Volunteers Power Through Rain at Brunette River Conservation Area Clean-Up

On May 31, 2025, our strong-willed Volunteer Ambassadors braved the rain to support a major clean-up effort at the Brunette River Conservation Area in Burnaby, BC. This ongoing restoration project—led by community leader Carl Ronka, and his organization Web of Life—aims to rehabilitate the area north of the Brunette River, with support from partners like Captain Scott Legacy Society, the Lower Mainland Green Team, Metro Vancouver, and others.

Despite the heavy downpour, our volunteers showed incredible dedication. Spirits stayed high even as safety concerns required the event to end early. After 90 minutes of hard work in wet conditions, the connecting path between the upper and lower forest became dangerously slippery with rocks and debris. Still, one volunteer shared they wished they could have finished the clean-up in one go!

Creative Cleanup Solutions—And a Flying Mattress

The highlight of the day? Our team’s ingenuity. To move collected trash from the steep upper forest to the lower trail for pick-up, volunteers used gravity to their advantage, launching and tossing bags of garbage—and even a discarded mattress—down the hill’s edge to the side of a trail so that it would be at a pick up point for Metro Vancouver. We made sure this was done in a safe way and that trail users would not be affected by our work, but we have to say that it was oddly satisfying and effective!

The team formed a massive pile of waste at the side of the trail for proper disposal, thanks to hauling support from staff at Metro Vancouver. Much of the garbage came from abandoned encampments—some of which had been visible on satellite images dating back to 2008, spotted by Carl from Web of Life.

Part of a Larger Legacy

This clean-up effort continues a long-standing legacy of restoration in the area. Decades ago, the Sapperton Fish and Game Club removed so much trash from the Brunette River itself that salmon eventually returned to waters once declared “dead.” Today, other groups continue the work by removing invasive species and replanting native trees and shrubs on the south side of the river.

While this site still needs attention, progress is well underway—and every volunteer hour brings us closer to a fully restored habitat.

💪 Huge thanks to our Volunteer Ambassadors, Web of Life, Metro Vancouver, and everyone who contributed to this impactful effort!

🌿 Want to get involved? Join our Volunteer Ambassadors program today and help bring life back to BC’s green spaces. Most of the areas we’ve cleaned have remained clear thanks to ongoing community stewardship!