A 155-square-metre area in King George Park in east Richmond was “revitalized” after 56 volunteers come out to remove invasive Himalayan blackberries last Saturday (April 27).
During a Lower Mainland Green Team event, a total of 11.5 cubic metres – the equivalent of 72 bathtubs full – of the invasive plants were dug out of the ground and disposed of.
The volunteers even "rescued" several Pacific dogwood trees that were in full bloom.
"Building on the work of local steward Frank Deyell, this was the Lower Mainland Green Team's first activity at King George Park - and won't be the last," explained Ashton Kerr, partnerships manager with the Lower Mainland Green Teams.
"Multiple times a week, Frank cleans up litter and removes invasive plants to improve the health, beauty and function of this local park."
Participants came to the event from around the region, including Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby, Vancouver, New Westminster and Coquitlam.
“We believe in the transformative power of hands-on environmental activities to empower individuals and strengthen communities,” read a press release about the event.
Their initiatives include invasive plant removals, tree plantings and litter cleanups.
According to the Lower Mainland Green Team, their activities are designed to be “inclusive, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and skill levels.”
The Green Team received an environmental enhancement grant from City of Richmond to coordinate the invasive pulls.
The Lower Mainland Green Team is a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada.
The Green Team plans to back at King George Park on Saturday, Sept. 13.
📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].
📲 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter.
💬 Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
