Fort-to-Fort Trail, Langley – May 13, 2022
Group 1
Group 2
Highlights
- 60 students from Walnut Grove Secondary School’s EDGE Program participated and contributed 90 hours total
- The students biked from their school to this activity at the Fort-to-Fort Trail (near Bedford Plaza)!
- Almost 11 cubic metres of invasive Himalayan blackberry was removed (equivalent to the volume of about 68 bathtubs!). Most of our work focused on removing stubborn root crowns (we removed MANY), which require more effort to remove but take up less volume
- This was not the first time these students visited the Fort-to-Fort Trail, as they all went for a bike ride along the trail weeks earlier!
- An area of 182 square metres had invasive plants removed from it and was revitalized
- 43 students removed invasive plants for the first time
- This activity received media coverage from the Aldergrove Star – CLICK HERE to read the article!
- See before and after photos at the bottom of this post!
On Friday May 13, 2022 the Lower Mainland Green Team and the Township of Langley partnered up to engage local youth in an invasive Himalayan blackberry removal at the Fort-to-Fort Trail.
60 grade 11 students from Walnut Grove Secondary School’s EDGE Program biked from their school to the Fort-to-Fort Trail to participate in this activity despite on and off rain in the morning. The students were split into two groups, with one group removing blackberry with our Green Team while the other group went on a bike ride around Fort Langley. The groups then swapped so everyone had the opportunity to participate in both our invasive plant removal and the bike ride. The students had an excellent attitude and gave it their all to remove as much invasive blackberry from this habitat as possible. Their efforts built on the work of students engaged in at our last activity at this site on March 3, 2022!
The students biked 6+ km one way to get to this activity!
Focusing on removing root crowns so the plant doesn’t regrow, the students learned how stubborn these roots are to remove, why they make it hard for native plants to thrive and how the relatively shallow root system can contribute to soil erosion. We were incredibly impressed with the number and size of root crowns that were removed by all of the students!
This ecosystem wasn’t the only one to benefit from our efforts, as the students themselves had a great time and enjoyed the opportunity to be in nature together. Many of them commented on how much fun they were having and how fast the sessions flew by! There are many benefits to being in nature including reduced levels of stress and anxiety, physical exercise and fresh air, and improved memory, focus and mental clarity. Additionally, through this experience we are helping these youth connect to and cultivate a deeper respect for nature, which helps instil responsible environmental behaviour that extends beyond our activities! By learning about environmental issues such as those caused by invasive species in a hands-on way, the students are better equipped to tackle such problems.
A number of critters were found while digging including:
worms, centipedes, snails and… a couple of harmless garter snakes!
We made sure to carefully move these living beings somewhere safe where they could continue to contribute to soil and habitat health!
Our efforts did not go unnoticed as many passersby and local residents stopped by to thank the students and our Green Team for the work we were doing. This was very empowering!
This was not our first or last time at the Fort-to-Fort Trail, read about our past activities on March 25, 2018, April 29, 2018, October 7, 2021, December 10, 2021 and March 3, 2022! Environmental stewardship is an ongoing effort and requires continued work, especially when working with persistent Himalayan blackberry. We look forward to returning to the Fort-to-Fort Trail to build on the important work of these students!
The Lower Mainland Green Team is a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada. Our mission is to connect, build and empower diverse communities through hands-on activities that promote health, well-being and environmental stewardship. Our vision is healthy communities engaged in environmental stewardship. Thanks to our partners, community members and supporters we are able to fulfill our mission! Learn more about our organization at www.greenteamscanada.ca!
Thank You!
Thank you to all of the eager and hard-working students who attended this activity: Kallen, Christa, Mitchell, Brooklynn, Mitchell, Abby, Leanne, Alexis, Darren, Sean, Angela, Taylore, Angela, Ryan, Robyn, Benton, Abigail, Jordon, Danielle, Cody, Matthew, Stephanie, Beck, Adrianne, Jayden, Brooklynn, Kiera, Noah, Tia, Nick, Sophie, Caleb, Julia, Kalani, Izzy, Quetzalli, Summer, Karan, Owen, Martin, Reid, Christian, Matteo, Laila, Derek, Justin, Tianna, Mike, Gemma, Callie, Makenzie, Sydney, Matthew, Nolan, Alexander, Maya, Dustin, Madison, Owen and Lucas!
A big thank you to Mrs. Miller, Mr. Stead, Mr. Balzarini, Ms. Bisset, and Ms. Gill for all your work to bring your students to this outdoor education opportunity!
Many thanks to Brennan, Eric P. and Chris at the Township of Langley for joining us at this activity to help move the massive piles of removed blackberry brambles and roots, supervise and support the activity, and share your expertise!
A huge thank you to Tovery Diener and Eric Fong at the Township of Langley for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, to make this activity possible. Thanks to the Township’s direction and financial support, local youth are able to connect deeper to nature and make tangible environmental impacts in natural areas such as the Fort-to-Fort Trail – which is a win for community and environmental health!
Before and After Photos
(click images to make them bigger)
What this site looked like before our Green Team started working on it on March 3, 2022…
A few students also helped remove any blackberry that was sprouting up at the area we cleared in fall 2021…
