would be officially known as the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden (“Doug’s Garden” for short), in memory of Doug Hollick and in honour of the trees that forest the area.
In 2022 Free the Fern will be developing educational signage for the garden with a planned opening date to the public of June 5, 2022.
