We had a very successful Invasive Ed 101 event on Saturday, June 12. Despite the forecast being 70% rain, we woke up to to beautiful sunny skies. Our members, Kiki, Anne, Grace and Paola were on hand to set up our info table, with waiver… Read More »Invasive Ed 101
Free the Fern Member, Teresa Gagné, offered to help design trail signage for our Free the Fern conservation effort. She will be printing and laminating these signs for placement along the Champlain Heights Trail in the areas we are stewarding. Thank you Teresa for your… Read More »Trail Signage
Today Free the Fern member, and UBC student, Damian Assadi, went for a walk with me in neighbouring Champlain Heights Park. This is a park just north of the Champlain Heights Community Centre. It is an oasis of native plants – beds of salal, oregon… Read More »How Old is that Douglas Fir Tree?
Since forming Free the Fern in January 2021, we have been tracking our volunteer hours and invasives removed via a google form. So, I took a look at our totals today. From January 15 to June 1, 2021, Free the Fern volunteers have spent 256.50… Read More »Wow! That is a lot of Invasives!
Since meeting Paola Coloma, resident of Cartier Place in Champlain Heights, I have been impressed with her passion for volunteerism and warm, genuine nature. At the start of May, she set a goal to remove the invasive ivy and Himalayan Blackberry from the edge of… Read More »Volunteer Spotlight: Paola Coloma
On May 29, 2021, thanks to a Neighbourhood Small Grant, Free the Fern member, Martin, was able to host a Let’s Root Out Invasives” event at Alexander Laidlaw Co-op, adjacent to the Red Alder Trail. Ten volunteers, including five Free the Fern members, signed up… Read More »Let’s Root Out Invasives!
Walking down Champlain Heights Trail there have been many signs of spring. I am in awe of the bright green of the young vine maple leaves above me. Behind Kinross Creek Co-op, I see the deep pink of the first baldhip rose unfurling its petals. Farther… Read More »Signs of Spring
Thanks to a TD Park People Grant, Free the Fern has been able to purchase 6 tool sets, each set containing: a rake, a shovel, a trowel, and a professional bypass pruner. Free the Fern member, Kiki, offered to help paint the tool sets in… Read More »Rainbow Tool Sets
Today we spent the morning selling hand-painted art on the Champlain Heights Trail as part of our Art for Plants Fundraiser. Free the Fern member, Paola, also contributed some hand-made cloth bags, made from repurposed fabrics, for our sale. As of today (May 15, 2021),… Read More »Fundraising Update
As part of our Small Neighbourhood Grant, we were able to offer free ferns to 30 of our Invasive Zoom participants. So, I set up a table in my carport and gave out free ferns! We also had our art from our Art for Plant… Read More »Free Ferns!