Richard St. Barbe Baker had a magical elixir. St. Barbe’s elixir was described by him as a type of rebirth, a connection to the trees, which he used for many years for their healing power.
I wandered on as in a dream, all sense of time and space lost. As I continued this mysterious journey, looking up every now and then I could see shafts of light where the sunshine lit up the morning mists and made subtle shadows on the huge bracken fronds which provided a continuous canopy of bright green over me. Their pungent scent was a delight to me. Although I could see only a few yards ahead, I had no sense of being shut in. The sensation was exhilarating. I began to walk faster, buoyed up with an almost ethereal feeling =of well-being, as if I had been detached from earth. I became intoxicated with the beauty around me, immersed in the joyousness and exultation of feeling part of it all.
I had entered the temple of the woods. I sank to the ground in a state of ecstasy; everything was intensely vivid ~ the call of a distant cuckoo seemed just by me. I was alone and yet encompassed by all the living creatures I loved so dearly.
As I lay back a dead twig snapped, like the crack of a whip; the birds warbling sounded like the notes of a cathedral organ. The overpowering beauty of it all entered my very being. At that moment my heart brimmed over with a sense of unspeakable thankfulness which has followed me through the years since that woodland re-birth. My gratitude for this cosmic experience can be perhaps best expressed in the Scot’s metrical version of the Twenty-third Psalm:Goodness and mercy all my life,
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house very more,
My dwelling-place shall be. ~Richard St. Barbe Baker
For years, I charged my batteries on trees. You have to select a special tree friend. When I came out of hospital after a serious operation, I chose a Cedar of Lebanon. Cedar itself comes from the Arabic word meaning strength.
I used to do two minutes on and two minutes off, then two minutes again. After about four minutes, your hands being to tingle. I wouldn’t recommend to a beginner to take more than a minute to start with. ~ Richard St. Barbe Baker speaks of laying the pals of hands on a tree trunk.
A meeting was previously held Wednesday March 29, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. for any and all Stewards of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (RSBBAA), the West Swale, and SW OLRA. If you are a user or stakeholder of the RSBBAA, or SW OLRA, please come to this very important meeting and listen to Hilary Gough, the honourable councillor for ward 2. Note the front doors of city hall are locked after hours. Thank you kindly. It was good to see you.
Forests do have a healing power, a kind of elixir which St. Barbe speaks of to which we can all relate. It is this healing power which does wonders mitigating Nature Deficit Disorder, and replenishing the body with Vitamin N, a common deficiency in this era. Look foward to meeting with you, and speaking about the afforestation area, West Swale, the afforestation area formerly known as George Genereus Park and the SW OLRA
For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park
For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
For more information:
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SW 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)? with map
Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Please help protect / enhance /commemorate your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail)
Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal using the e-mail friendsafforestation AT gmail.com, or by using e-transfers Please and thank you! Your donation and membership is greatly appreciated. Members e-mail your contact information to be kept up to date!
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You Tube Video Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
You Tube Video Richard St Barbe Baker presented by Paul Hanley
You Tube Video Richard St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and West Swale wetlands
You Tube Video Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – Saskatoon’s best kept secret.
The trees and vegetation, which cover the land surface of the Earth and delight the eye, are performing vital tasks incumbent upon the vegetable world in nature. Its presence is essential to earth as an organism. It is the first condition of all life; it it the ‘skin’ of the earth, for without it there can be no water, and therefore, no life.~Richard St. Barbe Baker
I believe in oneness of mankind and of all living things and in the interdependence of each and all. I believe that unless we play fair to the Earth, we cannot exist physically on this planet. Unless we play fair to our neighbour, we cannot exist socially or internationally. Unless we play fair to better self, there is no individuality and no leadership. ~Richard St. Barbe Baker.
“In the wealth of the woods since the world began The trees have offered their gifts to man.” – Henry van Dyke
The greatest gift of all is life. For millions of years the trees were paving the way for life on this planet, absorbing impurities, clearing up the foetid atmosphere and the swamp breath, absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off the life giving oxygen that
we breathe.” ~Richard St. Barbe Baker
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 
LOVE your pictures along with the informtion, thank you.
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Thanks very kindly It is a fantastic afforestation area, IMHO
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I love your write ups, they are in-depth and give a complete picture.
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