*when you click on "upcoming meetups", "past meetups" or "our calendar" (on the left of this screen) do make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this page if you are not logged into a meetup.com account.*

Looking for a constructive way to help the environment?

We’re a group of people from all over the Lower Mainland who get together to help Metro Vancouver Parks, municipalities, BC Parks, charities, non-profit organizations, Societies, stewardship groups and watershed groups tackle environmental issues that need co-operation and teamwork to get done. We also volunteer at farms to promote local sustainable agriculture. Gloves and tools will be supplied as well as refreshments! All ages are welcome and no experience is necessary. If you care about the environment and local food security this is the group for you! The Lower Mainland Green Team is a program of Green Teams of Canada

Our mission

To organize and run hands-on activities educating volunteers about local parks and ecosystems, local food production and environmental conservation

Activities include...

• Removing invasive plants that are outcompeting and overtaking our native plants and trees

• Planting native plants and trees

• Picking up garbage

• Preparing and harvesting veggie beds

• Auditing streets to make them more walkable and easier to cycle

Businesses

At this time we do not accommodate businesses looking for team building exercise opportunities. If you're looking to engage your staff, please contact our collaborators (listed below) for some great options. 

Please donate to the Lower Mainland Green Team

If you love the work we do and want to support us through a donation please click HERE. The money goes to organizing and running LMGT activities, volunteer management, native plants and trees, snacks, tools and communication materials

Funders

Without financial support the Lower Mainland Green Team would not be able to make a positive impact on the environment. Thank you to our funders!!

Please click --> HERE to learn about who supports our group

Want to learn more about us? click on the below links!

One page report of Lower Mainland Green Team Activities --> HERE

For a report of BOTH the Lower Mainland Green Team and Greater Victoria Green Team click HERE

Metro Vancouver Park June 2014 piece about the LMGT --> HERE

A LMGT volunteer who is filmmaker from NSHG Films created this awesome Video --> HERE

CBC Radio Early Edition Jan 4 2014 interview --> HERE

Global News interview July 31 2013 --> HERE

David Suzuki talks about the Lower Mainland Green Team--> HERE

A 5 minute slide show about the LMGT --> HERE

Contact

Want to reach the organizer? email Lyda at: lowermainlandgreenteam@gmail.com

What you will get out of participating:

• Learn first-hand about the environmental issues faced in parks

• Find out how invasive plants are threatening our ecosystems

• Build stewardship and habitat restoration skills

• Conserve, restore and enhance a green space

• Spend time outdoors

• Meet like-minded interesting people


• Build knowledge and skills related to local food gardening

• Get your hands dirty and be active in something you believe in

• Learn to be a leader and work as a team

• Learn about all the amazing work being done by different groups and organizations in the lower mainland to take care of the environment and increase local food available

• Explore places in the Lower Mainland you may have never been to before

• Gain volunteer hours (a letter to confirm your hours will be emailed to you as requested)

• Get exercise

• Have fun!

Green Teams of Canada

The Lower Mainland Green Team (LMGT) inspired the creation of the national charity Green Teams of Canada. This Fall 2014, we launched the Greater Victoria Green Team. We also plan to focus on building our youth and at-risk youth programming

AWARDS WON

• 2014 YWCA Environmental Sustainability Award

• 2013 National Hometown Heroes award from Earth Day Canada. To see the award click --> HERE to learn more about the award click --> HERE

• 2013 Frank Sanford Award for Community Service from the Vancouver Natural History Society. To see the award click --> HERE. To learn more about this award please click--> HERE

• 2012 - Jane Goodall Institute has given the LMGT a certificate of recognition. To check it please click --> HERE

Well wishes to the Lower Mainland Green Team

David Suzuki sent the LMGT a letter. He says "Volunteers are the heart and soul of Canada, deeply rooted in community and concerned and active on issues that matter." He also wrote "Thank you for all you do".

We received a postcard from Farley Mowat , a Canadian conservationist and author (he wrote Never Cry Wolf). His message: "Good luck to the Lower Mainland Green Team".

Regular Updates

If you want to know the latest Lower Mainland Green Team happenings as they happen: We're now on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LMGreenteam

Media

The Lower Mainland Green Team has been in a number of media outlets.  Please click on the following links :

North Shore News Jan 17 2017

Tri-city News Nov 23 2016

Peace Arch News Oct 28 2016 page 17

Burnaby Now Oct 21 2016 (page 2)

Tri-city News Oct 5 2016

Vancouver Sun Jan 5 2015

Maple Ridge Times Oct 7 2014 (p. 9)

Richmond Review Sept 26 2014 (page 35)

Metro Vancouver June 19 2014

Surrey Leader June 4th 2014

Royal Record March 12 1014

CBC Radio interview Jan 4 2014

Alternatives Journal Nov 2013 (if you'd like a copy of the article email me)

Aldergrove Star Oct 24 2013

The Barnacle Oct 2013 (page 20)

Global TV News July 31, 2013

Peace Arch News July 30, 2013 (page 15)

Surrey Leader June 12 2013

Coquitlam Now April 3 2013

Langley Advance April 2 2013

Richmond News March 27, 2013 (page A19)

Peace Arch News March 14, 2013 (go to page 22)

Aldergrove Star March 7, 2013 (go to page 10)

Richmond Review Oct 12, 2012

Maple Ridge Times Sept 25, 2012

CBC Radio 1 Early Edition July 4 2012

Vancouver Sun June 14 2012

Surrey Leader June 10, 2012

Delta Optimist May 11, 2012

Surrey Leader May 5 2012

Langley Advance, May 8 2012

Peace Arch News, March 15 2012

Conservation Community of Practice, BC Hydro newsletter March 2012 (page 2)

Coquitlam Now, Dec 16, 2011 (page A7)

North Shore News, Nov 30, 2011 (page A21)

Peace Arch News Nov 1, 2011

Breakfast Television Vancouver Sept 26th, 2011

Delta Optimist July 29, 2011

Burnaby News Leader June 15, 2011

Vancouver Sun 15 April 2011 (this one has been taken down from the net)

The Surrey Leader April 20, 2011

Maple Ridge Times 18 March 2011

Langley Advance 8 March 2011 (our very first event was covered!)

History

Lyda had had enough of hearing about the state of the environment going downhill and feeling powerless. So, she combined her passion for the environment and her organizational skills to get people outside into nature making a tangible positive impact on the environment. It's been over 4 years and the volunteers inspire her to keep going. As David Suzuki wrote in his letter to the LMGT, "volunteers are the heart and soul of Canada" ! The Lower Mainland Green Team was founded on Feb 7th 2011 and because of it's effectiveness making a positive impact on the environment, other green teams will be formed in the future under the new charity Green Teams of Canada! To get a good idea of our background read page two of this newsletter. For a short write-up and before/after photos for every single event please click on pages (if you're not logged into your meetup account, make sure to scroll down a ways to get to all the pages). See pictures from each of our events please click on photos

Who we work with to run our volunteer work parties

We believe much more can get done working together. We work with 44 others:

Metro Vancouver Parks

BC Parks

Vancouver Park Board

City of Burnaby

City of Coquitlam

City of North Vancouver

District of North Vancouver

District of West Vancouver

City of Surrey

City of Richmond

Corporation of Delta

City of White Rock

City of Port Moody

Lighthouse Park Preservation Society

Caulfeild Park Conservation Society

Alouette River Management Society

Fraser Basin Council

Kanaka Education and Environmental Partnership Society

Burns Bog Conservation Society

Cougar Creek Streamkeepers

Minnekhada Park Association

Burnaby Lake Park Association

Sunnyside Acres Heritage Society

Friends of Semiahmoo Bay/Birds on the Bay

Catching the Spirit Youth Society

North Shore Wetland Partners Society

False Creek Watershed Society

Earthwise Society

Edible Garden Project

Fresh Roots Society

The Sharing Farm Society

Rivers Institute at BCIT

Jericho Stewardship Group

Pacific Spirit Park Society

Evergreen

Everett Crowley Park Committee

Coastal Painted Turtle Project

Friends of Hunter Park

Langley Environmental Partners Society

Ceed Centre Society

Balance Ecological

North Surrey Organic Garden Society

Stoney Creek Environment Committee

North Shore Mountain Biking Association

Better Environmentally Sound Transportation

White Rock and Surrey Naturalists

Generous businesses

There are many generous businesses who have helped build the Lower Mainland Green Team. They contribute refreshments and products to volunteers to reward their hard work taking care of the environment! To learn more about them click HERE

Photos/Video

We may take photos and/or videos at the events. These may be posted here on meetup and/or other sites like youtube. The photos may also be used for communication materials. If you prefer to not be on camera make this clear to whoever is pointing a camera your way and/or duck out! Also please note, photos may be taken of you with products businesses have donated to LMGT volunteers and posted on their facebook pages.

Liability (please read before attending any of our events!)

The organizer and each and every one of its hosts and volunteer participants are in no way responsible and liable for your personal safety and health state, or the safety of your children before, during and at anytime after each event. By RSVPing "Yes", for Lower Mainland Green Team events, you acknowledge that you fully understand the nature of the activities, are aware of risks, and are sufficiently fit and capable of performing the activities, assuming all risks associated with those activities. All attendees hereby release and shall forever hold harmless the Lower Mainland Green Team organizer, all Lower Mainland Green Team hosts and other volunteers attendees and unconditionally waive any liabilities resulting from attending and/or participating in any Lower Mainland Green Team events. By attending our events you are taking personal responsibility for yourself and any minors in your care. Anyone under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

RSVP'ing and not showing up

There are two rules:

1. Because equipment, tools and refreshments are brought to each event based on the number of people coming, if you have RSVP'd 3 times that you are going to 3 events and without notice have not shown up, you will be removed from the Lower Mainland Green Team. To "un-rsvp" go to where you had originally clicked on "join us" on the event page and click on "change RSVP". Please do this by the day before the event.

2. If you sign up for an event with a restricted number of participants, the spaces become filled and there is a waiting list and you do not show up (and have no good reason) you will be removed. You must UN-RSVP at least 2 days before an event (to give other members a chance to take your vacated spot and participate)

Other volunteer opportunities

We hope that you will consider volunteering more regularly with the groups hosting our events once you've checked out what they do.

Please check out the following page for more environmental volunteer opportunities --> HERE