Thank you to everyone who participated in this invasive blackberry removal to restore salmon habitat!
Alexa, Alexis, Alysa, Amanda, Amber, Amelia, Chelsea, Cyrus, Deliah, Emma, Erin, Fairy Wei, Feng, Greg, Haiyan, Irene, Iris, Ivy, Jessie, Jiaxi, Joshua, Leaminn, Lena, Mikael, Natalia, Naya, Nick, Niklas, Oliver M., Oliver O., Olivia, Peter, Quinn, Shane, Sierra, Sofia, Sophie, Stuart,
Tom, Tristan, Tyler, Wei, Wing Yi, and Zane!
We had a great time working along the banks of the Alouette River and on a small island to helping to make a great contribution to an on-going effort to restore this salmon habitat!
Impacts
- 43 community members were engaged
- 38 visited the Trethewey Channel for the first time
- 28 removed invasive plants for the first time
- 140 hours were contributed towards restoring local habitat
- 12.5 cubic metres (78 bathtubs) of invasive Himalayan Blackberry was removed
- 50 native shrubs were planted including Hardhack, Pacific Ninebark, Willow, Black Twinberry, Bigleaf Lupin, Goldenrod and Slough Sedge (a water plant!)
- 330 square metres of habitat was revitalized
- Community members joined us from Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Langley, Surrey and Port Moody!
- Our activities are designed to foster a sense of community that extends beyond municipal borders. By engaging community members from across the region, we are reminded that we are part of a larger, interconnected community and have a shared responsibility of creating a cleaner, healthier environment regardless of where we call home.
Highlights
- This activity made it into the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News!
- This activity built on restoration work by our team, the Alouette River Management Society (ARMS) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to revitalize this spawning channel!
- We’re grateful to Ken for enabling us to restore this salmon habitat on his property!
- Read about and see photos from our Nov 17, 2024 activity at this site!
- This was our new Program Manager Max‘s first ever Lower Mainland Green Team activity and he had a blast!
- Max joins us from a background in the education department at the Canadian Wildlife Federation working to introduce youth to conservation. He’s excited to continue making an impact on people & the earth with LMGT! Welcome to the team, Max!
- Thank you to Kristen from ARMS for being present to help out and share her knowledge!
- Returning LMGT members brought some awesome guests that made a huge difference including neighbours, family friends, fellow scouters, kid’s classmates, and more! Guests are always welcome 🙂
- Oliver discovered a Red net-winged beetle!
- Alexa & Zane came all the way from North Vancouver to participate!
- Lena, Chloe and Amber removed blackberry to rescue a coniferous tree, then named the tree Banjo!
- We had an awesome crew planting at the end of the event, including eager youth planters and many who were planting for the first time!
- Everyone helped pack up tools and supplies after this activity – many thanks for that!
What Community Members Said
Video of Joshua, talking about the fun he had removing blackberry!
Video of Erin & Sophie, talking about meeting new people while making an impact on the environment!
Video of Cyrus & Joshua, talking about giving back to their community with the LMGT for the first time!
Video of Leaminn & Chelsea, talking about making social connections, satisfying plant removal, and yummy brownies!
Video of Oliver, talking about how nice nature really is!
Video of Niklas & Mikael, talking about saving salmon and having a lot of fun!
Video of Peter, talking about how this is a great opportunity to get outside and step away from screens!
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to the Alouette River Management Society (ARMS) – especially Kristen and Greta – for being a Community Investment Partner and making our work at Trethewey Channel in Maple Ridge possible. Special thanks to Kristen for her leadership and support during this activity!
ARMS received funding to restore this salmon habitat from Pacific Salmon Foundation, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and the Stewart Family Foundation.
ARMS is dedicated to proactively protecting and improving the Alouette Watershed and surrounding areas by creating a healthy environment connecting parks, trail systems, public centres and waterways.
This activity was a great success and together we made a significant impact on the health and well-being of community members and the environment!
In-Kind Support
A big thank you to our in-kind supporter, Green Beaver, for providing their great Maple Syrup lip balm! They offer exceptional, sustainable products that promote responsible consumer choices.
Green Beaver is a Canadian business helping people access a natural and healthier lifestyle, while contributing to a more sustainable world.
If you’re interested in contributing in-kind or have ideas for potential partnerships, please contact Ashton Kerr. Your support makes a difference!
Why We Do This Work
The Lower Mainland Green Team is a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada.
We believe in the transformative power of hands-on environmental activities to empower individuals and strengthen communities.
Through initiatives like invasive plant removals, tree plantings, litter clean-ups and more, we not only foster connections among participants but also deepen their relationship with nature. Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing mood, focus, and overall mental and physical health.
Our activities are designed to be inclusive, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and skill levels.
What sets us apart is we attract a wide mix of young community members who may not otherwise spend time outside, igniting their passion for nature and environmental care.
We are committed to instilling an environmental ethic that leads to lasting behaviour change. We aim to create a sense of belonging and connection to place, encouraging participants to recognize their ability to make a meaningful impact.
Together, we can all make a difference. Join us as we build a brighter, greener future for everyone!
GTC Staff Who Made This Activity Happen!
Our staff work hard to run high-quality community activities. Outreach, activity logistics, social media, reporting on impacts, partnership building and more – they do it all!
Ashton Kerr, the Lower Mainland Green Team’s Partnerships Manager, led this activity with support from Max Muehlen, our Lower Mainland Green Team’s new Program Manager. Lyda Salatian, our Founder and Executive Director who works hard behind the scenes to run and grow our charity, also supported this activity!