During 2025's Earth Week, Pitt Meadows, a city in Vancouver, Canada, achieved a major feat in one of its local parks.
According to the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, 30 volunteers from the community — plus the program's first-ever feline volunteer — came out to help remove invasive species and ended up ridding the park of the equivalent of 65 bathtubs of invasive plants.
Some of the invasive plants removed included Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, cherry laurel, and English holly.
The volunteers then helped plant native species in the park, including salmonberry, sword fern, and false lily of the valley.
The event was organized by the City of Pitt Meadows and the Lower Mainland Green Team. Volunteer opportunities, such as this one, occur every Wednesday from April to September.
The removal of all these invasive species is good news for the environment. Invasive plants can destroy native plants and local ecosystems by displacing native vegetation, choking out shrubs and trees, or blocking out the sun. This can potentially lead to native species dying off.
Invasive species spread quickly and can be extremely difficult to remove permanently. This is especially true in yards, and that can cause enormous headaches for homeowners who often face significant costs to get rid of these plants before they completely take over.
An excellent way to prevent invasive plants in one's yard is to take a page from these volunteers and install native plants. Putting in a native lawn can not only be an effective countermeasure against invasive species, but it can also save time and money on outdoor maintenance.
Native plants require less water than non-native plants, too, lowering water bills. Additionally, native lawns attract local pollinators, which are essential in protecting the human food supply. Even planting native plants in a small section of a lawn can offer benefits.
Besides helping to clean up and restore the park, Ashton Kerr, the partnerships manager with the Lower Mainland Green Team, told the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, "Participants didn't just help restore a local park — they built connections, enjoyed the health benefits of spending time outdoors, and felt hope by experiencing the power we have when we come together."
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