Free the Fern is commmitted to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion within our environmental nonprofit. In 2024, after public consultation, our board approved an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy for our organization.

We acknowledge that there are members of our community who may have been historically underrepresented in stewardship. Individuals may experience barriers due to age, language, culture, and ability. Free the Fern would like to work towards changing that. So, in 2025, we launched a multi-year “Nature is for Everyone” project.

Year 1: Children, Youth, & Families

In 2025, our first year of Nature is for Everyone, we will be focusing on making our events more welcoming to children, youth, and families (of all kinds). Thanks to a Community Grant from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, we are able to:

• Offer gloves & shovels in a variety of inclusive sizing
• Welcome children and youth to participate in all our monthly stewardship events
• Partner with outdoor educator, Kristen Penhall, to offer several child-centered walks and workshops this Spring (check our event page for updates).
• Partner with the Champlain Heights Community Centre youth programmer, to offer a spring break invasive pull for teens.
• and more!

We hope to continue our Nature is for Everyone program in future years to welcome other marginalized groups into stewardship.