Free Workshops, all members of the community welcome!
Our monthly free workshops are back! We are excited to announce that we are transitioning back to in person workshops! Safety is our number one priority. In person workshops may have to switch to online depending on current PHO's.
If you can't join the live event make sure to check out our YouTube channel where we have a wide variety of lessons available to you anytime!
July 17, 2023
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Plant Propagation workshop!
You'll learn how to propagate mature plants through 3 different methods: air layering, cuttings, and division. The workshop will include explanations and demonstrations, and you will be able to take home some propagations of your own!
Supplies: We will have some gloves and tools (pruners, trowels) to share, but feel free to bring your own if you have them. We will NOT have any pots or soil. If you bring your own you can pot your cuttings right away (recommended). If not, you can also take your propagations home in a wet paper towel.
The workshop will be happening on July 17, 2023, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5-6pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
Past Events
July 4, 2023
This month our workshop is changing gears. Please join us for a very special sustainable city, Green Buildings Bike Tour!
The University of British Columbia’s (UBC’s) Green Building Action Plan (GBAP) outlines a holistic pathway for academic and residential buildings at the UBC Vancouver campus to advance towards making net positive contributions to human and natural systems by 2035. Grab a set of wheels and come on a tour with us as we roll through this "living laboratory" and see how creativity, innovation, science and engineering come together to create a greener future!
The workshop will be happening on July 4th, 2023, at the UBC Vancouver campus from 11:00am-1:00pm PST. There will be a 30 minute break for lunch half way through the tour (you must provide your own lunch).
After registering you will receive a confirmation email with more details about the exact meeting location. Bike rentals are available on site.
This is an inclusive, FREE event (bikes and lunch not included). All wheels are welcome (wheelchairs, scooters, skates etc.)! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
May 29, 2023
This Monthly Monday we are hosting a Pollinator Friendly Plant workshop!
We've all heard the word, but what and how exactly does pollination work? We'll talk about different plant pollination strategies and what makes some flowers more pollinator friendly than others.
The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, May 29, 2023, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
April 24, 2023
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Build Your Own Bee House Workshop!
You'll get to build your own bee house to take home and learn all about native bees! Participants will need to bring a clean and empty 2L pop bottle or juice carton. We will supply everything else! This is a hands on, build it workshop that will take place entirely outside. Please come dressed for the weather.
The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, April 24, 2023, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way), 5-7pm.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required.
We hope to see you there!
March 27, 2023
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a UN SDG Cancel Culture Workshop!
It's time to call-out some of societies worst offenders! Microplastics, fast fashion even your front lawn are all causing serious environmental damage and need to stopped ASAP. At this workshop we'll show you how you can join the UN SDG collective and help cancel some of urban societies biggest polluters.
The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, March 27, 2023, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
February 27, 2023
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Companion Planting Workshop!
In our Sustainability, Outreach and Learning (Sol) Garden we discourage using chemical fertilizers and pesticides as these can run off and pollute our surrounding, natural habitat. Companion planting has the potential to improve your garden's vigor more naturally but the science behind these theories is not well tested. At this workshop we'll discuss some of the theories of companion planting and show you how to test them!
The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, February 27, 2023, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
January 23, 2023
This Monthly Monday, we are happy to partner with the North Shore Black Bear Society as they teach us all about Bear Awareness!
Here in the lower mainland, we are surrounded by wildlife such as bears. As our communities grow, we are rapidly encroaching on bear habitat, leading to more bear encounters in urban areas. This is not ideal for people, or the bears which can become habituated.
Come join IUE and the North Shore Black Bear Society as we learn about black bear biology, how to recognize bear activity, what to do if you encounter a bear, and how to reduce bear presence in our neighborhoods.
The workshop will be happening Monday, January 23rd, 2023, from 5-6pm. The event will be hosted in person at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam BC) as well as online via Zoom.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
We hope to see you there!
November 28, 2022
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Cold Stratifying Workshop!
Did you know you can plant seeds in the Winter! Its true, many native plants need cold weather to bring their seeds out of hibernation. We will be discussing which species require this extra step, and a few methods you can use for cold stratification.
Come join us to learn how you can prepare seeds for spring!
The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, November 28, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
We hope to see you there!
October 24, 2022
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Build Your Own Bat House Workshop!
Bats are going extinct but you can help! Come discover why bats are so important and what you can do to help. Building your own bat house is a great place to start! All the supplies will be provided by us. All you have to do is show up!
The workshop will be happening on, October 24, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:30pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
We hope to see you there!
August 22, 2022
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Seed Saving Workshop with FarmFolk CityFolk!
Seeds are not only important for the security of our food, but also for the security of biodiversity and evolution. At this workshop you'll learn more about the wonderful world of seeds and practice harvesting and cleaning seeds with hands on tutorials lead by FarmFolk CityFolk.
The workshop will be happening on, August 22, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:30pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required.
Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
We hope to see you there!
July 28, 2022. 5-6pm
A little short notice, but a lot of fun!
This months FREE workshop will be taking place on Thursday, July 28th 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
Create beautiful, chemical free floral and leaf prints on paper or fabric! We will have paper and some scrap fabric for you to use or bring something you want to dye from home! 100% cotton is the recommended material.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
June 20, 2022. 5-6pm
2021-2030 is the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration!
Urban yards and garden have the potential to help restore lost native habitat. No matter how big or how small, every yard matters and can help put together the lost pieces of our natural ecosystem. Come discover how easy it is to rewild your yard!
This workshop will be happening on, June 20th, 2022 at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
June 24, 2022. 3-4:30pm
Join us for a very special event with Indigenous Educator, Lori Snyder as she shares her knowledge with us about Indigenous medicinal plants.
This workshop will be happening on, June 24th, 2022 at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 3-4:30pm PST.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
May 30, 2022
May is Invasive Species Awareness Month so we are offering not one, but TWO FREE workshops!
Workshop 1: Tracking an Invasive Beetle
For the past two years IUE has been tracking the spread of a newly introduced beetle species across the province. Come learn more about this fairly invasive species (Nebria brevicollis) and other native beetle species you can find in your urban ecosystem.
Workshop 1 will be happening on the last Monday of the month, May 30, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 3:00-4:30pm PST.
This workshop is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
Workshop 2: Invasive Plant Removal
Learn how to properly identify, remove and prevent the spread of invasive plants! We'll be actively removing invasive plants from the Hoy Creek Watershed so come dressed to work!
Workshop 2 will be happening on the last Monday of the month, May 30, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:30pm PST.
This workshop is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome (limit 20 people)! Registration is required. Email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information.
April 25, 2022
This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a Build Your Own Bee House Workshop!
You'll get to build your own bee house to take home and learn all about the types of bees that may use it! Participants will need to bring a clean and empty 2L pop bottle or juice carton. We will supply everything else!
This is a hands on, build it workshop so participating in person is most beneficial. The event may be streamed over Zoom as well but you will need to source out your own building supplies. The workshop will be happening on the last Monday of the month, April 25, 2022, at our Coquitlam campus (1250 Pinetree Way) from 5:00-6:00pm PST and also maybe Zoom.
This is an inclusive, FREE event. All are welcome! Registration is required. Email iue@douglascollege.ca to sign up or for more information.
February 28, 2022
In our Sustainability, Outreach and Learning (Sol) Garden we discourage using chemical fertilizers and pesticides as these can run off and pollute our surrounding, natural habitat. Companion planting has the potential to improve your garden's vigor more naturally but the science behind these theories is not well tested. You can run your own companion planting experiment at home using seeds provided by us!
This is a FREE event, open to all members of the public. Depending on the current PHO's this event may be held online or in person at our Coquitlam campus.
Date: February 28, 2022. 5-6pm.
Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more information.
January 31, 2022 Growing native plants over exotic ornamentals has many benefits for the environment and us! Home gardeners are starting to catch on to this trend and we want to help. Native plant seeds often need to undergo some sort of pretreatment such as cold stratification before germinating. At this workshop you will learn more about various cold stratifying techniques while preparing your own collection of seeds to grow at home! We have a wide variety of seeds to choose from and the workshop and your seeds are absolutely FREE! Depending on the current PHO's this workshop may be held online. All members of the public are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca
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January 31, 2022
Growing native plants over exotic ornamentals has many benefits for the environment and us! Home gardeners are starting to catch on to this trend and we want to help. Native plant seeds often need to undergo some sort of pretreatment such as cold stratification before germinating. At this workshop you will learn more about various cold stratifying techniques while preparing your own collection of seeds to grow at home! We have a wide variety of seeds to choose from and the workshop and your seeds are absolutely FREE!
Depending on the current PHO's this workshop may be held online. All members of the public are welcome! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca
November 29, 2021 Back by popular demand, it's our herbal tea workshop! Weeds are wonderful but over the years society has given them a bad reputation. It's time we stop fighting and start embracing the benefits of these wonderful flowers, including which common weeds you can use to make herbal tea right from your own backyard! Free workshop, open to all! November 29, 2021, 5-6pm. Registration is required. This event will take place at our Coquitlam campus located at 1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, BC. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information. |
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 October 25, 2021One Little brown bat can eat up to 1000 mosquitos per hour! It is also on the verge of extinction. These misunderstood creatures often get a bad reputation but the rumours are not true! Come learn the truth about bats and build your very own bat house to take home and help save our BC bats! Free workshop, open to all! October 25, 2021, 5-6pm. Registration is required. This event will take place outside in our Sol Garden located at our Coquitlam campus. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca to register or for more information. |
September 20, 2021 (note, this is a week earlier than usual)This Monthly Monday, we are hosting a workshop on urban salmon streams! |
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August 30, 2021We are very excited to welcome FarmFolk CityFolk to the Sol Garden this month! Together we are going to learn various seed saving techniques so you can start your very own seed library at home! You can get started by bringing home some seeds from our garden! |
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July 26, 2021Location, 1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam BC. FREE environmental workshop for all people (any age, no experience necessary). Back in May we held an online workshop about Invasive Plants. This month, on July 26 from 5-6pm, we will meet in person to actively remove invasive plants from the Hoy-Scott Watershed. Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for more details. |
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June 28, 2021We are excited to announce that we are transitioning back to in person workshops! This month join us IN PERSON (location 1250 Pinetree way, Coquitlam BC) or on Zoom for our next FREE workshop! On June 28th, 5-6pm join Dr. Rob McGregor as he teaches us all about biological pest control in the urban garden! Registration is required. Please email iue@douglascollege.ca for details. |
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May 31, 2021 Invasive species can cause some pretty serious damage to our local ecosystems. Yes, even an invasive plant can be dangerous! Join us this month to learn about some of the lower mainlands most common invasive plants, what problems they cause, how to properly remove them and some eco-friendly plant alternatives. |
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April 26, 2021 Now that spring has sprung, this month’s workshop is all about bees! We’ll teach you about BC’s native bees, why they need your help, and what you can do to lend a hand. One thing you can do is provide a bee house for them, which we will teach you how to make yourself during our workshop out of affordable and repurposed materials! **Note: you will have to provide your own materials if you would like to participate in the bee house making during the workshop. They are listed in the second photo and below. Materials:
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March 29, 2021Back by popular demand! Our herbal tea workshop features:
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February 22, 2021Design your own companion planting experiment! We'll discuss some of the theories of companion planting and mail you a FREE seed package to start your own experiment at home! |
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January 25, 2021Citizen Scientists Needed! Join the Beetle Watch 2020/21 team! Help us collect data for a real research project! No experience necessary! We started this project in the fall of 2020. With the help of our 75+ citizen scientists we were able to gather an amazing amount of data! It's not too late for you to join too. Attend our Zoom meeting on January 25th, 2021 to find out what we've discovered so far and where the project is headed next. |
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March 12, 2020Don't Mess With Bugs! Hunting a Garden Killer. Is it spring yet? As the flowers begin to bloom, join us in the Sol garden to learn about our insect friends and foes. Event will happen rain or shine, meet at our Sol garden out front of the David Lam campus and then we will move indoors for a presentation by Dr. McGregor. |
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February 20, 2020Free Movie Night Open to All. Did you know Vancouver Island's west coast is home to one incredibly unique ecosystem? The coastal temperate rain forest surrounds the beautiful beach towns of Tofino, Ucluelet and more. Join us for a FREE screening of "Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve, British Columbia" a documentary about this one of a kind ecosystem and what the people living there are doing to help protect it. You don't have to be a student to attend our free workshops! Hope to see you there! |
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January 16, 20202020 NY Resolution, No More Plastic. Did you resolve to make a difference this year? Do you want to help the environment and cut back on the amount of waste humans dump into landfills each year? Come learn about bees, the environment and plastic pollution at our first workshop of the new year! |
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November 21, 2019Herbal Teas From Your BackyardGOT WEEDS?!?! Don't fret, weeds are our friends and we'll show you why! Food for pollinators, teas and more! Let's make weeds great again! |
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October 17, 2019Bats Are Going Extinct |
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September 19, 2019Sol Garden: Sustainability, Outreach and Learning |
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November 15, 2018 From Paper to Nature: Make Homemade Seed PaperBrighten up your day with a free workshop on seed paper making. You can grow your own beautiful flower bed or gift them to a friend! |
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October 18, 2018Birds Of WinterDid you know that some birds stay here for our Canadian winters? Hosted by the Institute of Urban Ecology at Douglas College, in this workshop, we will have a short talk about the different types of birds that live with us during the winter. After which, participants may make suet-type birdfeeders to take home. Join us in Room C1008 and help make things a little easier for our Feathery Friends |
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September 20, 2018Aboriginal Culture; Herbal Teas And Sweet GrassCelebrate Aboriginal culture at the Sol Garden! In this hands-on workshop, learn how to use native plants to make traditional herbal teas and sweet grass smudge braids with our guest speakers, renowned Aboriginal herbalist, Lori Snyder and Douglas College alumni and cultural expert, Rae-Anne LeBrun. This is a FREE workshop and everyone is welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. |
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July 19, 2018A Walk To Remember - Hoy Creek Salmon Hatchery TourJoin IUE – the Institute of Urban Ecology - at Hoy Scott Watershed Society for a casual and interactive tour of their salmon hatchery. Observe and admire the beautiful salmon and hatchlings in the creek! Conclude the tour with a wonderful walk down Hoy Creek Trail. This event is family friendly, so everyone is welcome! |
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June 21, 2018
Celebrate the Solstice!
Join IUE- the Institute of Urban Ecology at Douglas College in the Sol Garden- at a free workshop where you'll learn about the ecology of native BC plants and their indigenous uses by Aboriginal peoples. This workshop will feature our guest speaker, Lori Snyder, a renowned Aboriginal herbalist. We will also be celebrating National Aboriginal Day 2018!
This event is family friendly, so everyone is welcome!
March 8, 2017
How to Make Bee Water
While bees are busy pollinating our flowers we often forget they need to stay hydrated. A great way to ensure the bees working in your garden stay hydrated is to create a bee waterer.
What you need:
- Pie tin
- Marbles
- Water
Put the marbles and water in the tin and voila you have a safe space for your bees drink.
March 6, 2017
Seed Paper Workshop
Are you looking for a creative way to recycle paper? Then the seed paper making workshop is for you. Seed paper is a great gift idea or activity to do with friends and family. During this workshop you will learn how to re-purpose paper in a brand new and sustainable way. The waste paper you have accumulated will be used to create new paper with embedded seeds. The possibilities are endless: you can create bookmarks, cards, posters, notepads and much more. Once you are finished with your creation, go ahead and plant it and watch it grow!
August 15, 2016
Winding Down for the Summer
It's that time of year again; UNIBUG is transitioning from our busy, active summer to a busy, active fall. For a few weeks, we'll be pretty quiet with someone in the office only sporadically. Call or e-mail ahead if you need to get in contact. We really appreciate your patience; we'll be back in September to tell you more about native and local pollinators, beneficial insects, and the joys of gardens.