Protecting VanDusen’s Trees for Tomorrow

VanDusen Botanical Garden’s oldest trees need our help.

If you’ve noticed leaves browning early or smaller blooms around the Gardens lately, our trees are trying to tell us something isn’t right. Hotter, drier summers and sudden cold snaps are putting them under extra stress. We’re doing everything we can through our Climate Adaptation Fund, aiming to raise $1M by 2030 to give them extra care — but we can’t do it alone.

If you’re able to donate today, your support goes a long way.

Climate Adaptation Fund

The trees and plants that make VanDusen so special were planted about 50 years ago in very different weather than we see today. Summers in Vancouver are getting hotter and drier, heat waves are lasting longer, and sudden cold snaps are hitting already-stressed plants hard.

On top of that, warmer weather is bringing new pests and plant diseases into the region. In areas where many trees of the same type grow close together, one sick tree can easily spread disease to the whole group. Without the right resources to care for them, we risk losing some of our favorite trees and green spaces.

The good news is that VanDusen is cared for by some of the top plant experts in B.C. They know exactly what it takes to protect the Garden, but they need our support to make it happen.

Through the Climate Adaptation Fund, our goal is to invest $1 million by 2030 to give our team the tools, equipment, and plants they need. Here is how we are doing it:

• Protect: We are doing targeted pruning and removing sick trees early so diseases don’t spread. Our team is also keeping a close eye on our oldest, most loved trees so we can treat problems right away.
• Grow: As older plants reach the end of their lifespan, we are replacing them with new species that naturally handle heat, drought, and pests much better.
• Diversify: Areas with only one kind of tree—like our maples—are one of the species at risk. Planting a wider variety of trees alongside them creates a natural buffer that keeps the whole area healthy.

But this goal is only possible with community support. Help us protect VanDusen for future generations. Your gift equips our team to monitor, treat, and future-proof the Garden today.

$35 buys seeds today that will be giants in the future.

$60 funds a gardener to nurture young trees through drought, heat, and vulnerable early years.

$250 supports expert care for mature trees already under climate stress.

VanDusen is a treasured gift to our community. Please, if you are able, donate today and make sure that it will be here for future generations.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us directly at 604-257-8674 or fundraising@vandusen.org