Appreciation – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park.

Thank you so very much

Thank you to so many folks who came out to the Mall at Lawson Heights and offered your support, gave a donation and received a calendar.

It has been a pleasure to announce the launch of the Saskatoon Afforesation Areas Inspirational 2023 Calendar in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Come out to our Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Booth!

Support the afforestation areas.

Give a donation for a calendar Saturday October 22 and Sunday October 23 between Noon to 8 p.m. at the Reflections of Nature Art Show Prairieland Exhibition Hall E!

See you there!

If you cannot come, Email friendsafforestation@gmail.com for your calendar today!

In partnership and with gratitude to Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Marvel at the landscapes, plants, birds and animals of the two Saskatoon Afforestation Areas throughout the months. Appreciate our urban forest with this inspirational calendar featuring quotations from the mover and shaker the one and only global conservationist Richard St. Barbe Baker. Come to Nature. Come to Life. Community Place Making in the forest. Get your Christmas presents for that hard to shop for someone today! Celebrate Saskatoon and our urban forest!

Saskatoon’s Secret Forests transforming to Hidden Gems.

2023 Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inspirational Calendar. Landscapes courtesy Vivian Allan. Sample January Month showing. Support Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park in Saskatoon — 2023 Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inspirational Calendar. Landscape images here courtesy Vivian Allan. Sample January Month showing. Support Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park in Saskatoon

See the great work done by the non profit environmental charity, on YouTube, or at the Wildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Premiere Film! October 24 at 7:00 pm

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:
Blairmore Sector Plan Report; planning for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, George Genereux Urban Regional Park and West Swale and areas around them inside of Saskatoon city limits
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
Pinterest richardstbarbeb
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.com Facebook 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
Facebook: South West OLRA
Reddit: FriendsAfforestation
Twitter: St Barbe Baker Charity Twitter:FriendsAreas
Mix: friendsareas
YouTube
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal 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!
Donations can be made through Paypal, Canada Helps, Contact Donate A Car Canada, SARCAN Drop & Go 106100594 for the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.
United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
Use the UN Decade’s Visual Identity
Make it your own
Spread the word about the UN Decade
Let’s Bring Back Forests
Let’s Green Our Cities
“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

We need your smile! Oct 22-23

Information Tables and Booths provide Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. with a presence at community events. We distribute a wide variety of information in the form of pamphlets, conversations, and map directions to either the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or the George Genereux Urban Regional Park, and the upcoming Wildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Film coming out October 24 at 7:00 pm The goal is to educate the
community about environmental education, conservation, ecological protection, and encourage the use of iNaturalist free app in the afforestation areas. The opportunities are to sign up for a few hours on a shift on Saturday October 22 between noon and 8:00 pm and/or on Sunday October 23 between noon and 8:00 pm. Thanks for considering this opportunity!

Responsibilities of Info Booth Hosts
*** Distribute various brochures and tangible resources such as maps with directions to the afforestation areas for the various members of the general public

***Let folks know about the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or the George Genereux Urban Regional Park, and the upcoming Wildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Film coming out October 24 at 7:00 pm

***Be respectful of the opinions and beliefs of others.

***Let members of the general public know about the new signs and the new fencing.

***Engage community members in discussions about the afforestation areas.

***Make valuable connections, and draw inspiration from the next generation of environmental stewards, and engage in amazing nature connection conversations.

***On sign up through eventbrite we will let you know the perks and benefits of volunteering!

George Genereux Tour

So, as has been posted the fencing is starting to come together at the speed of light 😉 So, today, we had a wonderful gentleman named Preston who presided over the ribbon cutting ceremony at George Genereux Park.

The tour went through 3 or 4 various changing ecosystems, as a circle was made in George Genereux Park. Actually it was nice to see the ecotone, where an ecotone is where more than on ecosystem meet with each other. So the drought resistant, hardy tree plantings celebrating their 50th anniversary were meeting with the trembling aspen bluffs with buffaloberry, red-osier dogwood and snow berry and so on as native species. A number of heritage points were covered including the West Swale, some of the flora and fauna of the afforestation areas, the early afforestation areas history under the Green Survival Progam, and the two films about the afforestation areas and the pfg.friendsareas.ca app, and the planned updates to the app from Gabriel Dumont Institute and CWF Youth group.

So, a sampling of imagery is shown here, including the inaugural ribbon cutting for George Genereux Park, Preston and the new fence which is nearing completion! Thank you to everyone who came out to the park. We hope you enjoy your next visit, and some exciting places to explore till you find your favourite place in the forest!

This is a wonderful way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of #NationalForestWeek, and the 50th anniversary of the afforestation areas!

Clean UP Sat Sept 24

Thank you is extended to all the clean up volunteers all those from the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, from SOS Trees, from Saskatoon Search and Rescue, from the members of the general public who heard about the afforestation areas or who are users of the afforestation areas.

It is true what is said that many hands make light work. The clean up began at 9:30, and before the estimated end time of 1:30 the very large Loraas dumpster was filled to the top, and another one was about 3/4 full! It is hard to believe.

But it was so rewarding to know that the fencing will go up around the greenspace which no longer has trash in it, so it will be safe for park users of all ages. It will be nice to enjoy both Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, and George Genereux realizing that they are a great deal safer, now that the garbage is cleared out, and the fencing is going up to mitigate more continual trash dumping!!! Wow!

So again. Thanks to the volunteers. Thanks to Regan Olson, environmental protection officer at the City of Saskatoon. Thanks to the City of Saskatoon for helping out with the landfill fees. Where an attempt was made to clean up the park truck load by truck load to the landfill, this surely went a lot easier! Thanks to the Loraas truck driver, and we had amazing weather, couldn’t have been a nicer nor more beautiful autumn day. Everyone said they were going to return and enjoy a wonderful walk, knowing what a grand contribution was made by all! Thank you.

Here is a sampling of images from the day! What an amazing birthday present for the 50th anniversary of the afforestation areas to have such amazing stewards, and folks helping out.

This is a wonderful way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of #NationalForestWeek, and the 50th anniversary of the afforestation areas!

Sept 24 clean up at both Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and at George Genereux Urban Regional Park, Saskatoon The Clean Green Community Scene

Fencing at George Genereux Park

So the fencing is just about completed at George Genereux Park in Saskatoon. When one thinks about how long it takes to fence in a homeowners property, and how long it takes, it is absolutely mind boggling that a quarter section of land is receiving fencing within such a time frame.

The posts started going in the ground on Tues Sept 21, the posts are all completed, and the wire has an amazing start as well. Come out, have a walk in the forest, and be amazed at the difference that the greenspace now has.

Here are some pictures of how the afforestation area at George Genereux park looks now. We will place more tags and reflector tape next week to protect animals.

This is a wonderful way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of #NationalForestWeek, and the 50th anniversary of the afforestation areas!

This fencing went up with advice from the City of Saskatoon and Meewasin, and with the amazing support of the Government of Canada.

Fencing commencing with reflector tape at George Genereux Urban Regional Park, Saskatoon

So, under the advisement of the City of Saskatoon and Meewasin, George Genereux Park has fencing in the style of the North East Swale, which is wildlife friendly fencing so the animals can hop/fly over top, and sneak underneath. Tagging helps the animals to visually see the fencing if they are running around.

CKQ fencing (CKQ Fence Construction) were the contractors, and as mentioned, if your want an excellent wildlife friendly fencing, this is a great choice for contractors.

Stay tuned for more about tagging and a call for volunteers .

Call To Action, Please Help

Introducing our new webpage experience at FriendsAreas.ca

To enhance your viewing experience the website has been adapted for access through mobile devices as well as on your home computer!

Please continue to enjoy our regular updates here on stbarbebaker.wordpress.com

When you are walking in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and in George Genereux Urban Regional Park, please engage with the new beta version of the GPS Prairie Forest Guide app pfg.friendsareas.ca providing a self-guided tour developed by students from Sask Polytech under the mentorship of instructor Wade Lahoda. Thank you very much. This app is still under development for the interpretive stories.

Let us know what you would like to see. How the experience could be improved. Please Be Bold and contact us

Child running through the forest having a great time connecting with nature — connecting with nature

iNaturalist Observation with smart phone connecting with nature, supporting vital conservation research worldwide. — connecting with nature

For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

For more information:

Blairmore Sector Plan Report; planning for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, George Genereux Urban Regional Park and West Swale and areas around them inside of Saskatoon city limits

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-APart SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-AS ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-ANE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation AreaGoogle Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lotWeb page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with mapWhere is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with mapPinterest richardstbarbebBlogger: FriendsAfforestationTumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.com Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation AreaFacebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Facebook: South West OLRA Reddit: FriendsAfforestation Twitter: St Barbe Baker Charity Twitter:FriendsAreas Mix: friendsareas YouTubePlease help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal 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!Donations can be made through Paypal, Canada Helps, Contact Donate A Car Canada, SARCAN Drop & Go 106100594 for the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Use the UN Decade’s Visual IdentityMake it your ownSpread the word about the UN DecadeLet’s Bring Back ForestsLet’s Green Our Cities“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

Grateful because of you

The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. wish to thank our donors for their donations through Canada Helps and Paypal Giving. Thanks to you contributions, the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas can offer place based educational learning trips to the afforestation areas helping to sponsor portable toilet rentals or offset bus trip fees to nature immersion classes. Because of you, the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas can protect the wildlife habitats, the flora and fauna from illegal trespass and illegal dumping as your contribution goes towards trash bags for clean ups, wildlife friendly fencing and the tagging of the fencing.

Your generosity supports the greenspaces of the 326 acre Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the 148 acre George Genereux Urban Regional Park.

Your amazing contribution is a testament to the difference between a parking lot and a greenspace park, a semi-wilderness habitat, indeed. Because of you, it will be possible to support these greenspaces, and protect them for this generation and the next.

If you live in Saskatoon and area- thanks for calling for your recycling pick up. We will sort the bottles and stand in line. Your contribution goes a long way in environmental protections.

Here is a link to the promised free pdf download page from the Living Legacy 50 for 50 activity book connecting activities with place based exploration!

You truly have made a difference.

Order your copy of Living Legacy activity book and support the semi-wilderness environment and conservation of the flora and fauna. Take action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 Life on Land, UN SDG 14 Life Below Water and UN SDG 13 Climate Action as afforestation areas are nature based solutions for climate action. Supporting 2022-2032 International Decade of Indigenous Languages and the 2021 to 2030 United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, 2021–2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing.

Thank you to the civic officials of the City of Saskatoon and the RM of Corman Park 344 — Thank you kindly

Flowers and Butterflies abstract artwork in appreciation of the volunteers who helped clean up at the 2016 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA — Thank you kindly

For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
For more information:
Blairmore Sector Plan Report; planning for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, George Genereux Urban Regional Park and West Swale and areas around them inside of Saskatoon city limits
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
Pinterest richardstbarbeb
Blogger: FriendsAfforestation
Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.com Facebook 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
Facebook: South West OLRA
Reddit: FriendsAfforestation
Twitter: St Barbe Baker Charity Twitter:FriendsAreas
Mix: friendsareas
YouTube
Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal 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!
Donations can be made through Paypal, Canada Helps, Contact Donate A Car Canada, SARCAN Drop & Go 106100594 for the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.
United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
Use the UN Decade’s Visual Identity
Make it your own
Spread the word about the UN Decade
Let’s Bring Back Forests
Let’s Green Our Cities
“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

Afforestation Areas as Sacred Places

The afforestation areas have a unique sense of place. Place and the sacredness of place is something that indigenous people feel are being lost in this day of truth and reconciliation.

Places are embodied with the aura of that which is sacred or holy and can be dedicated as sacred places as can be objects, artifacts, or organisms.

In the afforestation areas is a species at risk, an endangered species which means that it is of minute and scarce quantity in danger of disappearing entirely. This species at risk is sacred to indigenous people and to other cultures as its very name bears homage to that which is holy.

It is with heavy heart that a desecration occurred with a great disrespect to indigenous cultures, and to the community of the afforestation areas. The population and afforestation area community are stewards and guardians of the afforestation area, and respect the gift of greenspace afforded to them to be in the great out of doors. There is a diverse community of users who have pride in the afforestation areas, and consider it special. It is with sorrow to say that there are those who do not honour and respect the gift which the community has in this urban regional park. It is with great disrespect, when a species at risk has been so vandalized and desecrated in the afforestation areas.

There is much loss and anguish for the extirpation of the bison from the plains historically. In this day of age with Traditional Ecological Ways of Knowing, and western scientific knowledge shared through Species at Risk Act SARA, The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre that extirpation of species is seeing history repeating itself. Why would anyone wish to wilfully and maliciously extirpate a species at risk? Why would anyone wish to despoil, wreck, raze, devastate a species at risk which is accorded a high honour within our indigenous community, as well as in other cultures globally? Why would anyone wish the bison to disappear from the plains?

If anyone has any clues or reports to be made in protection of the afforestation areas, please call the Provincial Government TIPP hotline for illegal forest harvesting. or call the City of Saskatoon Parks department 306-975-2476 or the Meewasin Valley Authority 306-665-6887 Please help protect these places which so many have come to honour and appreciate for a variety of reasons. What is the difference between walking, cycling and skiing in a parking lot and in a forest?

Take your pants for a walk day! Richard St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada — National Forest Week The last full week of September. Maple Leaf Day the Wednesday of that week.

National Forest Week The last full week of September. Maple Leaf Day the Wednesday of that week.

Add Your Voice

The United Nations has created World Humanitarian Day on 19 August

Take part in the Saskatoon afforestation areas – at either Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or George Genereux Urban Regional Park – Run, cycle, walk or do any activity of your choice for a summation of 100 minutes between August 16 and August 31 in solidarity with vulnerable people.

Sign up Now! If you don’t wish to take part physically you can ADD YOUR VOICE. Note your activity on social media with the hashtags #TheHumanRace #WorldHumanitarianDay

If you have never been to the afforestation areas, email friendsafforestation@gmail.com, and we can arrange a walking tour, and help to ADD YOUR VOICE!

Bicyclists in forest. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Areas has a Winter Trail Network — Bicyclists in forest. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Areas World Humanitarian Day

Bicyclists in forest. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Areas World Humanitarian Day

Celebrate August 9

August 9 is the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Did you know that the United Nations declared 2022-2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages?

What can you do to celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples?

Check out these resources from the United Nations
Learn about the City of Saskatoon Indigenous Initiatives
Discover the History of First Nations and Saskatoon
Take part in Saskatchewan Indigenous Experiences in and around Saskatoon
Email friendsafforestation@gmail.com to initiate and create an in-person or virtual event celebrating indigenous culture or history at the afforestation areas for #NationalForestWeek and #Culture Days in September or for August 9
Watch the Healing Forests YouTube presentation
Write your own Treaty Land Acknowledgement and discover more about the indigenous people of Treaty 6 territory.
Learn how to say the word ‘forest’ in the languages of the nêhiyawak (Cree), nakawē (Saulteaux), and yankton and yanktonai (Nakota) people

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: