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QENENIW̱ community volunteer day
June 12 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
There are three opportunities in 2026 to lend a helping hand and restore a culturally important ecosystem on S,DÁYES (Pender Islands).
Located on the Tsawout First Nation’s reserve land, QENENIW̱ (kwun-uh-new, hear it) is a historic W̱SÁNEĆ village and reefnet site. At present, this site has been heavily disturbed by invasive plant species, such as daphne/spurge laurel, which impact the survival of native plant species providing food and medicine.
The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation’s QENENIW̱ restoration project brings youth, community, and local conservation organizations together to restore this culturally and ecologically significant place. The guidance and care of W̱SÁNEĆ cultural monitors ensures the restoration work is done in a respectful way in this sensitive archaeological area.
Dates: June 12th, July 24th, and October 9th
Time: 10 AM – 2 PM (with a lunch break)
Location: QENENIW̱ (Hay Point, South Pender Island). Park at the Poets Cove back gravel lot.
Who: S,DÁYES and Salish Sea community
What to bring: work or gardening gloves, water, lunch, and baked goods/snacks to share if you are able. Extra gloves will be available.
What to wear: sun protection, long pants, closed-toe shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing. This event will occur rain or shine.
RSVP: madelin [dot] emery [at] gmail [dot] com
Poster (PDF)
Volunteers will work together to remove predominantly daphne/spurge laurel, as well as Canada thistle and Scotch broom from the landscape. Volunteers will be provided with tools such as hand trowels, spades, and loppers to assist in removing the invasive plants.
If you are interested in volunteering, please RSVP at the listed email address. All volunteers are required to review the protocols for engagement before attending the community volunteer day.
The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ (“The Blossoming Place”) Foundation is a W̱SÁNEĆ-based non-profit organization that leads numerous restoration projects throughout the W̱SÁNEĆ homelands. These projects are centered around practicing land-based education and ecosystem restoration, such that the importance of native ecosystems and the network of embedded relations can be shared. Through their work, the PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱ Foundation hopes to inspire community members to take an ecological approach to return native plants across the W̱SÁNEĆ homelands.
