Yesterday, Friday May 22,
was Arbor Day, the very very first Arbor Day in the province of Saskatchewan! If you didn’t get your tree planted yet, Arbor Week continues today and tomorrow, so you can have the weekend. Yay!
So, there is a virtual activity you can take part in to celebrate your love of trees.
Come out to the afforestation areas; either Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or George Genereux Urban Regional Park, and immerse yourself in nature while social distancing and following COVID-19 protocols.
- Download the iNaturalist app and sign into a free account. (Android, iPhone)
- Join the Genereux Park Eco-Quest and the Baker Area Eco-Quest. Search for those names or afforestation in the iNaturalist app.
- As you walk take a nature selfie and upload a photo or sound clip and add it to the project.
It does not matter what plant, animal, insect, or bird you see every observation is important, whether you find that elusive rare butterfly or share your find of a common weed. This becomes a living record that scientists can use to monitor changes in these urban regional parks’ biodiversity.
If you really like nature and observing, then try to go out at different times of the day, sunrise, midday, sunset. And continue around every season to see phenological changes.
iNaturalist is a great way to observe, learn and become aware of your surroundings in nature, and discovering urban nature. Hear it. See it. Live it.
For Arbor Week, here is another free coloring page (pdf)! (Immediate download) A bird forest. How many birds can you find? Can you design a bird that can be seen in Saskatchewan in the centre bird outline? Can you add more birds to the tree? What birds nest on the ground?
To continue the celebration, protect the afforestation areas!
Arbor Day is not like other holidays. Each of those reposes on the past, while Arbor Day proposes for the future. Julius Sterling Morton
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
You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Please help protect / enhance /commemorate your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers)
1./ Learn.
2./ Experience
3./ Do Something: ***
“To be poor and be without trees, is to be the most starved human being in the world. To be poor and have trees, is to be completely rich in ways that money can never buy.” Clarissa Pinkola Estés
He that plants trees loves others beside himself. Thomas Fuller
We make an immense mistake when we think of trees as solely an aesthetic member of a community. They cut pollution, they cool the air, they prevent erosion, they muffle sound, they produce oxygen. Then, after all that, they look good. Dr. Richard Leakey
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 