Today we had one of our largest groups of volunteers we have ever had for an Invasive Pull! An incredible 24 volunteers gathered at the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden in South Vancouver eager to help remove invasives along the Red Alder Trail.
Our focus was to remove the last of the invasive Himalayan blackberry and ivy roots in preparation for our upcoming Healing Forest Planting on Sat, Oct 19.
After a land acknolwedgement by our Executive Director, Grace Nombrado, we welcomed volunteers in a circle. Supported by co-lead, Catherine Munn, everyone was encouraged to share their name, pronouns, and offer a stretch to the group.
After stretching out our arms, legs, and hips, we felt ready to get to invasive pulling. Because we had such a large group, we decided to divide and conquer. Catherine led one group of volunteers, while Grace led another group. Together, we focused on digging out Himalayan blackberry roots and ivy vines on the east side of the Red Alder Trail. We were able to clear a total of 1,380 L of invasives! Wow!
We appreciate the financial support we receive from Park People, which allows us to provide a variety of refreshments for our volunteers. So, as we worked, volunteers were encouraged to take small breaks to rest, chat, and have a snack.
It was great to see so many first time volunteers join our event! We hope to see many return for our Healing Forest planting and for future invasive pulls!
Thank you to our volunteers: Alyha, Angela, Anne, Antone, Barbara, Cal, Cameron, Candelaria, Catherine, Chinonso, Chloe, Cole, Ellie, Genevieve, Gabriel, Jeannine, Jessica, Natalie, Nora, Sofia, Sylvia, Zack.
