August 11, 2010
Super Elite Task Force: Operation Port Coquitlam (Photo: Evergreen)
Last Thursday, a super elite team of Evergreen’s stewardship volunteers put in some of their evening time to help a federally red-listed species in Port Coquitlam – streambank lupine (Lupinis rivularis).
“This is the most work anyone has done for the plant,” said a thankful Species at Risk Recovery Team member, Dawn Hanna. Volunteers worked slowly and deliberately on the urban site, careful not to step on or disturb the lupines, of which there are only 300 known individuals in Canada. Hopefully, by protecting this and other populations, that number will increase in years to come.
This is the first of three work parties to protect rare populations of streambank lupine this summer (there are only 8 known locations in Canada – all of which are found in the Lower Mainland)
For more information or to get involved in the project, contact Laura Smit, Stewardship Co-ordinator at lsmit@evergreen.ca or 604-689-0776
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Posted by Laura from Common Grounds Vancouver
August 11, 2010
Find natural sweets on our edible plant walk. (Photo: Evergreen)
Explore your local park with Evergreen and the City of Mississauga in an Edible Plant Walk tomorrow, Thursday, August 12. For more information visit our online calendar. Sign up by contacting Emily Adam, eadam@evergreen.ca.
Many native plants provide edible and medicinal benefits and can be a beautiful addition to any garden or greening project. Native plants that bear fruit also provide wonderful habitat and food for birds, pollinators and small mammals.
Help create urban green corridors, wildlife habitat and beautify your city with native plants. Visit our Native Plant Database to find native, edible plants that will thrive in your garden!
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Posted by Kim from Common Grounds
August 10, 2010
Beaver Lodge Fort provides a shady nook for little ones at Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, ON. (Photo: Lyle Sadavoy)
Here in Learning Grounds, we work hard to get kids outside, and shade is a big part of keeping them safe while they’re there. Escaping to shade not only feels good, it is becoming increasingly important for children’s health. According to the Canadian Dermatology Association, people born in the 1990s have a 2 to 3 times higher lifetime risk of skin cancer than those born in the 1960′s. To put it a different way, if you’re currently between 11 and 20 years old, you have a 1 in 6 lifetime risk of skin cancer, compared to those between 41 and 50 years old, whose lifetime risk is 1 in 20.
The good news is that anyone can create shade at home and or on school grounds. Shade structures can range in price and complexity, from a straight-forward tarp or tent to a vine-covered pergola or gazebo. Read on for inspiration and links to our free shade resources.
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3 Comments | Art, Gardening, Green Tips, School Ground Greening, Transformations, Vancouver | Permalink
Posted by Anne from Learning Grounds
August 9, 2010
Volunteers from Starbucks Canada enthusiastically pulling invasive tansy and blackberry. (Photo: Evergreen)
Serenaded by the likes of Les Boukakes and Shayne Koyczan at the Vancouver Folk Festival, a group of volunteers recently made a big impact on the ecological health of Jericho Beach Park. All employees of Starbucks Canada, these volunteers donated their sunny Saturday to steward this important green space. With guidance from me and other Evergreen staff they constructed a shed, removed six cubic meters of invasive plant material and rescued 50 tree saplings from being smothered by morning glory.
The group also contributed to a new, important project: an Early Detection and Rapid Response study site for invasive plants. One of our regular stewards spotted a recently introduced invasive plant in the park. By creating this study site we will be able to perform a series of tests and hope to eradicate the plant before it gets a chance to establish.
A big thank you goes out to Starbucks employees for their dedication and hard work. Want to help protect green space near you? Visit our event calendar and join in!
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Posted by Laura from Common Grounds Vancouver
August 5, 2010
Summer intern Max Nichols and the drum composter. (Photo: Evergreen)
A note from one of our summer interns, Max Nichols:
As one of Evergreen Vancouver’s summer students working inside the office, most of the requests that come my way are pretty straightforward: file this, sort those and write that. But no tasks proved anywhere near as complex as “can you figure out how to work the composter?”
Pardon? Last time I checked you put organic material in the top and get rich soil out of the bottom.
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Posted by Allison from Evergreen British Columbia
August 3, 2010
Sharon browsing at the Evergreen Brick Works Farmers' Market (Photo: Evergreen)
Sharon Brown started off at Evergreen Brick Works this spring volunteering at Doors Open and hasn’t stopped since. Although not a morning person at heart, Sharon now looks forward to sunrise on Saturday mornings, when she can be a Weekend Program Assistant and help with set-up, greeting visitors, waste education and even traffic.
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Posted by Christine from Volunteering
August 3, 2010
Evergreen Brick Works Pavilions are transformed every weekend. (Photo 1: Rob Greatrix, Photo 2: Anfernee Chansamooth)
Early on Saturday mornings at Evergreen Brick Works, as the sun comes up, the pavilions are peaceful, the ponds are still and you can hear the birds singing. It’s time for the Weekend Program team to arrive. Slowly at first and then in a rush, volunteers swing into action. Tables are set-up, signs are made, coffee is brewed and the farmers start to come.
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Posted by Christine from Volunteering
July 30, 2010
Healthy food grows in healthy soil. (Photo: Melissa Yu)
Looking for a summer project that will have rewards all year-long? Start your own backyard composter!
We all know the benefits: Composting creates a nutritious soil supplement while reducing the amount of kitchen waste that goes into landfill or your green bin. But where to start?
There are all kinds of books, reports, and articles that provide abundant detail. To get you on your way, we’ve put together a quick and easy Guide to Backyard Composting (PDF, 451 kB) that will have you playing in the dirt in no time.
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Posted by Kim from Common Grounds
July 27, 2010
Pathways weave through Westwood's school ground. (Photo: Diane Sales)
Meandering pathways can bring a welcoming dimension to a green space. They can provide access to nooks and crannies that you may not otherwise notice–a secret haven! But designing these features can be a daunting task. Where should they go? What type of materials should be used? Do we really need pathways? In this post we will attempt to give you the answers, ideas and detailed instructions to help you on your way.
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Posted by Sarah from Learning Grounds
July 22, 2010
Protect biodiversity by collecting seeds. (Photo: Evergreen)
Save your spot in our Seed Collecting Certification workshop on August 26 and 27. For more information, visit Evergreen’s online event calendar or download our flyer.
Johnny Appleseed, American folk legend, may have had the right idea in collecting and planting apple seeds all across the landscape. Today, certified seed collectors assist in tracking seed availability for future planting use. Information about seed availability, location, type and quantity enables these trained individuals to collect and store seed and helps ensure that the appropriate stock is available to meet long term demands. Whether plants are for community restoration, outdoor classrooms or you own native plant backyard oasis, using plants sourced from certified seed grown in a local nursery is a great start to any project.
1 Comment | Events, Gardening, Green Tips, In the Field, Issues, Native Species, Stewardship and Planting, Toronto | Permalink
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