Highlights From The Day
- 106 volunteers, including 79 students joined us and contributed 156 hours total!
- Thank you to the 27 students in Ms. Atkinson’s grade 4 class from Langley Meadows Community School: Alex, Taylor, Lily, Jael, Aarya, Alice, Maddie, Danica, Kian, Ethan, Akshadha, Brody, Lennon, Nash, Wes, Alaia, Arya, Nixon, Alexander, Ibukun, Alain, Samantha, Zoe Clementine, Alex, Athan, Agasthya and Jeffrey!
- Thank you to the 24 students in Ms. Bhatia’s grade 4 class Langley Meadows Community School: Jessica, Daniil, Jack, Elisei, Abigail, Emmanuel, Eleanor, Camden, Jasper, Chloe, Jayven, Basha, Zephra, Charlie, Lukas, Sanvi, Ayana, Ayden, Freya, Kavina, Lynden, Maximus, Carmen and Joonsoo!
- Thank you to the 15 students in Ms. O’Neill and Ms. Sherwood’s Summit Program class from R.E. Mountain Secondary!
- Thank you to the 13 students in Mr. Suzuki’s Core Math class from R.E. Mountain Secondary: Carter, Jude, Addison, V, Nash, Ben, Taya, Landon, Craven, Peyton, Anton, Ahmed, Ava, Jaxon, Jorden and Ethan!
- Thank you to Anwar and Ryo, our 2 community volunteers who joined us at this activity to share their blackberry removing expertise and support the students!
- Thank you Kresha for joining us to remove blackberry!
- Thank you teachers, support staff and parents for organizing, supporting and supervising the students!
- 35 students visited Meadows Edge Park for the first time
- 73 students removed invasive plants for the first time
- Together our team:
- Removed 2.5 cubic metres (15 bathtubs full) of invasive Himalayan blackberry
- Most of what was removed was stubborn blackberry roots, which require more effort to remove but take up less volume. Removing roots is essential to reducing plant regrowth!
- Removed invasive plants from an area of 90 metres squared
- Built on restoration work by the Township of Langley, our Green Team and the Langley Environmental Partners Society on August 27, 2022
- Removed 2.5 cubic metres (15 bathtubs full) of invasive Himalayan blackberry
- Scroll down to see before and after photos, as well as some in-action photos!
- Our Community Investment Partner, the Township of Langley, provided direction and financial support to make this youth activity possible
- Thank you to Township staff Brennan, Olena, Dilraj and Jordan for your involvement in this day!
- Thank you Councillor Michael Pratt for joining us to see these students in action!
Look at All Those Worms!
Before & After Photos
Photo of the Invasive Blackberry We Removed!
Photo of This Site Before Restoration Work
This was our second time working at Meadows Edge Park. Check out what this site looked like the first time we visited it on August 27, 2022!
Why Do We Do This Work?
The Lower Mainland Green Team organizes hands-on educational activities that have a positive environmental impact to empower people. Through activities such as invasive plant removals, plantings, litter cleanups and more, we are fostering connections with others and nature so that health and well-being is prioritized, lifelong environmental stewardship is promoted, and community members are enabled to take care of themselves, each other and the places they live. We all have the power to make a difference!
We all experience mental and physical health benefits from spending time in nature, including reduced stress and anxiety, and improved mood, focus, memory and more. While doing so, we can also have a positive impact on the environment as demonstrated through this activity!
Partner For This Activity
A huge THANK YOU to the Township of Langley for partnering with our charity, Green Teams of Canada, and making this activity engaging local youth possible with their financial support and direction!
Together we are achieving our common goals and creating connected, healthy and resilient communities engaged in environmental stewardship. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2024 and beyond!
Thank you also to Councillor Michael Pratt for joining us to see these students in action!
Many thanks to Olena, Dilraj, Jordan and Brennan at the Township of Langley for joining us at this activity to help move the piles of removed blackberry, supervise and support the youth, and share your expertise!
What Volunteers Said
Students had lots of fun at this activity, with many not wanting it to end! “Can we spend the rest of the school day here?” two grade 4 students asked.
Multiple teachers shared with us that some students who experience difficulty in class were thriving in this outdoor learning setting. It was great to see the students working together and having fun while learning new things!
“I recently had the pleasure of participating in one of the most beautiful events, sharing a new and enriching experience with the students, and witnessing a truly beautiful conclusion to our last activity in 2023. The anticipation for the upcoming events in 2024 fills me with excitement”
– Anwar, LMGT volunteer who supported this activity
In-Action Photos
Some fun finds included a frisbee!
Taya was the queen of removing massive blackberry roots!
Our Staff and Volunteer Leaders
This activity was led by the Lower Mainland Green Team‘s Program Manager, Ashton Kerr (front) and Program Coordinator, Andrea Robles (right)!
Two of our awesome community volunteers, Anwar (left) and Ryo (middle), also joined us at this activity to share their blackberry removing expertise and support the students!