Students from the Environmental School were busy removing invasive plants from a Maple Ridge park on Friday.
Two classes from the Maple Ridge school, about 35 students in Grades 3 to 9, were using clippers and pure muscle to cut and pull Himalayan blackberry brambles that had taken over sections of the park.
The invasive species removal was organized by the Lower Mainland Green Team, a program of the charity Green Teams of Canada, and in partnership with the Alouette River Management Society.
Program manager Ashton Kerr explained the mandate of Green Teams of Canada is to build community and promote health, well being and environmental stewardship through hands on activities in nature.
She also noted that Himalayan blackberries are not native to the Pacific North West.
“What it does, is it tends to out compete with native species and overtake ecosystems” said Kerr.
READ MORE: Environmental School pulls invasive plants in Maple Ridge park
“So, today what we are doing is we are removing invasive species to not only improve the health of this eco system, but to improve the health of the students,” she added, by helping them build a connection with nature and to each other.
“This ultimately will improve their overall health, well being and environmental stewardship,” she said.
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