Remove Invasive Ivy & Blackberry from Rochester Park, Coquitlam!

We will be removing invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry from Rochester Park in Coquitlam! We will be working RAIN OR SHINE.

All ages, abilities & experience levels are welcome, bring your family & friends! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Gloves, tools, instruction & refreshments provided!

Is this your first activity with the Lower Mainland Green Team? PLEASE REGISTER AS A GREEN TEAM VOLUNTEER AHEAD OF TIME BY CLICKING HERE

MEETING INSTRUCTIONS
We meet at Rochester Park by the south trail entrance at the end of Schoolhouse St. EXACT LOCATION HERE. Look for our signs & green arrows. Call/text Ashton at 778-968-2693 if you can't find us!

GETTING THERE/PARKING

• This park is accessible by public transit, which is a great way to save on costs and is better for the environment. Use Google Maps or download the Transit app (green icon) on your phone to find the best route for you!
• There is free street parking in the area and limited parking in the parking lot at Casey St and Thomas Ave HERE.

WASHROOMS
There are public washrooms in the area near the parking lot/spray park HERE. They are open dawn to dusk.

COVID-19
We have COVID-19 safety measures in place to ensure the safety of our participants and staff. Please review them in the "COVID-19 Safety Measures" section of this event page. We kindly ask that you do not participate (and to un-RSVP) if:

1. You feel ill, or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as a sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, loss of taste or smell
2. You or a member of your family have traveled internationally in the last 14 days
3. You have been exposed to someone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with or is suspected to have COVID-19

FLOW OF THE ACTIVITY

• Meet at 9:45am (please be on time)
• Sign in on your phone or our tablet
• Receive instruction and demo on how to remove invasive plants
• Remove invasive plants
• Take a break (yummy refreshments time!) around 11:30am
• Volunteer until 1pm
• Take home a reward from one of our in-kind sponsors
• Sign out on your phone or our tablet

WHAT TO BRING

• Refillable water bottle
• Rain jacket in case it rains
• Your own gardening gloves, tools, safety glasses (we have lots, don't worry if you don't have any!)
• Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty
• Long sleeves and long pants to protect you from thorny plants & ticks
• Sturdy, comfortable closed toe shoes/boots or rain boots
• Mask (we encourage everyone to wear a mask so try & bring your own. We will have some available if needed)

WHAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU

• Gloves, tools, safety glasses if you don't have your own
• An educational instruction on what to do (no experience necessary!)
• Refreshments
• A small thank you gift at the end, donated by a business

WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS

• A follow-up survey will be sent (filling this out helps us improve our program and secure funding to run more activities!)
• A volunteer letter emailed on request
• Photos taken will be uploaded HERE the same day
• A summary of the activity uploaded HERE

PARTNER FOR THIS ACTIVITY
Our Community Investment Partner for this activity is the City of Coquitlam! Thank you to Julie & Marianne for the financial support and direction to make this activity possible.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING

• Learn about local environmental issues and how to address them
• Meet new people & be part of a community
• Improve your mental & physical health by being in nature
• Get exercise & fresh air in a beautiful green space
• Revitalize a local green space & increase biodiversity
• Learn how to identify invasive plants & how to remove them
• Get volunteer hours
• Have FUN!

OTHER AWESOME LOCAL GROUPS

• Web of Life
• Code Blue Tri-Cities
• Port Moody Ecological Society
• Burke Mountain Naturalists
• Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society (BIMES)
• Maple Creek Streamkeepers
• Watershed Watch Salmon Society

QUESTIONS?
Email ashton@greenteamscanada.ca