MEET OUR TEAM

Erin Knock

President

Erin is originally from Nova Scotia and has lived in Champlain Heights since 2016. She is a scientist by trade, focused on human cellular biology but with a special place in her heart for plant biology and ecosystems. Her science career has taken her all over Canada and to the UK, working in Montreal, Toronto and Cambridge, England before moving to Vancouver. Erin is currently the Associate Director of Neural Biology at STEMCELL Technologies, where she leads a team making tools for life science and stem cell research. She became involved in Free the Fern due to the interest of her two children, Liam and Connor, in stewardship events at Everett Crowley Park. Liam in particular has a passion for learning about native and invasive species and is always up for pulling up ivy! Now you can find Erin and her family walking their dog Riker in the park and helping out with weed pulls and planting along the trails.

Joshua Ralph

Treasurer

Joshua is a media and community-engaged eco-artist. He’s worked across Southwest BC, developing and delivering programming on rendering invasive plants, harvested from local restoration sites, to useable art-making materials. Joshua’s practice aims to serve as a bridge between ecology and art, providing environmentally sustainable and accessible art supplies to his fellow community members. He can often be seen biking around Richmond and looking at birds.

Barbara Lane

Secretary

Barbara Lane moved to Vancouver in 2021 after living in Alberta for many years.  A retired corporate librarian, she has a long history of volunteering with a variety of organizations.  She became involved with Free the Fern in 2022, regularly volunteering at the monthly invasive pulls on the Red Alder trail near her home.  She likes learning about the local ecosystem and especially loves planting native plants.

Catherine Munn

Director at large

For seven years, Catherine worked as a landscaper in Regina, Saskatchewan. Between 1988-2009, she worked as a Horticultural Landscape Technician for several landscape companies in Vancouver, including The Silent Gardener and Organic Matters Landscaping. In 2007, Catherine became certified in Organic Landscape Design through Gaia College in Burnaby. Since 1997, she has been a member of the Maple St. Co-operative Garden and the Pine Street Community Garden in Kitsilano. Catherine has learned how vital community gardens are for building friendships, strengthening organic gardening skills and demonstrating the importance of urban food security. Catherine is also a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and the University of Regina’s BFA Program. She continues to produce fine art work, illustration and design.

Genevieve Finn

Director at Large

Genevieve began volunteering with Free the Fern in 2023 after becoming enchanted by the beauty and design of the Champlain Heights trails. Becoming a member of this community has provided them with a variety of meaningful learning opportunities to understand the role native plants play in creating diversified habitats for local wildlife. Restoring the ecology of this urban forest garden through community engagement is a practice that speaks to their belief in the power of small organized groups and their ability to effect social change. Genevieve looks forward to the many events and activities Free the Fern will offer, raising awareness of what can be done to make our urban neighborhoods more resilient towards climate change and how we can care for the land on which we reside.

Robin Poirier-Vasic

Director at Large

Robin Poirier-Vasic has lived all over Canada, including Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario, before moving to British Columbia in 1998. She has been a resident in Champlain Heights since 2015.  In 2021, after meeting Grace Nombrado while walking the trails, Robin became involved with Free the Fern.  She has enjoyed learning about native plants and loves to give back to the Champlain Heights Community.  Now you can find Robin on many weekends pulling invasive species with other Free the Fern directors and volunteers.

Damian Assadi

Everett Crowley Park Liaison

Damian Assadi is a life-long resident of Champlain Heights. His love for plant ecology began as a child playing in the neighborhood’s urban forests. Damian is now a Forestry undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia, studying Natural Resources Conservation and learning how we can live in reciprocity with nature. His passion for park stewardship began in 2019, and he has since contributed over 1300 volunteer hours with organizations like the Invasive Species Council of BC and Stanley Park Ecology Society. He is the Chair of the Everett Crowley Park Committee and a Board Director for the Champlain Heights Community Association. Damian joined Free the Fern in early 2021 to support local stewardship, and has secured two community service grants for these efforts. As a witness of Free the Fern’s roots, he can proudly attest to how the Red Alder Trail has been transformed because of the community. When Damian isn’t wrangling invasive plants, he draws, paints, and also writes heartfelt guitar love songs about trees.

Marge Wylie

Elder in Residence

Marge is a member of the Tl’azt’en Nation, or “people by the edge of the bay”, and an offspring of Chief Qua.  She is from the First Nations community situated in north-central British Columbia and was raised in Tache, BC, Canada. She is a survivor of the Lejac residential school. Marge frequently visits the Douglas Fir Teaching Garden as part of her healing journey. She also generously shares her bannock & jam at Free the Fern community events.

Community Volunteers

Since our founding in January 2021, Free the Fern has had many community volunteers help with invasive pulls, planting or event set-up/clean-up.

We are so grateful to everyone who helps make Free the Fern possible!