Naturespaces

A pilot program to enhance and restore green spaces in the City of Vancouver

Naturespaces brings the community together to help restore and enhance select sites within the Vancouver parks system with a focus on preserving and expanding native habitat. Naturespaces volunteers participate in in impactful, satisfying and fun hands-on activities that support the natural environment including:

• Identifying and inventorying native and invasive plants
• Pruning native plants and trees
• Amending soils with compost and mulch
• Removing invasive English ivy and other unwanted plants
• Planting or rehoming new native and beneficial plants
• Creating habitat features for pollinators

Naturespaces offers educational nature walks and workshops on topics like Pacific Northwest plants, animals and geology, and northwest gardening and habitat design. Community members who are familiar with Vancouver’s natural history and understand the Naturespaces objectives are invited to join the Stewardship Training program (in development), to expand and enhance the city’s green spaces for improved pollinator and wildlife conservation, expanded urban forest tree canopy cover, and clean air and water.

Visit the Volunteer Calendar for information about upcoming events.

Upcoming events and opportunities

Naturespaces Sites

Naturespaces sites are selected on an annual basis each summer.

• The Downs Neighborhood Park
• Countryside Woods Neighborhood Park
• Behrens Woods Urban Nature Area
• Sam Brown undeveloped park
• Grandmother Camus Median at E Fourth Plain Blvd and St Johns Blvd
• Campus Community Garden Meadow
• 13th Street Median
• Shumway Neighborhood Park east side landscape bed
• Homestead Neighborhood Park southwest landscape bed

Future Naturespaces Sites

• Oakbrook Community Park
• Raymond E. Shaffer Community Park

Naturespaces Accomplishments

Biodiversity Impacts

• 4,242 native and pollinator-friendly plants installed
• 231 cubic yards of invasive plants removed
• 613 cubic yards of soil building mulch spread

Community Engagement

• 2,300 volunteer hours
• 590 community volunteers
• 3,000+ community connections

Subscribe to the Naturespaces newsletter above for updates on the program, information about upcoming events and fun natural history facts.