Environment Week
Burnaby Environment Week is a week long program of environmentally-themed community activities held to coincide with Canadian Environment Week. You’re invited to join us for some of the fun, family-friendly ways we’re celebrating our ecosystems around the City.
Environment week events
Go By Bike Week
Go By Bike Week: June 3-9
Go by Bike Week is a celebration of cycling, where we’re challenged to give cycling a try. Ride your bike to the pharmacy, school, work or to grab a coffee- any destination counts! The more trips you log, the more prizes you could win.
Storm Drain Marking
Request a kit
Storm drain marking kits are available for schools and other community groups to use to place yellow-fish markings beside a storm drains, reminding the public that roadside drains flow directly into creeks where fish live. This program encourages the community to learn about salmon habitats and protect the water quality of the streams. These kits are available year-round, but there’s no better time than Environment Week to for us to support community members interested in participating in this fun and engaging activity.
Guided Forest Bathing
Central Park: Sunday, June 2, 9-11 am – Registration required
Confederation Park: Saturday, June 8, 3-5:30 pm – Registration required
Immerse yourself in the symphony of the forest in our Burnaby Parks! Join us for a forest therapy walk inspired by Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese art of "Forest Bathing." Disconnect from technology, rejuvenate your mind, and deepen your connection with nature. Learn more about forest bathing research here.
Burnaby Lake Tree Identification Workshop
Sunday, June 2, 10 am-2 pm – Registration required
Join a wildlife ecologist for a nature hike and introduce yourself to the variety of trees in Burnaby’s ecosystems. Learn about wetlands, different forest successional stages, and more.
Pop-up Activities at Amazing Brentwood and Edmonds Park Plaza
Amazing Brentwood: Sunday, June 2, 11 am-4 pm
Edmonds Park Plaza: Saturday, June 8, 11 am-4 pm
Come meet City staff and learn about what Burnaby is doing to expand our urban forests, enhance ecosystems, conserve water, manage waste, and take action on climate change. Both events will have staff from Parks, Recreation and Culture (Urban Forestry), Engineering (Solid Waste & Recycling and Water Conservation) and Planning and Development (Climate Action & Energy and Environmental Planning).
Ecosystem Restoration Events
Central Park: Sunday, June 2, 9:45 am-1 pm – Registration required
Cariboo Heights: Saturday, June 8, 9:45 am-1 pm – Registration required
We’re partnering with Green Teams of Canada’s Lower Mainland Green Team for 2 days of direct ecosystem restoration! Spend time outside, meet new people, try new things and more, all while removing invasive plants. Plus, learn about and work alongside one of Burnaby's many amazing stewardship groups, the Cariboo Heights Forest Society, on June 8th!
These family-friendly events are a hallmark of Environment Week in Burnaby and one of the most effective ways to take action protecting nature in our city. All ages are welcome, with no experience needed! Educational instruction, gloves, tools and snacks provided.
Guided Bird Watching and Heron Colony Viewing Tour
Sunday, June 2, 8-10 am – Registration required
Grab your binoculars and head down to Deer Lake to experience the sights and sounds of our feathered friends. This walk will travel through the meadows at Deer Lake Park to get a closer look at our famed Great Blue Heron rookery.
Indigenous Photo Tour at Deer Lake
Sunday, June 2, 1:30-3 pm Registration required
Join us for a guided tour of Deer Lake, focused on photography tips for both film cameras and phones that will help you get the perfect nature shots of beautiful Burnaby! This tour is guided by Indigenous guides and photographers John Preissl and Laurie Beeman, who will be sharing some of the Indigenous history of Deer Lake and the surrounding area, including the Legend of Deer Lake, as told by John’s great-great grandfather, Chief Joe Capilano of the Squamish Nation. Laurie will also be sharing traditional knowledge about the plants important to Coast Salish peoples for food and medicine.
Birds, Blossoms and Berries Discovery Walk – Cariboo Heights Forest Preservation Society
Sunday, June 2, 10-11:30 am – Registration required
Join the Cariboo Heights Forest Preservation Society for a fun, family friendly stroll through Burnaby’s “secret forest”! Enjoy spring in a beautiful forest as we look for birds, wildflowers and native berries. Learn which animals and plants call this special forest home and why it is important to preserve it.
Guided canoe trips on Deer Lake
Tuesday, June 4- sessions at 6 pm and 7:15 pm – Registration required
Wednesday, June 5 – sessions at 6 pm and 7:15 pm – Registration required
To celebrate Environment Week, we’re offering 4 evening sessions of guided canoe trips on Deer Lake. Experience the sights and sounds of Deer Lake in the heart of Burnaby alongside an experienced canoe instructor—no paddling experience necessary!
Spring Clean-Up Day
Saturday, June 8, 9 am-3 pm – full event details
For 1 day, we’re inviting you to drop any kind of household junk you’ve got at the Still Creek Works Yard (across the street from the Eco-centre)- even items we don’t normally accept! Bring your hard-to-dispose items and we’ll recycle what we can, and divert the rest into the appropriate waste stream at no charge- even items which usually require a disposal fee at a Metro Vancouver facility. Join us at the Eco-Centre Open House afterwards for a fun family outing!
Eco-Centre Open House
Saturday, June 8, 10 am-2 pm – full event details
Burnaby’s award-winning Eco-centre is the place to go for safe, convenient and friendly drop-off for over 20 different types of recyclable materials, with new categories being accepted all the time! We’re celebrating environment week with an open house featuring live music, and a free bag of compost will be available to Burnaby residents on a first-come, first served-basis (max 2 per household). Even our staff falcon will be available for meet and greets! Join us for a free and fun event.
Byrne Creek Urban Stream Workshop
Saturday, June 8, 10 am-noon – Registration required
Learn about the secret life of an urban stream. Join our wildlife ecologist for an educational tour and find out fascinating facts about these important bodies of water.
Guided Nature Walks – Burnaby Lake Park Association
Sunday, June 9, 11 am-3 pm – Registration required
Join the Burnaby Lake Park Association and celebrate our connection to nature with various educational walks. This year, they are also offering a nature walk with Mandarin Translation.