National Volunteer Week

A Greater Miracle

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eye for an instant?”
Henry David Thoreau

What nature and biodiversity is around you today? As science teaches about various plants, and animals, wildlife and nature, awareness increases that Elephants exist in Africa, Kangaroos in Australia, Koala Bears in China. What insects thrive in Saskatoon? What songbirds remain in Saskatoon? Are there any animals that can be seen in Saskatoon? How many did you come up with?

“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.”
Kofi Annan

Join the #CityNatureChallenge from April 29–May 2! Document Saskatoon’s nature in the free @iNaturalist app by taking photos of wild plants and animals—and help contribute to the world’s largest citizen science event. More at FriendsAreas.ca

Celebrate National Volunteer Week which has a theme ‘Volunteering is Empathy in Action.’

Check out these upcoming events

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Connect with Nature

Fri, Apr 29, 7:00 PM

George Genereux Urban Regional Park • Saskatoon, SK

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Connecting to Nature. Calling all Nature Lovers

Sat, Apr 30, 2:00 PM

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area •

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Nature Lover Observation Party

Sun, May 1, 2:00 PM

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area •

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE George Genereux Nature Canvass

Mon, May 2, 7:00 PM

George Genereux Urban Regional Park • Saskatoon, SK

City Nature Challenge ID Party – Insects! Help for insect IDs/questions

Tue, May 3, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge ID Party FOCUS ON PLANTS!

Wed, May 4, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge I.D. Party Fungi and LIchen

Thu, May 5, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge CNCYXE Saskatoon area versus YQRCNC Regina and area in a mini SK challenge — Lichen

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!

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

Who are the happiest people?

Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.
H. Jackson Brown Jr.

National Volunteer Week April 24 – 30, how will you celebrate? Help show the world what Saskatoon’s biodiversity looks like—grab your smartphone, the free @iNaturalist app, & join this year’s #CityNatureChallenge from April 29–May 2! Great for all ages; find details at FriendsAreas.ca

‘Volunteering is Empathy in Action.’

“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
Atticus Finch a character in “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee

Climb inside the skin of our native wildlife. Learn about the habitat for our herons, and where they might live as our cities grow larger and larger. Climb into the skin of a native butterfly and where they may fly to find a native pollinator flower that is not covered in pesticides. Climb inside the skin of the last remaining mammals and where they may live.

Volunteer with the City Nature Challenge. A great way to study range expansion and contraction, seasonal changes in morphology, the declining or increasing numbers of species at risk or invasive species. By observing local nature, everyone can support vital conservation research while connecting with nature and enjoying the outdoors.

Check out these upcoming events

City Nature Challenge Fungi and Lichen Observation Hints and Tips

Mon, Apr 25, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge Insect Hints and Tips

Tue, Apr 26, 2022 7:00 PM CST

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Connect with Nature

Fri, Apr 29, 7:00 PM

George Genereux Urban Regional Park • Saskatoon, SK

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Connecting to Nature. Calling all Nature Lovers

Sat, Apr 30, 2:00 PM

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area •

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Nature Lover Observation Party

Sun, May 1, 2:00 PM

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area •

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE George Genereux Nature Canvass

Mon, May 2, 7:00 PM

George Genereux Urban Regional Park • Saskatoon, SK

City Nature Challenge ID Party – Insects! Help for insect IDs/questions

Tue, May 3, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge ID Party FOCUS ON PLANTS!

Wed, May 4, 2022 7:00 PM CST

City Nature Challenge I.D. Party Fungi and LIchen

Thu, May 5, 2022 7:00 PM CST

Goldenrod Gall Fly Eurosta solidaginis Conservation Status: imperiled (S2S4) in Saskatchewan, CA (NatureServe)

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!

YouTube

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 help!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
– Gandhi

During this National Volunteer Week, April 24 – 30 celebrate the theme; ‘Volunteering is Empathy in Action.’

Have empathy for the very last time you may see a species at risk if action is not taken. Have empathy for the declining songbird population. Have empathy for the many organisms in the insect and fungi taxons which have not even been named yet, and which may go extinct before people pay attention to them.

Your contributions as an observer during the City Nature Challenge taking place April 29 to May 2 does take action to support global conservation efforts! Just download the free iNaturalist app and sign in, then;

Find it!

Snap it!

Share it!

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”
Winston Churchill

What can you give to protect Mother Earth? The City Nature Challenge is your way to take action, so that you can answer I took action!

Taking a photo of mushrooms (fungi) with a smart phone

Mushrooms, Grasshopper, Caterpillar, Fungi — Taking a photo of mushrooms (fungi) with a smart phone

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!

YouTube

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

April 24 – 30, National Volunteer Week. Sign up for some amazing volunteer opportunities with the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.!

Help show the world what Saskatoon and area’s biodiversity looks like—grab your smartphone, the free @inaturalistorg app, & join this year’s #CityNatureChallenge from April 29–May 2! Great for all ages. City Nature Challenge has virtual events for citizen scientists, and in-person events to be out in nature using iNaturalist supporting global conservation efforts. Help out with this Challenge to place Saskatoon – a city you are all proud of- on the world stage!

There are follow up events to become intrigued by the rich and diverse heritage, awareness of the amazing biodiversity in the afforestation areas of Saskatoon. What is an afforestation area? Where are the two remaining afforestation areas in Saskatoon? Come out to the Jane’s Walk and Arbor Week events!

Join the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. find out more about what is happening!

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation area is 132 hectares [326 acres] in size. As the property lines rather follow the section lines from the Dominion Survey system, it is readily seen that this afforestation area is 2 miles long by and irregular 1/2 mile wide.

George Genereux Urban Regional park, the other afforestation area, is 60 hectare [148 acre] in size. Again, the property lines follow the quarter section boundaries, and Sk Hwy 7 lops off a corner of the 160 acre quarter section, so generally speaking George Genereux Park is about 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile square except for the land taken away by the chopped off corner.

There are woodlands to explore and discover; there is culture and history of Saskatoon’s past to marvel at; there are geological and 7 hectares [17 acres] wetlands treasures for wonder and curiousity.

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!

YouTube

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

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