Uniting Legacies: Celebrating International Women’s Day with Richard St. Barbe Baker and Wangari Maathai
As the world prepares to honor International Women’s Day on March 8th, it’s imperative to recognize the impactful legacies of individuals who have dedicated their lives to environmental conservation and gender equality. Among these remarkable figures are Richard St. Barbe Baker and Wangari Maathai, whose work continues to inspire global movements towards afforestation and women’s empowerment.
Richard St. Barbe Baker, a pioneering environmentalist known as the “Man of the Trees,” devoted his life to combating desertification and promoting afforestation. In the 1950s, St. Barbe embarked on ambitious expeditions into the Sahara Desert, where he witnessed the devastating effects of deforestation and desert encroachment. Determined to reverse this ecological crisis, St. Barbe proposed the strategic planting of trees to reclaim barren lands and restore ecosystems.
St. Barbe’s vision resonates deeply with the work of Wangari Maathai, the founder of the Green Belt Movement and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Inspired by St. Barbe’s advocacy for afforestation, Maathai established the Green Belt Movement in 1977 with the mission of empowering women through tree planting initiatives. Recognizing the interconnections between environmental degradation and gender inequality, Maathai mobilized rural women in Kenya to plant indigenous trees, combatting deforestation while providing women with economic opportunities and environmental stewardship roles.
The parallel efforts of St. Barbe and Maathai highlight the interconnectedness between environmental conservation and women’s empowerment. Both visionaries understood that sustainable development requires addressing environmental challenges while promoting gender equity and social justice. Their legacies serve as a testament to the transformative power of grassroots movements in creating a more resilient and equitable world.
Today, their legacies converge in the Afforestation Areas, named in recognition of Richard St. Barbe Baker’s pioneering efforts in afforestation. These green spaces not only symbolize the importance of reforestation but also serve as living memorials to the enduring legacy of environmental stewardship and community engagement. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us honor the contributions of Richard St. Barbe Baker and Wangari Maathai, and continue their legacy of environmental conservation and women’s empowerment for generations to come.
Bibliography:
- “Richard St. Barbe Baker: The Man of the Trees.” The Man of the Trees Foundation. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.manofthetrees.org/richard-st-barbe-baker.html
- Maathai, Wangari. “Unbowed: A Memoir.” Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.
- “Wangari Maathai – Biographical.” Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2022. Accessed March 6, 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2004/maathai/biographical/
- “Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees.” United Nations Environment Programme. March 6, 2018. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/wangari-maathai-woman-who-planted-millions-trees
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:
NEW P4G District Official Community Plan
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 SE 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
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area
Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Twitter: St Barbe Baker Charity Twitter:FriendsAreas
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )
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United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
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““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”
Richard St. Barbe Baker
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 