Nature Stewards

By peter | January 3, 2023

Applications Closed

Nature Stewards

These free multi-week programs will support you to develop skills to care for nature in your community, including growing native plants, restoring wildlife habitat, and working with plant medicines.

Two young women are wearing masks and standing outside. They are wearing gardening gloves and holding a gardening tool.

Program Themes

Native Plant Nursery

In this program, you’ll learn about different native plants and how they support local wildlife. You’ll work in EYA’s plant nursery and greenhouse and learn to identify native plants, propagate and transplant plants, mix potting soils, and save and process seeds. You’ll also visit Still Creek in Renfrew Ravine to see how native plants are used in ecological restoration and land stewardship, and connect with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.

Rewilding

In this program, you’ll learn about ecological restoration and work with other youth to restore habitat for wildlife, including birds and salmon, along Still Creek in Renfrew Ravine and in our Wetland project in Strathcona Park. You’ll learn about Indigenous land stewardship from Elders and Knowledge Keepers and gain skills like how to remove invasive species, plant native species, and identify plants and wildlife.

Plants & People

Nature Stewards Leadership

This program is for youth who have previously participated in an EYA program. You’ll join a group of other EYA alumni to develop skills to step into a leadership role and take action on environmental issues in your community. Topics will include civic engagement, climate action, understanding leadership roles, styles, and characteristics, and explore your leadership style and strengths. You'll also continue to grow your ecological restoration skills and deepen your knowledge of native plants through land-based activities.

Earth Allies

In this program, you’ll learn about the ecosystems around you and how to be an ally of the earth! You’ll gain knowledge of native plants and wildlife and their roles in our ecosystems, as well as learn Indigenous plant knowledge and land stewardship skills from Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. You’ll work with other youth to restore habitats for wildlife around East Vancouver and gain skills like how to remove invasive species and plant native plants.

Four wooden frames are filled with flowers and plant life.

Program Details

Location
Strathcona Community Gardens (759 Malkin St) and Renfrew Ravine (3998 Renfrew St)
Summer Program Dates
All programs run from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Rewilding for Pollinators & Plants | Saturdays Jun 14 - 28, Wednesdays Jul 2 - Aug 13 | 10 Sessions
Plants & People | Sundays Jun 15 - 29, Fridays Jul 4 - Aug 15 | 10 Sessions
Earth Allies | Sundays Jun 15 - 29, Tuesdays to Thursdays Jul 2 - Aug 14 | 23 Sessions
Eligibility
Youth ages 14-18 who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, living with a disability, or from other equity-denied communities.
Supports
You will receive up to $20/day honorarium based on attendance and youth must attend a minimum of 4 program days to receive an honorarium. Lunch and bus tickets are provided. We also have some outdoor clothing available to borrow, including rain jackets and boots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a typical day like in this program?

Program days will run from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm with a break in the middle when lunch is provided. Each program day will start with a welcome circle and end with a closing circle. The program day is usually divided into two main activities with small activities in between. Half of the day we will be doing learning activities that include a mix of games, activities, and lessons led by EYA educators or program guests including Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. The other half will be hands-on activities that are focused on growing native plants, restoring wildlife habitat, harvesting, and processing plant medicines.

How many participants are in each program?

Who are the program leaders?

Can I apply for more than one program?

Why does EYA pay an honorarium to participants? When will I receive it?

We pay an honorarium to support you to participate in this educational program instead of needing to find a job. We also pay an honorarium to recognize the important contribution you’re making to caring for nature in the community, for example growing native plants and restoring wildlife habitat. You will receive the honorarium by e-transfer after the last program day, usually within two weeks.

Where is the program going to be?

All programs are based at Strathcona Community Gardens in East Vancouver. This is a 1.4 hectare community-run greenspace in East Vancouver with a native plant teaching garden, greenhouse and native plant nursery, plant medicine gardens, rewilding areas, and solar-powered eco-classroom.

Many programs also include field trips to Renfrew Ravine, a forested ravine in southeast Vancouver with a section of Still Creek running through it, a plant dye garden, and rewilding areas.

What are your communicable disease protocols?

We use the following communicable disease protocols to keep our staff and participants safe:

Face masks are optional. EYA provides disposable masks for staff or participants who choose to wear them.
If a participant is sick, they should notify an EYA program staff right away. EYA staff may direct the participant to wear a mask / maintain distance from other participants, or ask them to go home.
Hands must be washed or sanitized:
- When entering and leaving the garden
- After coughing or sneezing
- Before and after eating

What are some accessibility considerations for this program?

We strive to make our programs as accessible as possible for our participants by being transparent on the inherent barriers that exist, and providing adequate support where possible. We recognize that disabilities are experienced on a spectrum and accessibility needs vary. Here are a few aspects of our programs which may create barriers or require further support to participate safely and comfortably:

Outdoor program: Rain or shine, in public greenspaces. We have large tents, and warm layers to lend, but participants are exposed to the elements throughout the program day.
Program areas: uneven ground that has rocks & roots and can be slippery at times. Some steps and ledges in indoor and outdoor spaces.
Group composition: Generally 1 staff + 6 participants. The group dynamic can be stimulating, chaotic, and noisy at times. Participants can step away as needed if overstimulated.
Communication: Largely verbal. Facilitators will utilize visual supports such as white boards and diagrams to support when possible.
Accessibility of washroom facilities: At our Strathcona site, the composting toilet is not wheelchair accessible. At the ravine site, the washroom is a 5 minute walk away, but is wheelchair accessible.
Activities: Many EYA activities are physical, such as games, digging, planting, walking. Many activities can have alternative options and be adapted as needed.
Digital learning: Some programming utilizes digital tools such as video conferencing, slideshows, and online collaboration. Closed captioning is available for video meetings. Program registration generally takes place online, but paper applications are available.

Accessibility needs are extremely specific to the individual, and therefore this list is not comprehensive. When a youth applies for a program, we provide the opportunity to share about any health concerns, challenges or physical limitations that may require accommodations to support their participation in the program both in our application form and in our confirmation calls. We can then work together to explore ways that we can adapt our programs and provide support to increase the accessibility. Please reach out to us directly with any questions or concerns.

Program In Action

Four young women are standing outside around a table. They are handling and preparing seedlings to plant.

Youth participants learn to grow and care for native plants in EYA’s nursery.

A group of youth are standing and kneeling outside in a green field surrounded by trees. They are making gestures with their hands and are happily posing.

A group of Nature Stewards youth in Strathcona Community Gardens.

A group of youth are standing around a table outside working on a project together.

Youth participants learn to make salves and teas from medicinal plants.

Youth participants help to restore wildlife habitat at Renfrew Ravine.

A smiling young man is wearing a mask and gardening gloves. He is holding a root in his hands.

Youth participants help to remove invasive plants like Himalayan blackberry.

“I am able to recognize more plants and birds, which makes me feel more connected with nature. Being able to understand nature more makes me more likely to take care of and consider the environment around me.”

— Participant

Have Questions? Let’s Connect

Haneen G

Manager, Land-Based Education
(They/any)

Haneen is an uninvited guest to the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. They are a second-generation descendant of Palestinian & Lebanese refugees and stem from a long line of farmers, stewards, and land protectors. Much of their work aims to honour their ancestral lines, while holding complex relationships of displacement and settler colonization between Turtle Island to Palestine. Their approach to stewardship is grounded in knowing that all land and water is connected – as is our communities’ healing and justice. In their free time, you can find them in their garden, learning tatreez, or working with plant medicines. Haneen holds a BA (Hons.) in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria, with a deep focus in political ecology, Indigenous geographies, and land-based justice. Haneen leads the Nature Stewards program.

haneen@eya.ca

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