Earthwise Garden
Location
6400 3rd Ave
Delta, BC
Canada
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Certifications & Awards
- 2001: Environmental Stewardship Award, BC Nursery and Landscape Associations
- 2009: BCLNA Honourable Mention Stewardship Award
Project Team
- Lead: Earthwise Society
- Supporters: BC Gaming Commission; BC Healthy Living Alliance; Boag Foundation; Century Group;Coast Capital Savings; Eco-Action Canada; Environment Canada; Human Resources Development Canada;
- Supporters ctd: Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia - Women in Agriculture; Newton Bingo Country; Organic Sector Development Program; Real Estate Foundation of BC; Rotary Club of Tsawwassen; Royal Bank of Canada;
- Supporters ctd: Translink; VanCity Credit Union; Vancouver Foundation; West Coast Seeds
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Summary
Key Sustainability Features:
- Outreach and education on sustainable living
- Workshops on composting, beneficial insects, organic landscaping and farming
The Boundary Bay Earthwise Garden and Farm, originally located at 7815 112th street, was one of the first gardens in Canada specifically designed to demonstrate ecological principles in landscaping. Today, in its new location, the one-acre Earthwise garden has expanded to include a one-acre farm. The garden and farm both provide Delta residents with a valuable education resource as well as a destination to visit. The garden takes an integrated approach to sustainable gardening by showcasing practices such as habitat enhancement, water conservation, tree retention, and soil conservation.
The Earthwise project reaches thousands of children,adults, and seniors annually through community workshops that teach the impacts of gardening on the environment. Workshops provide the community with information on reducing household waste through composting, which builds soil quality and reduces dependence on resource-intensive chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Over 2000 volunteer hours have contributed to the success of the garden, farm and programs.
The original Earthwise Garden was constructed in 1995 to be part of a GVRD composting initiative. Planned and designed with a triple bottom line in mind that takes economic, social, and environmental factors into account, the garden received an environmental stewardship award in 2001 for its educational impact and community involvement. In 2005, the garden was redesigned for a new location that had been taken over by invasive species and contained a lot of garbage. This land has since been reclaimed and naturalized using sustainable landscaping practices such as recycling much of the plant material from the former garden.
By demonstrating and teaching ecological principles of sustainable landscaping, the Earthwise Garden seeks to be a catalyst for the creation of a sustainable community by empowering individuals to take responsibility for social and economic well-being.
www.earthwisesociety.bc.ca
Tours: Open to the public daily from 9am until 5 pm for self-guided tours. Eathwise Ecotours (grades K to 7) by appointment. To schedule a tour please call 604-946-9828.
