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Green team cleans up West Beach in White Rock on Sunday

Volunteers removed 78 bathtubs full of invasive Himalayan Blackberry, 47.5 pounds of litter

It was a busy Sunday (May 28) for those who volunteered their time to help clean up White Rock’s West Beach.

The Lower Mainland Green Team and City of White Rock engaged 43 community members, who removed 12.5 cubic metres (78 bathtubs full) of invasive Himalayan blackberry from the sandy beach dunes.

They also removed 47.5 pounds of litter from the beach.

“Many passersby cheered us on and thanked our team for their work to make the beach a safer, healthier space for all to enjoy,” said Lower Mainland Green Team program manager Ashton Kerr.

“Our team has been working at West Beach since 2021 and the impact has been evident to all, with notably less invasive Himalayan blackberry growing at this section of the beach,” she said.

“Blackberry is a very stubborn and difficult plant to get rid of and takes years of dedication to effectively remove from an area. We are so proud of the work of our team so far at this beautiful location!”

READ ALSO: ‘Noticeable reduction’ to invasive species on White Rock’s West Beach

She noted the activity was made possible through partnership between their charity, Green Teams of Canada, and the City of White Rock.

“Thanks to the financial support and direction from the City, we are engaging the community in fostering deeper connections to others and nature, leading to improved mental, physical, environmental, and community health,” Kerr said.

The second of six activities the Lower Mainland Green Team will be running with the City of White Rock in 2023, future activities are planned at Ruth Johnson Park in June and West Beach in July.

Details for upcoming events will be posted on the group’s meetup page.


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tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com

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Tricia Weel

About the Author: Tricia Weel

I’m a lifelong writer, and worked as a journalist in community newspapers for more than a decade, from White Rock to Parksville and Qualicum Beach, to Abbotsford and Surrey, from 2001-2012
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