![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/dwarf-Oregon-grape-1.jpg)
Location
![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Native-Food-Forest-Google-Maps-Location-1.png)
Red Alder Trail
Our Native Food Forest is planted on city land, in a 360m2 (18mx20m) area, adjacent to the Red Alder Trail, which is part of the Champlain Heights Trail System in South Vancouver.
![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Project-Site-North-West-Corner-1024x768.jpg)
Invasives
In January of 2023, the site was mainly covered by a dense thicket of invasive Himalayan blackberry and English ivy. There were also some trees on the Southern and Eastern edge of the site.
![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Triangle-with-Invasives-Removed-Oct-20-2023-1024x795.jpg)
Removal
To prepare the site to become a Native Food Forest, Free the Fern organized 8 invasive pulls on the first Saturday of each month in 2023. Together, we successfully removed 14,820 L of invasive plants.
![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2679-1-1024x908.jpg)
Planting
On Oct 21, 2023, 58 volunteers planted 690 native plants during our Native Food Forest Planting Event. At the site, you can now find a mix of edible native fruits/nuts, berries, and ground cover. In addition, on the western edge, there is a strip of native pollinators. While, on the southern edge, there is a hedgerow of native flowering shrubs.
![](https://freethefern.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Triangle-Oct-22-2023-1024x768.jpg)
Accessibility
The paved, accessible Red Alder trail runs along both the East and West of the site. To the South of the site, there is a grassy area and public playground with bench seating.