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. As part of our commitment to continual improvement, in September 2025, we updated the policy (see below).

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 are 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 & two Community Branch Grants from VanCity, we were 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 nature walks and workshops in Spring 2025
• Welcome 92 kids (between 5-17) from the 33rd Kerrisdale Scouting Group to help clear 3.7 m3 (3,720 L) of invasive plants
• Welcome 80 kids during 3 field trips and partner with a local summer camp to run 2 nature walks
• Engage with local High School Students: presentating to the Killarney High School environment club, led a youth nature activity during
  Spring break at the Champlain Heights Community Centre, and run a workshop at the Vancouver School Board Sustainability Conference

Year 2: Seniors

In 2026, our second year of Nature is for Everyone, we will be focusing on making our events more welcoming to seniors.

We have recevieved additional funding from Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and we are applying for further grant funding to allow us to:

• Conduct outreach with local seniors in our community to discover thier unique interests and needs
• Welcome seniors to participate in all our monthly stewardship events
• Offer ergonomic trowels, kneeling pads & seating for seniors
• Partner with educators to run free walks and workshops in Spring 2026 (check our event page for updates).
• Provide complimentary bus passes, drinks, and snacks (catering to dietary restrictions)
• Purchase hundreds of native plants for a fall 2026 planting
• and more!