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TZID:America/Vancouver
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BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:971@naturevancouver.ca
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260319T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260319T210000
DTSTAMP:20260318T071125Z
URL:https://naturevancouver.ca/events/2026-03-19_free-the-fern/
SUMMARY:🌿 FREE THE FERN - COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP IN ACTION
DESCRIPTION:Since 2021\, Free the Fern Stewardship Society has been busy re
 storing the Champlain Heights Trails\, in South East Vancouver. Combining 
 community engagement with practical ecological restoration\, they coordina
 te regular work parties to remove invasive species such as English ivy (He
 dera helix)\, Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)\, and yellow archang
 el (Lamium galeobdolon).  Management approaches have emphasized manual te
 chniques—hand-pulling\, root removal\, and monitoring to reduce re-invas
 ion and support native regeneration.\n\nOn Thursday\, March 19\, Free the 
 Fern founder and Executive Director Grace Nombrado will share the history 
 of how Free the Fern formed and the transformation that has occurred along
  the Champlain Heights Trails. Grace will highlight three key sites - Doug
 las Fir Teaching Garden\, Community Food Forest\, and Pollinator Garden - 
 that were planted along the trails by Free the Fern volunteers.  She will
  describe species selection and layering (canopy\, shrub\, and herbaceous 
 strata) and provide examples of ecologically significant species\, such as
  Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum)\, woodland strawberry (Fragaria 
 vesca)\, low Oregon grape (Mahonia nervosa)\, Western wild ginger (Asarum 
 caudate) as well as a variety of pollinator-supporting perennials. The tal
 k will demonstrate how community-led stewardship can contribute to urban b
 iodiversity and habitat resilience\, and how a botanical restoration proje
 ct can contribute  to building community and increasing human resilience.
 \n\nThis presentation will take place at Vancouver Unitarians Hewett Hall\
 , 949 w 49th ave\, and online via Zoom.  On the Monday preceding the even
 t\, Nature Vancouver members will receive the Zoom link in the weekly e-Ne
 ws.  The talk will begin at 7:30 pm.  Non-members are welcome and should
  Email zoom-request@NatureVancouver.ca between the preceding Friday and We
 dnesday to register for the link.\n\n
CATEGORIES:Botany,InPerson,Monthly Meeting,Online
LOCATION:HEWETT CENTRE HALL\, UNITARIAN CHURCH\, 949 W 49th Avenue (49th an
 d Oak)\, Vancouver\, BC\, Canada
GEO:49.226599;-123.1284
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=949 W 49th Avenue (49th and
  Oak)\, Vancouver\, BC\, Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=HEWETT CENTRE H
 ALL\, UNITARIAN CHURCH:geo:49.226599,-123.1284
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DTSTART:20260308T030000
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