Thank you to the Grade 4 students from Langley Meadows Community School and the Grade 10 & 11 students from R.E. Mountain Secondary who participated in this invasive blackberry removal!
Ms. Howard’s Class: Elia, Nadia, Cater, Aiden, Carmen, Alex, Katea, Anabel, Joanna, Ashley, Logan, Kali, Amy, Eden, Chloe, Noel, Ava, Mackenzie, Matthew, Kate, Sam, Mya, Georgia, Jake, Sophia, Ava, Nayun, Anna, Nish, Lexie, Caitlyn, & Sophia
Ms. Strilchuk’s Class: Emma, Makenna, Max, Nigel, Divyanshi, Hassan, Jessica, Callie, Aryan, Querubin, Cameron, Jacob, Galia, Brielle, Ella, Kaiyra, Prestyn, Aarav, Anaya, Belle, Gabriel, Knox, Dom, and Arshia!
And to Mr. Suzuki’s Class as well!
A thank you to Ms. Howard, Mr. Suzuki, and Ms. Strilchuk for engaging their students!
It was a beautiful sunny day and these students had a great time learning about invasive plants while making a fantastic impact on Meadows Edge Park!
Impacts
- 59 Grade 4 students from Langley Meadows Community School and Grade 10 & 11 students from R.E. Mountain Secondary school were engaged!
- 33 students removed invasive plants for the first time
- 46 students visited Meadows Edge Park for the first time
- 3 teachers (Ms. Strilchuk, Ms. Howard, and Mr. Suzuki) brought their classes.
- 3 parent volunteers jumped in to help out today, and it was the first time for them too!
- 102 hours were contributed towards revitalizing local habitat!
- 3 cubic metres (19 bathtubs) of invasive Himalayan blackberry was removed
- 28 square metres of habitat revitalized!
Highlights
- We built on the work of community & youth activities we ran here this Spring to continue stewarding this park after we began our work here way back in 2023!
- Ms. Howard and her family joined us earlier this year here at Meadow’s Edge Park too! We were really happy to connect with her students as well!
- The teachers & all the students got some extra healthy exercise walking to this activity!
- Students found cool insects like this earth worm too!
- Thanks to coordination with Ms. Strilchuk, Ms. Howard, and Mr. Suzuki, students participated in this hands-on environmental activity and learned how to support biodiversity!
- This hands-on, experiential approach not only educated students about invasive species but also instilled a sense of responsibility towards their local environment, empowered them, & created lasting memories.
- Students worked together as teams to tackle these plants!
- Thanks as well to Kyle & Charn from the Township of Langley helped clean up all the plants we removed, encouraged the students, and helped with some stubborn roots!
- After their hard work, students enjoyed some fruity juice and healthy granola bars!
What Participants Said
Videos of students talking about the activity:
Video of Galia & Makenna talking about removing invasive plants alongside their friends!
Community Investment Partner
We sincerely thank the Township of Langley for their guidance and financial support, which have made a significant impact on both our youth and the environment!
This was the fifth of NINE activities we are organizing in partnership with the Township this year!
BIG thank you to Tovery, Kyle, & Charn for their role in making this activity a success!
Together we are creating opportunities for youth and 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 run high-quality community activities. Outreach, activity logistics, social media, reporting on impacts, partnership building and more – they do it all!
Max Muehlen, our Lower Mainland Green Team’s Program Manager led this activity with support from Ashton Kerr, the Lower Mainland Green Team’s Partnerships Manager who plays a key role in building the partnerships that make these activities possible!