Nature-Friendly Yards: 2026 will be pilot season!
Nature-Friendly Yards is now accepting registrations for the 2026 pilot season.
Born out of Climate Action Fest 2.0, one of our most popular and beloved projects is back! Nature-Friendly Yards is a community initiative helping Kamloops residents transform their yards into drought-tolerant, climate-resilient landscapes.
After a great first season where we hosted educational sessions on drought-resistant plants and eco-friendly landscaping practices, we all went our separate ways to apply the lessons learned.
This year, we are taking the project one step further. We are planning to demonstrate the principles of nature-friendly yards through a pilot program, offering residents structure, resources, and community support as they make changes in their own yards.
Whether you have already been planning to replace some lawn with native species or you like the idea but don’t know where to begin, this project is for you. Even if you don’t have your own yard, you can volunteer to help!
Program details:
- Spaces for pilot households are limited. We anticipate working with approximately 5–8 participating households this year.
- Priority will be given to front-yard projects to maximize public visibility and neighbourhood learning, and to those households who are ready to start.
- This pilot focuses on planning, early demonstration steps, and visible neighbourhood engagement rather than full landscape conversion within a single season.
- Community members interested in learning, volunteering, strengthening neighbourhood resilience, and gaining hands-on project management experience are integral to this work;
- High school students and any volunteers who commit to at least 10 hours will receive a volunteerism certificate from Transition Kamloops.
What participating households receive:
- Guidance on accessing your property’s topographical contour map through the City of Kamloops to better understand slope, drainage, and water flow;
- An ecological health yard assessment, with the Kamloops Naturalist Club walking households through the Grow Wild matrix;
- Support in developing a practical, climate-aligned yard transition plan;
- Guidance on native and drought-tolerant plant selection with volunteer expertise from the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners;
- Opportunities to visit Notch Hill Community Growers for a farm tour and learning session, including exposure to xeriscaping practices and Miyawaki forest approaches
- Invitations to neighbourhood walk-throughs and shared learning sessions;
- Opportunities to participate in planting gatherings with gardening experts;
- Educational project signage displayed during the active growing season;
- Eligibility for limited starter plant materials, depending on availability;
- Inclusion in project documentation to support a replicable neighbourhood model.
What participating households commit to:
- Developing and beginning implementation of a clear yard transition plan;
- Displaying educational project signage during the active growing season;
- Participating in at least one shared learning activity;
- Allowing documentation of project progress for educational and community-sharing purposes.
Volunteer opportunities:
- Assisting with planting days;
- Supporting signage preparation and installation;
- Participating in documentation and outreach;
- Contributing to shared learning activities.
Will there be free plants?
Our expectation is that homeowners will purchase the majority of plant material themselves (we may be able to provide access to low-cost suppliers). Our hope is to provide a small number of plants free of charge to participating pilot households, but this will be determined by the level of sponsorship we receive. If you know of a business which might be interested in becoming a project sponsor, please share and ask them to get in touch!
Photo: Native grassland inspired garden installation at Garden Gate. (Credit: Jesse Ritcey, Kamloops Naturalist Club)
Transition Kamloops
Transition Kamloops is a volunteer-driven, registered not-for-profit society focused on increasing local resilience and self-sufficiency in food, water, energy, culture and wellness. We emphasize a local economy, healthy ecosystems, and grassroots community building, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. We believe in a better way: a community that sustains life in all its diversity, strives for equality and justice and invests in the future.
Transition Kamloops recognizes that we are living on Secwépemcul’ecw—land that was never ceded to settlers, and continues to be home to vibrant Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. We acknowledge the impact of colonization, forced displacement, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples. We commit to listening, learning, and building positive relationships with Indigenous communities as we work towards reconciliation.
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