A three minute video introduction to the
Thank you to RCE Saskatchewan Education for Sustainable Development for this honour. The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park are a mixed woodlands situated in the West Swale of Saskatoon. Through the Green Vision, Saskatoon will continue to have valued afforestation areas to mitigate climate change, therefore, heritage, semi wilderness wildlife habitats and recreational greenspace will be safe and protected. In the 2013-2023 CoS Strategic Plan, then city manager, Murray Totland asks, “What would Saskatoon look like if it grew to half a million people? And then we need to consider, “What do we want it to look like?” Our 2020 Green vision is for a healthy, safe green space with thriving and diverse ecosystems with protection of wetlands, woodlands, and grasslands, and an inter-connected West Swale eco-system to support sustainable growth and environmental leadership.
The City of Saskatoon CoS and P4G are currently planning 7-8 neighbourhoods with 70,000 people, a new employment sector, and a rural industrial-commercial area all next to the afforestation areas. The Cities of Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman, the Town of Osler and the RM of Corman Park have formed the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G).
Our 2020 Green Vision pro-actively engages, and seeks protections regarding these urban afforestation areas and their ecosystem. The environmental non-profit charity, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. formed to protect and preserve these significant heritage sites by ensuring safety, restoring, developing, and maintaining the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas with a view to commemorating the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas and educating the public about them. The 2020 green vision supports environmental sustainability. The Friends encourage management and cost-effective solutions for addressing the challenges to sustainably support the environment. The Friends work towards environmental sustainability through research, education, policy change, collaboration and partnerships in achieving targets. Education enhancing pro-active actions, investments and expanded capacity stops the degradation of the ecosystem, the loss of biodiversity and increases the recognition of the aesthetic, natural, historic, cultural, social and spiritual importance of the afforestation areas in our application for municipal heritage status.
Every past and future trash cleanup sees continued improvement, yet more is needed, such as the need for improvements, protections and education to keep up with the growing population, increasing pressures and demands on the ecosystem. Sustainability is indeed, thinking about the day after tomorrow. The critical habitat of the Horned Grebe, one of the federally listed species, is subject to illegal motorized vehicle trespass along the wetlands shoreline, resulting in invasive species, habitat loss, and nutrient loading from illegal trash dumping.
Managing woodland ecosystems sustainability will maintain the biodiversity and protect the small yellow lady’s slipper listed in the provincial rare species database. “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” Albert Einstein. Environmental stewardship and guardian roles for youth, and afforestation area users are enhanced through place-based learning. Ecosystem sustainability education brings awareness, networking and education brings about the capacity for successful conservation. “In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” Baba Dioum.
The afforestation areas were preserved in perpetuity in 1972 by city council The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. is a non-profit charitable incorporation formed with a mission to honour the council decision of 1972, and to continue onwards to conserve the Saskatoon afforestation areas which we love. During the COVID-19 protocols come out with i-Naturalist loaded on your smart phone to help document the biodiversity and enjoy the afforestation areas with social distancing. Please support the habitat of endangered species, marvel at the rich and diverse heritage and celebrate the eco-system wonders.
Please consider connecting with the RCE community on facebook (RCESask) and twitter (@saskRCE)
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: ***
We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all.~ Wangari Maathai
“ If a nation saves its trees, the trees will save the nation. ” ~ Richard St. Barbe Baker.
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. Carl Jung
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 