This heritage documentary will feature guest speakers who speak to the rich history and heritage of the two afforestation areas the 132 ha (326 acre) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the 60 ha (148 acre) George Genereux Urban Regional Park planted to trees in 1972 under the Green Survival Program.
Wildwoods of Saskatoon Film Commemorate Oct 24 with us. Celebrate the 50th anniversaries of the afforestation areas AND UN World Development Information Day & International Day Against Climate Change
A Tangible Legacy. History, Geology, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Sense of place, Opportunities. Protecting memories and visualizing dreams. Exploration of the symbiotic relationship of the diverse urban community being nurtured in nature at the Wildwoods of Saskatoon.
This is the 50th anniversary of both afforestation areas planted to trees in 1972! These forests, wetlands and greenspaces are semi-wilderness wildlife habitats in Saskatoon providing two amazing areas to balance environmental sustainability and conservation with social, physical, and mental benefits for health and wellness in a natural greenspace setting.
Opening up to a deeply resonant perspective on greenspace heritage and the grandeur of forests director James Hay weaves the conversation from breathtaking aerial forest scenes and archival footage in a call to consciousness.
James Young, Métis bringing indigenous greetings & perspective
Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck Greenpriest of Saskatoon and friend of our forests St. Andrew’s College
City of Saskatoon Councillor Hilary Gough
Meewasin CEO Andrea Lafond
Sylvia Konkin Assistant School Administrator
Paul Hanley biographer of Richard St. Barbe Baker Man of the Trees First Global Conservationist and environmental columnist
Robert White, BSA, MES (Env. St.) Recipient of the first Men of the Trees Prize at the U of S
Jeff O’Brien, B.A., M.A., City of Saskatoon archivist
Dr. Bill Waiser B.A., M.A., Ph.D. O.C. SOM, Distinguished history Professor Emeritus
Reagan Wildeman Community member – Triathlon, Crossfit, Fatbike
Jeff Hehn Fatlanders Fat Tire Brigade Trail Coordinator
Dr. Ernie Walker, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. O.C. SOM, Archaeology & Anthropology professor emeritus
Wildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Film October 24 at 7:00 pm CST (12:00 am UTC)
Saskatoon, pincherry, chokecherry to name a few are pollinated bushes in the afforestation areas which rely on our bees and pollinator species. According to John Mola et al in The Importance of Forests in Bumble Bee Biology and Conservation writes, “forests and woody edges provide food resources during phenologically distinct periods, are often preferred nesting and overwintering habitats, and can offer favorable abiotic conditions in a changing climate.” Wildlife Preservation goes on to say, “forests provide lots of nooks and crannies for bumble bee queens to start their new colonies. Not only that, but the trees and shrubs in forests help slow down harsh winds, protect bees from the rain, and keep temperatures down during the heat of the summer by providing shade from the sun.” From the American Forest Foundation; “Mature stands [of forests] are also well suited for bees. Especially stands that include a variety of species, as well as openings or gaps. Mature forests can provide shade and protection from extreme weather for hives.”
What can you do?
Destroy your bug-zapper! Bug zappers kill all bugs and don’t pick and choose the bugs you don’t like. So all beneficial pollinator species bugs are also eliminated, and all the bird food on wings goes away, so the food web for the declining bird population is also gone.
Write a letter to your local, provincial and federal politician asking for a ban on pesticides and herbicides.
Buy organic food only in the supermarket or farmer’s market – or grow your own food.
There are light-free zones for star gazers to enjoy our milky way galaxy which is splendid! Why are there not Electro-magnetic Field EMF-free zones also? Environmental Health Trust EHT Executive Director Theodora Scarato writes, and says on YouTube; 5G and Small Cell Environmental Effects: Birds, Bees Trees and Climate. Take action now! Dana Dovey from Newsweek, says; “Technology is quite literally destroying nature, with a new report further confirming that electromagnetic radiation from power lines and cell towers can disorientate birds and insects and destroy plant health.” BeeHeroic says “Bees Plea, Stop 5G “Due to several factors – including body size, the magnetite that all animals have in their bodies and more – pollinating insects and animals are highly susceptible to 5G. In addition, the fact that mmWaves make plants toxic – to animals and humans – creates a combination that is forcing accelerated extinction of nearly all life on Earth.”
Plant trees and forests.
Our native biodiversity needs wild spaces, food and homes such as trees and forests provide in which to thrive. Forests, tree planting, and forest conservation initiatives are nature-based solutions towards climate action. Pollution, pesticides, herbicides are escalating the extinction events. Creating safe, organic forest spaces is a large step to halt and slow down the silent sixth mass extinction event of invertebrates, the planet’s bird food on wings. Ornithologists and botanists have noticed that the songbird, and raptor populations have declined by a staggering 48%. The monitored wildlife populations are reduced by a catastrophic 68%. A loss of forests and habitats have caused over 2/3 of our animal populations to totally disappear.
Richard St. Barbe Baker said it this way, “If a person loses one third of his or her skin, the person will die; if a tree loses a third of its bark, the tree will die, and if the world loses a third of its trees, the world will die.
We live less that five minutes without air and the trees give us air we breathe. We live less than five days without water, and trees are absolutely essential in the water cycle. We live less than five weeks without food, and without the trees we could not grow food.” (Filson, Bruce K. October 7, 1982, Western People, p. 5)
ON this day, May 22, World Biodiversity Day – The International Day for Biological Diversity, let us celebrate the wonders of biodiversity.
Join us to learn about Land & ecosystem degradation reversal. Protect & rehabilitate watersheds, increase carbon storage & recovery of native biodiversity & crops. Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) is a low-cost, sustainable land restoration technique used to increase both food and timber production, and resilience to climate extremes. It is a means to protect and restore watersheds, increase carbon storage, and recover native biodiversity resulting in increased crop yields with this low cost method.
Tony Rinaudo, the Forest maker, received his Bachelor’s Degree, Rural Science University of New England Australia, and agronomy through the University of Armidale as well as attending the Bible College of New Zealand (Diploma in Bible and Missions). Rinaudo is known for putting forward a deforestation management practice known as farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). Following his marriage they ended up for 18 years in Niger, Africa which Rinaudo described as a “moonscape.” Though many tree planting methods were tried the degraded land and the population were facing desert like conditions, famine, disease and drought. Though these degraded conditions exist, without resources for sustaining life FMNR provides sustainable land regeneration to restore Africa’s uplands. Through FMNR, a means of pruning and management, the underground forest of roots catalyzed into trees above ground. Rinaudo worked with local farmers in Niger in the transformation of hectares of dry land. He has worked as the Principal Natural Resources Advisor for World Vision Australia, and is currently the Senior Climate Action Advisor. Rinaudo is recognized for both his environmental and humanitarian approaches for global initiatives.
Rinaudo, the Forest Maker, was the 2018 Laureate of the Right Livelihood Award and bestowed the Member of the Order of Australia. Rinaudo, the “alternative Nobel” winner was portrayed in a documentary “Forest Maker” created by German director and film maker Volker Schlöndorff’ Following the making of the film, a panel session went into the FMNR approach, and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100)
Tony Rinaudo, from Australia happened upon one of St. Barbe’s Sahara books which influenced him. He is now referred to as the “Forest Maker” saving lives, and awarded the Order of Australia and the alternative Nobel Prize in Stockholm for farmer managed natural regeneration. He is an Australian agronomist discovering a way to grow forests without planting trees.
Tony Rinaudo, BSc AM. Agronomist, Senior Climate Advisor World Vision, Forest Maker, Famine Fighter. Rinaudo is an Australian agronomist who has pioneered and championed a simple method to grow trees in dry and degraded lands. He has empowered and inspired a farmer led movement across continents, regreening the lands, improving the livelihoods of millions and helping to combat biodiversity loss and climate change.
Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration FMNR with Tony Rinaudo, Australian Agronomist.
May 25
THE FOREST UNDERGROUND: HOPE FOR A PLANET IN CRISIS
Celebrate 50 years! Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional park were planted to trees in 1972, 50 years ago. Come out and say Happy Birthday!
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration #GenerationRestoration hashtag and tag @UNEP and @FAO
Meet Tony Rinaudo at a zoom session! Ask questions about Farmer-managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). Sign up now on eventbrite Wed, May 25, 2022 at 7:00 pm CST
Tony Rinaudo received his Bachelor’s Degree, Rural Science University of New England Australia, and agronomy through the University of Armidale as well as attending the Bible College of New Zealand (Diploma in Bible and Missions).[1] Rinaudo is known for putting forward a deforestation management practice known as farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). Following his marriage they ended up for 18 years in Niger, Africa which Rinaudo described as a “moonscape.”[1][2] Though many tree planting methods were tried the degraded land and the population were facing desert like conditions, famine, disease and drought. Though these degraded conditions exist, without resources for sustaining life FMNR provides sustainable land regeneration to restore Africa’s uplands.[3][4] Through FMNR, a means of pruning and management, the underground forest of roots catalyzed into trees above ground. Rinaudo worked with local farmers in Niger in the transformation of hectares of dry land.[5] He has worked as the Principal Natural Resources Advisor for World Vision Australia, and is currently the Senior Climate Action Advisor.[6][1] Rinaudo is recognized for both his environmental and humanitarian approaches for global initiatives.[7]
Rinaudo led his formative years in Victoria’s Oven’s Valley in Australia. He had first hand knowledge of land degradation as forests were cleared for plantations and cropping the land.[1] Marrying Liz, they had four children. They both were Serving in Mission (SIM) missionaries arriving in the Niger Republic in 1981 remaining there until 1999.[8] While there, Rinaudo was placed in charge of the Maradi Windbreak and Woodlot project.[9] The actual ground on arrival was so sandy, that vehicles could not be driven without letting air from the tires less they bog down. Rinaudo took to calling it a “Moonscape”. “I was in shock,” he [said]. “We had windstorms that would bury the seed or carry it away. We had a mouse plague. We had locust swarms—hatchlings moving across the ground like a carpet. We had crows who knew where the drill holes were. For a young agricultural adviser—I was born in 1957—it was just mind-boggling.”[10] “Farmers in the Sahel had learned from French colonists to clear land for agriculture and keep crops separate from trees. Under French colonial law and new laws that countries adopted after independence, any trees on a farmer’s property belonged to the government. Farmers who cut down a tree for fuel would be threatened with jail.”[11] Soon it was seen that the trees were nitrogen-fixing the soil, and drawing water up facilitating bio-irrigating. It was the crop yield which sent the technique viral. The micro climate of the forests was cooling the soil of the hot desert climate.[9]
When Rinaudo arrived, he attested that the water table was forty to sixty meters deep.[10] Rinaudo was familiar with the work of Richard St. Barbe Baker who wrote in his book Land of Tane (1954) “When the trees go, the rain goes, the climate deteriorates, the water table sinks, the land erodes and desert conditions soon appear.” Trees raise the water table.
This no-cost method of FMNR, relying on labour turned around lives, and provided food security.[8] Rinaudo was able to combine an assessment of the landscape, permaculture principles with FMNR to literally turn deserts into “food bowls”. Rinaudo took the experimentation started in the Niger Republic, and it quickly spread to Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal. [12]
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration #GenerationRestoration hashtag and tag @UNEP and @FAO
Rinaudo worked with both the Forestry Service and the farmers, and soon farmers could benefit from trees regenerated on their own land enhancing the greening of the land.[13] Rinaudo began with an socio-geographical-ecological assessment of the land and area leading to opportunities to overcome, and the adoption of FMNR techniques.[14]
The technique now known as FMNR began under the term of “Dirty Fields” in contrast to the previously used system of “Clean Fields.” In this Dirty Field system, native trees and shrubs were encouraged. The name FMNR name was inspired by a another practice known as Farmer-Managed Irrigation Systems. (FMIS) FMNR was featured in the Tenth World Forestry Congress of 1990. The countries across Africa utlizing FMNR and engaged in EverGreen Agricultural practices have continually increased. FMNR expanded with the implementation of other frameworks to increase success for the farmer. The Nature, Wealth and Power (NWP) framework, the SEED-SCALE Framework and the Climate Resilience Framework (CRF)[15] Garry Tappan, a U.S. Geological Survey geographer was blown away when he began to see green on satellite imagery. Comparing historical satellite imagery with current imagery, Tappan discovered that FMNR revitalized the Great Green Wall campaign.[11]
Rinaudo was the 2018 Laureate of the Right Livelihood Award[16] and bestowed the Member of the Order of Australia.[1] Rinaudo, the “alternative Nobel” winner was portrayed in a documentary “Forest Maker” created by German director and film maker Volker Schlöndorff’[17][11] Following the making of the film, a panel session went into the FMNR approach, and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100)[18]
Australia’s ISCAST (The Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology) published his autobiography, entitled The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis.[9]
The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in CrisisThe Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis1982)The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis
Celebrate 50 years! Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional park were planted to trees in 1972, 50 years ago. Come out and say Happy Birthday!
Tony Rinaudo received his Bachelor’s Degree, Rural Science University of New England Australia, and agronomy through the University of Armidale as well as attending the Bible College of New Zealand (Diploma in Bible and Missions).[1] Rinaudo is known for putting forward a deforestation management practice known as farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). Following his marriage they ended up for 18 years in Niger, Africa which Rinaudo described as a “moonscape.”[1][2] Though many tree planting methods were tried the degraded land and the population were facing desert like conditions, famine, disease and drought. Though these degraded conditions exist, without resources for sustaining life FMNR provides sustainable land regeneration to restore Africa’s uplands.[3][4] Through FMNR, a means of pruning and management, the underground forest of roots catalyzed into trees above ground. Rinaudo worked with local farmers in Niger in the transformation of hectares of dry land.[5] He has worked as the Principal Natural Resources Advisor for World Vision Australia, and is currently the Senior Climate Action Advisor.[6][1] Rinaudo is recognized for both his environmental and humanitarian approaches for global initiatives.[7]
Rinaudo led his formative years in Victoria’s Oven’s Valley in Australia. He had first hand knowledge of land degradation as forests were cleared for plantations and cropping the land.[1] Marrying Liz, they had four children. They both were Serving in Mission (SIM) missionaries arriving in the Niger Republic in 1981 remaining there until 1999.[8] While there, Rinaudo was placed in charge of the Maradi Windbreak and Woodlot project.[9] The actual ground on arrival was so sandy, that vehicles could not be driven without letting air from the tires less they bog down. Rinaudo took to calling it a “Moonscape”. “I was in shock,” he [said]. “We had windstorms that would bury the seed or carry it away. We had a mouse plague. We had locust swarms—hatchlings moving across the ground like a carpet. We had crows who knew where the drill holes were. For a young agricultural adviser—I was born in 1957—it was just mind-boggling.”[10] “Farmers in the Sahel had learned from French colonists to clear land for agriculture and keep crops separate from trees. Under French colonial law and new laws that countries adopted after independence, any trees on a farmer’s property belonged to the government. Farmers who cut down a tree for fuel would be threatened with jail.”[11] Soon it was seen that the trees were nitrogen-fixing the soil, and drawing water up facilitating bio-irrigating. It was the crop yield which sent the technique viral. The micro climate of the forests was cooling the soil of the hot desert climate.[9]
When Rinaudo arrived, he attested that the water table was forty to sixty meters deep.[10] Rinaudo was familiar with the work of Richard St. Barbe Baker who wrote in his book Land of Tane (1954) “When the trees go, the rain goes, the climate deteriorates, the water table sinks, the land erodes and desert conditions soon appear.” Trees raise the water table.
This no-cost method of FMNR, relying on labour turned around lives, and provided food security.[8] Rinaudo was able to combine an assessment of the landscape, permaculture principles with FMNR to literally turn deserts into “food bowls”. Rinaudo took the experimentation started in the Niger Republic, and it quickly spread to Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal. [12]
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration #GenerationRestoration hashtag and tag @UNEP and @FAO
Rinaudo worked with both the Forestry Service and the farmers, and soon farmers could benefit from trees regenerated on their own land enhancing the greening of the land.[13] Rinaudo began with an socio-geographical-ecological assessment of the land and area leading to opportunities to overcome, and the adoption of FMNR techniques.[14]
The technique now known as FMNR began under the term of “Dirty Fields” in contrast to the previously used system of “Clean Fields.” In this Dirty Field system, native trees and shrubs were encouraged. The name FMNR name was inspired by a another practice known as Farmer-Managed Irrigation Systems. (FMIS) FMNR was featured in the Tenth World Forestry Congress of 1990. The countries across Africa utlizing FMNR and engaged in EverGreen Agricultural practices have continually increased. FMNR expanded with the implementation of other frameworks to increase success for the farmer. The Nature, Wealth and Power (NWP) framework, the SEED-SCALE Framework and the Climate Resilience Framework (CRF)[15] Garry Tappan, a U.S. Geological Survey geographer was blown away when he began to see green on satellite imagery. Comparing historical satellite imagery with current imagery, Tappan discovered that FMNR revitalized the Great Green Wall campaign.[11]
Rinaudo was the 2018 Laureate of the Right Livelihood Award[16] and bestowed the Member of the Order of Australia.[1] Rinaudo, the “alternative Nobel” winner was portrayed in a documentary “Forest Maker” created by German director and film maker Volker Schlöndorff’[17][11] Following the making of the film, a panel session went into the FMNR approach, and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100)[18]
Australia’s ISCAST (The Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology) published his autobiography, entitled The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis.[9]
The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in CrisisThe Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis1982)The Forest Underground: Hope for a Planet in Crisis
Celebrate 50 years! Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional park were planted to trees in 1972, 50 years ago. Come out and say Happy Birthday!
Online is an 18 minute historic documentary online from the National Film Board entitled, “Windbreaks on the Prairies,” created in 1943.
Forests of George Genereux Park and Richard St. Barbe Baker Park
The Dominion Department of Agriculture set up an experimental station at Indian Head, SK which later became known as the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration[PFRA.] This tree nursery distributed many hardy, drought resistant tree saplings for distribution across the prairies in response to the devastation caused by the drought” years during the “Dirty Thirties.” The recognition of the value of trees for the soil, and water became evident.
The film, Windbreaks on the Prairies, says; “In the protection of trees birds will flourish and keep insects under control. As one pioneer woman who has grown many trees. says without trees we would have left our farm long ago. To us trees are the hope of the earth like healthy children to a home. The world without trees would be as world without children.”
In My Life My Trees, Richard St. Barbe Baker puts it this way….”Thus the forest manures itself and, with the help of the earthworms and other animals, distributes this manure through the upper layers of the soil. Everything is done by nature quietly and efficiently. No artificial fertilizers, no selective weed-killers, no pesticides and no machinery are needed in the household of the natural forest.”
And from the same book, Baker also says, “If a man loses one-third of his skin he dies; the plastic surgeons say, “He’s had it.” If a tree loses one-third of its bark it dies .. .. Would it not be reasonable to suggest that if the earth loses more than a third of its green mantle and tree cover, it will assuredly die? The water table will sink beyond recall and life will become impossible.”
The benefits of trees are amazing in both situations, during years of high water tables, trees mitigate flooding, and during years of drought, trees help to raise the water table, and produce microclimates attracting rain. This theory has been proven effective in afforesting the deserts around the world.
Though the PFRA is now defunct, the Shand Greenhouse still grows and distributes trees. The City of Saskatoon has a Request A Tree program. The University of Saskatchewan has a wonderful Shelterbelt DSS tool for shelterbelt planning, and the One School, One Farm Shelterbelt Program connects urban youth with rural farms with invaluable Eco-Buffers and shelter belts programmes.
The One Planet Summit is organized by France alongside the United Nations and World Bank to take place on January 11. This virtual summit will be a conversation between 200 nations worldwide as they plan for the United Nations biodiversity talks. The themes at this summit will be fourfold:
protection of terrestrial and marine ecosystems
promotion of agro-ecology
mobilization of biodiversity funding
link between deforestation, species and human health
Afforestation areas are amazing to contribute to biodiversity, and as such the World Wildlife Federation made Richard St. Barbe Baker (planter of trees worldwide) the first honourary member.
If a man loses one-third of his skin he dies; if a tree loses one-third of its bark, it too dies. If the Earth is a ‘sentient being’, would it not be reasonable to expect that if it loses one-third of its trees and vegetable covering, it will also die?
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 Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 