Thank you to Grade 5 students from Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary who participated in this invasive blackberry & ivy removal:
Shiven, Alice, Dante, Celeste, Samai, Liam, Jasmine, Sahan, Senith, Eason, James, Jenna, Reina, Lincco, Qiuya, Zak, Rhodesia, Harper, Sarah, Saanvi, Pixie, Grayson, Aria, Charlie, Saaransh, Luna, Jiho, Kayla & Jeremy
A thank you to Ms. Warren for engaging her Grade 5 students & to parents Ethel and Bianca for joining us!
It was supposed to rain & ended up being a sunny day! Grade 5 students made a BIG impact at this local park!
Impacts
- 29 Grade 5 Donna Gabriel Robins Elementary School students were engaged
- 1 teacher (Ms. Warren)
- 2 parents (Bianca & Ethel)
- 15 participants visited James Anderson Park for the first time
- 27 participants removed invasive plants for the first time
- 15 participants visited James Anderson Park for the first time
- 88 hours were contributed towards restoring local habitat
- 4 cubic metres (24 bathtubs) of invasive Himalayan blackberry & English Ivy was removed
Highlights
- Students had the chance to observe a cool red spider, a beetle, squirrel and a worm, enhancing their understanding of biodiversity
- Under the guidance of Ms. Warren, students participated in this hands-on environmental activity and learned how to support biodiversity!
- The activity fostered teamwork, allowing students to work together well
- This hands-on approach not only educated students about invasive species but also instilled a sense of responsibility towards their local environment, empowered them & created lasting memories
- After their hard work, students enjoyed a delicious spread of snacks, including brownies, grapes, mandarins, bananas, nuts, fruit snacks, and banana bread, keeping their energy up for the day’s activities
- We built on previous work at this park. Other activities we have run at James Anderson Park:
What Participants Said
Community Investment Partner
THANK YOU to the Township of Langley for providing direction and financial support to make this activity a big success.
Special thanks to Tovery, Brennan, Thomas and Mitch.
Together we are creating opportunities for community members to come together, connect with each other and nature, and take care of the environment.
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, and litter clean-ups, 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 behavior 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!
Staff Who Made This Activity Happen!
Our staff work hard to create high-quality activities. Partnership building, fundraising, outreach, social media, activity logistics, leading on-the-ground, reporting on impacts and more – they do it all!
Lyda Salatian, our Founder and Executive Director led this activity with behind the scenes support from Ashton Kerr, the Lower Mainland Green Team’s Partnerships Manager.