NALT

Walley Creek Frank Ney Project Community Workparty
2025-10-04 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Frank Ney Elementary, 5301 Williamson Rd, Nanaimo, BC, V9V 1H4, Canada
We will be preparing the ground for planting the following week by Frank Ney Elementary Students. Installing log terraces, adding soil and building planting polygons
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend

Thanksgiving Day - office closed
2025-10-13 | NALT Stewardship Centre, #8 - 140 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5B1, Canada

Neck Point Work Party Volunteers Needed!
2025-10-16 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Neck Point Park, Annie Clark Way, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Join the City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo & Area Land Trust for Neck Point Planting. We will be planting trees and native shrubs to restore environmentally degraded areas.
Thurs. Oct. 16 & Fri. Oct. 17 – 10am to 12pm. Meet at Annie Clark Way (near the park entrance).
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend

NALT Autumn 2025 Bottle Drive
2025-10-18 09:00 - 14:00 | Lucky’s Liquor Store, 3296 Island Hwy N,, Nanaimo, BC, NanaiV9T 1W1, Canada
Autumn Bottle Drive on Saturday, October 18th in the parking lot at Lucky’s Liquor Store. NALT volunteers will be ready to receive your refundable beverage containers from 9 am – 2 pm.
Proceeds will be in support of watershed stewardship initiatives such as School Water Stewards.
We hope to see you there!

Northfield Marsh Community Site Prep
2025-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Sun Valley Drive, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
We will be preparing the ground for planting the following week by syuwen’ct Elementary students. Removing blackberry root wads, adding soil
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend.

Westwood Lake Work Party Volunteers Needed!
2025-10-23 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Westwood Lake, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Join the City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo & Area Land Trust for Westwood Lake Park planting. We will be planting trees and native shrubs to restore environmentally degraded areas.
Thurs. Oct. 23 & Fri. Oct. 24 – 10am to 12pm. Meet in the second parking lot.
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend

Walley Creek Morningside Site Prep
2025-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Morningside Park, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
We will be preparing the ground for planting later in the fall. Installing log terraces and building planting polygons.
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend.

Irwin Street Pollinator Pathway Planting Party
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Irwin Street Neighbours, 62 Irwin St, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 4X1, Canada
We will be working with community stewards and Irwin st neighbours to plant a pollinator patch pathway, connecting pollinator patches in the City’s first community-led pollinator pathway.
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend.

Walley Creek Morningside Planting Party
2025-11-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Morningside Park, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
We will be planting native trees and shrubs in the riparian area to help stabilize streambanks from erosion and add biodiversity
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know if you plan to attend.

Office Closed
2025-11-10 | NALT Stewardship Centre, #8 - 140 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5B1, Canada
The NALT Office will be closed all day on Monday, November 10th and again on November 11th for Remembrance Day.

Remembrance Day - Office closed
2025-11-11 | NALT Stewardship Centre, #8 - 140 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5B1, Canada

Needham Boulevard Planting Party
2025-11-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Needham & Haliburton Roads, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
We are looking for volunteers for the planting project at the Needham Street boulevard this Saturday from 10am – 12pm! Even if you can come for an hour, please consider helping with this project . Please RSVP stewardship @nalt.bc.ca so we can be sure to have enough tools for all.
Meet at Needham St and Haliburton.

Hamilton Marsh - What are we saving
2025-11-18 19:00 | VI Conference Centre – Shaw Auditorium, 101 Gordon St, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5J8, Canada

Seed Starting Workshop - Part 1 (Online)
2025-11-19 19:00 | British Columbia
NALT is hosting a seed starting workshop for those interested in learning to grow native flowering plants from seed.
Space is limited so sign up now to get a spot!
Sign up by email at: stewardship@nalt.bc.ca
Cost $25.
The workshop is hosted in two parts
Part 1 – Online Session
Wednesday Nov 19 at 7pm
This will be an informational session about different native plants that we will have seed for and their ideal growing conditions, as well as basic tips for growing native species from seed. The session will be recorded for any participants who cannot make it to this session, though joining the session is highly recommended.
Part 2 – In-person Workshop
Saturday Nov 22 – at the NALT Nursery (3145 Frost Rd)
There will be 2 workshops with space for 12 participants each. One workshop will be held from 10 – 11am, and the other will be held from 12 – 1pm. All materials will be provided, and participants will be able to take home a flat of 18 10cm pots that you seed with your selection of 20 different native flowering plants.
The species we will have available are:

Fringecup
Seablush
Roemer’s Fescue
California Aster
Goldenrod
Woolly Sunflower
Fireweed
Blue-eyed Mary
Nodding Onion
Self Heal
Gumweed
Pearly Everlasting
Farewell to Spring
Large-leaved Avens
Henderson’s Checkermallow
Spring Gold
Field Chickweed
Sticky Cinquefoil
Common Yarrow
Fool’s Onion

Seed Starting Workshop - Part 2 (At the Nursery)
2025-11-22 10:00 | Native Plant Nursery, 3145 Frost Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9X 1S7, Canada

Winter Holidays - NALT office & Nursery closed
2025-12-23 - 2026-01-04 | NALT Stewardship Centre, #8 - 140 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5B1, Canada

Snorkeling Adventures around Vancouver Island with Sara Ellison
2026-02-19 19:00 | Beban Park Social Centre, Room 2, 2300 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 3K7, Canada
Although BC is a well-known scuba diving location, it is less appreciated that the vast majority of these species can be found in the intertidal and shallow sub-tidal zones that are accessible to snorkellers. In this talk, Sara will share her adventures and experiences, explaining the gear you need, the kinds of critters you will see and her personal top picks for places to go to see our wondrous wildlife.
By trade, Sara Ellison is an astrophysicist. After earning her PhD from the University of Cambridge, she spent 3 years doing astronomy research at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, before moving to the University of Victoria to take up a Canada Research Chair in 2003. Sara is an international leader in the field of galaxy evolution, with numerous honours and awards to her name, including the Rutherford Memorial Medal in Physics from the Royal Society of Canada. She is also a keen athlete and world traveller, but having snorkelled all around the world, BC is her favourite place to go for a swim! In 2023, Sara published Snorkelling Adventures Around Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands: The Ultimate Guide, which was a #1 bestseller on the BC booklist.
Virtual Attendance possible – email info@naturenanaimo.ca

NALT Winter 2026 Bottle Drive
2026-02-21 09:00 - 13:00 | NALT Stewardship Centre, #8 - 140 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 5B1, Canada
NEW DATE!

When Life Gives You Invasives Make Art!
2026-02-21 13:00 - 15:30 | Bowen Park, Room #1, 500 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9R 1Z7
When Life Hands You Invasives, Make Art – Explores the Connection Between Art and Nature
Local fibre artist, ink maker and basket weaver Christi York teams up with local conservationist Hunter Jarrat to give informative and entertaining slide presentations about their particular passions. Christi hand harvests plant materials, often the ever present invasive species that harm our local ecology, and makes them into beautiful and meaningful art. Hunter seeks out areas in the local landscapes to remove invasive plants and restore to the natural habitat of bees, bugs and birds. Don’t miss this presentation where art and ecology unite to make our beautiful world better.
Media Release
NANAIMO, BC – Nanaimo and Area Land Trust (NALT) Native Plant Nursery is pleased to present a talk with artist Christi York and local conservationist Hunter Jarratt on Saturday, February 21 from 1:00 – 3:30 pm – When Life Hands You Invasives, Make Art – at Bowen Park Complex Room 1.
In this talk, York and Jarratt will explore the relationship between invasive species and sense of place from their unique perspectives.
As an artist who works with plant materials, Christi York hand harvests plants, including invasives, for use in her basketry work, a technique she’s been studying for the past 13 years. Engaging in ancient plant technologies and hand skills that have been passed down through generations, York describes her process as “a kind of moving meditation.”
You can find Hunter Jarratt on social media as the Invasive Species Guy where he creates educational content focusing on invasive species management, particularly in Garry Oak and associated ecosystems. Recipient of the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia’s 2025 Rising Star Award, Jarratt works with a number of local environmental organizations and owns an ecological restoration business.
We hope that you will join us on February 21st to hear both exciting speakers and help support the important work the NALT Native Plant Nursery is doing in the community to promote the use of native plants in our gardens.
Contact plants@nalt.bc.ca with any questions.
Tickets $15 at the door or on evenbrite https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1981749772918?aff=oddtdtcreator

NALT at Seedy Sunday 2026
2026-03-01 22:00 | NDSS, 355 Wakesiah Avenue, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 3K5, Canada
NALT will be at SEEDY SUNDAY on March 1, 2026 10am – 3pm!
Stop by and say hello!
Learn more about Seedy Sunday

Tool Care Workshop
2026-03-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Native Plant Nursery, 3145 Frost Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9X 1S7, Canada
Tool Maintenance & Sharpening Workshop:
When: Saturday, March 7 from 1-3 pm
Where: NALT Native Plant Nursery
Who: Sean Rustemeyer will lead the workshop
Cost: $10/ participant; payment via e-transfer at time of registration (admin@nalt.bc.ca with memo “Tool Workshop”)
To register, email plants@nalt.bc.ca
Workshop description:
Learn the basics for cleaning and sharpening your own tools in this hands-on workshop. We will focus on the techniques and products needed to care for pruning tools – secateurs, shears, loppers – and will also cover digging and weeding tools. Bring one or two tools from home to practice sharpening on!
Sean’s bio:
Sean Rustemeyer is the owner of Soil ‘N Green Landscaping based in Nanaimo, B.C. His company uses ecological practices such as working with zero emission battery powered equipment, installing native plant gardens that promote biodiversity, and gardening without the use of synthetic pesticides. Sean is a graduate of Gaia College and recently completed the Master Pruner Program through Plant Amnesty in Seattle, Washington. www.soilngreen.com

You Otter Know: Otters in Coastal British Columbia
2026-03-19 19:00 | Beban Park Social Centre, Room 2, 2300 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T 3K7, Canada

Irwin Street Pollinator "Patch"way Project
2026-04-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Irwin St Neighbours, 62 Irwin St, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 4X1, Canada
NALT is supporting Irwin St Neighbours in creating a Pollinator ‘Patch’way in their neighbourhood!
Volunteers are needed to help with site preparation and planting on Saturday, April 4th from 10am – 12pm. Meet at 62 Irwin Street.
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know to expect you!

Cottle Creek Watershed Walk
2026-04-11 10:30 - 12:30 | British Columbia
A Friends of Cottle Creek Event –
Join local experts from the Friends of Cottle Creek and RDN Drinking Water and Watershed Protection staff to learn more about the restoration and monitoring projects happening in Cottle Creek. Please dress for the weather as this program will run in rain or shine (Location: 605 Nottingham Dr, Nanaimo, BC V9T 0C3)
Registration Link: https://cityofnanaimo.perfectmind.com/Contacts/BookMe4LandingPages/CoursesLandingPage?courseId=1fce1b30-75b3-4f9b-806d-03c5051cbff6

NALT Spring 2026 Bottle Drive
2026-04-18 09:00 - 13:00 | Lucky’s Liquor Store, 3296 Island Hwy N,, Nanaimo, BC, NanaiV9T 1W1, Canada

Walley Creek Workparty
2026-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Morningside Park, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Join Walley Creek Streamkeepers on Saturday April 25 from 10am – 12pm for a riparian restoration workparty!
We will be removing invasive species in an area that we have been actively restoring for the past several years.
Please RSVP to stewardship@nalt.bc.ca to let us know that you plan to attend. We are meeting at Morningside Park, by the white gate along Morningside Drive.
Tools and treats will be provided.

10th Annual Nanaimo Record Show
2026-04-26 11:00 - 16:00 | Bowen Park Auditorium, 500 Bowen Rd,, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 1Z7, Canada
Our latest fundraiser is a new and fun one! We have a table at the upcoming Nanaimo Record Show on April 26th, 11am – 4pm at the Bowen Park Auditorium. Admission is $2 and kids under 12 are free.
NALT will be selling a selection of sought after records alongside audiophiles and aficionados from all over the Island and beyond.
There will be a food truck too! Hope to see you there.

Tea Making Workshop
2026-05-09 13:00 | Native Plant Nursery, 3145 Frost Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9X 1S7, Canada
Tea Making Workshop at NALT Native Plant Nursery:
When: Saturday, May 9th from 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Where: NALT Native Plant Nursery
Who: Jain Alcock-White from Champagne Hill Botanicals
Cost: suggested donation of $20/ participant
To register, email: plants@nalt.bc.ca
Workshop description:
This workshop is an invitation to slow down, taste the land, and connect with plants in a way that nourishes both body and spirit. Through tea, we will explore plants not simply as remedies, but as beings with presence, energy, and flavour shaped by place. Together, we will learn and prepare a variety of tea preparations, exploring how different methods influence the extraction, potency, and character of each plant. You’ll gain an understanding of how choosing the right preparation supports receiving the full benefit and expression of the plants you are working with.
