Wildlife Habitat Training

Salal + Cedar partnered with the Diocese of New Westminster and received a Conservation BC grant to enhance wildlife habitat on the grounds of 10 churches by spring of 2023. We are very excited to have completed our first training workshop with participants from three congregations. St. Augustine in Marpole plans to create butterfly habitat on their boulevard, St. Alban in Richmond will be adding wildflowers around their labyrinth and St. Clement, where the training was held, will use the funds for plants and consultation for their larger welcome garden project. The training was led by Nisga’a and Gitxan herbalist Leona Brown, Laurel Dykstra from Salal + Cedar, and deacon Elizabeth Mathers who has stewarded the ongoing project on Coleman Creek at St. Clements. Participants shared their hopes, their ideas and questions and left with a packet of resources and the beginnings of a project plan. Alecia Greenfield from the Climate Emergency Working Group encouraged participants to apply for climate emergency funds from the diocese.
To date 4 churches have received funding for projects, and 3 more have made expressions of interest. If your parish has a plan in mind and could use additional funds ($350 for supplies, $200 to compensate Indigenous knowledge keepers or organizations) contact salalandcedar@vancouver.anglican.ca.