Metro Vancouver introduced EcoBlitz in 2014 as an environmental stewardship event with the goal of restoring, enhancing, and protecting Metro Vancouver Regional Parks.
Every October, EcoBlitz events focus on stewardship activities that protect park plants, waterways and wildlife from the threat of invasive species and habitat loss.
For example, in past events volunteers created a pollinator meadow for butterflies and bees, and established an ephemeral wetland habitat for blue herons, ducks, and amphibians. How’s that for making a difference?
Here are some impressive 2022 EcoBlitz highlights:
- 726 volunteers came out to lend a hand at
- 38 stewardship events at
- 13 regional parks
- A total of 2,145 hours were contributed
- More than 7,000 native trees and shrubs were planted in forest, wetland, coastal sand dunes and old-field habitats
- 290 kg of invasive plants were removed
In past years, simultaneous EcoBlitz events were held at:
- Crippen Regional Park, Bowen Island
- Boundary Bay Regional Park, Delta
- Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond
- Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Vancouver
- Campbell Valley Regional Park, Langley
- Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Burnaby
- Tynehead Regional Park, Surrey
- Minnekhada Regional Park, Coquitlam
- Kanaka Creek Regional Park, Maple Ridge
- Derby Reach Regional Park, Langley
- Colony Farm Regional Park, Coquitlam
- Capilano River Regional Park, North Vancouver
- Aldergrove Regional Park, Langley
What happens at an EcoBlitz event?
Well, it’s simple, really. Thousands of EcoBlitz volunteers come together to help plant native trees, shrubs and ground covers. They also remove invasive plants, garbage, and litter from our regional parks.
How can you get involved with EcoBlitz?
October is when we pull up our bootstraps for this event! With so much ground to cover Metro Vancouver and EcoBlitz still need you – volunteers – to help restore our gorgeous regional parks. Leave your own personal legacy by planting native trees, shrubs, and groundcovers!
You can also get involved through Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation.
Help protect our lush regional parks by buying trees and shrubs through MVRP Foundation which can be planted in a Metro Vancouver Regional Park – a gift that keeps on growing! The trees provide birds and other park critters with crucial spots to safely rest in shade and nest!
Donate a symbolic gift of:
- $20 – 1 Tree
- $50 – 3 Trees
- $75 – 5 Trees
- $100 – 8 Trees
Just remember, EcoBlitz is not just about planting trees, it’s about making like a tree and leaf-ing our regional parks better for future generations. Donate, support or join Metro Vancouver Regional Parks this EcoBlitz and help our parks flourish!