1972 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park.

“City Beautiful” Saskatoon.

“The city that integrates landscapes, urban gardens, and green roofs to maximize biodiversity. Which strategies can be applied to protect and maximize biodiversity and to reintroduce landscape and garden ideas back in the city to ensure urban cooling?” Steffen Lehmann

Pelican Preenning

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and West Swale Wetlands in the fog

West Swale Wetlands (Chappel Marsh) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

City of Saskatoon, SK, CA

Rime Ice at George Genereux Urban Regional Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. NE 21-36-6 W 3 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063 NE 21-36-6

“The narrowing [and reduction of] roads, which calms traffic and lowers the UHI [urban heat island] effect, allows for more (all-important) tree planting. Preserving green space, gardens and farm land creates a green belt around the city, and planting trees absorbs CO2. …In all urban planning, we need to maintain and protect the existing ecosystem that stores carbon and plan for the creation of new carbon storage sinks by increasing the amount of tree planting. The increase is the percentage of green space as a share of total city land is to be performed in combination with an densification activities.” ~Steffen Lehmann

Planting in reserved lands purchased in 1960 for a green belt or tree belt begins in 1972. “A tree belt as a windbreak and to create a sense of enclosure is suggested along the edges of development for all areas which will not expand in the near future. Such a belt can already be considered along the northern boundary of Westview Heights. In conclusion it can be stated that a seemingly overwhelming demand lies ahead, however, through careful timing, programming and design there should be few difficulties. It should be remembered that the city forefathers reserved beautiful parks along the river, others have developed in Kiwanis Park, the University Grounds and numerous treed and landscaped streets. They did so under adverse conditions with a population of 20,000. They gave the city a reputation as the “City Beautiful” and today’s residents should be willing to uphold their tradition.” (Wellman. 1963. P 18)_At this time City Council passes an order in council that the afforestation is protected in perpetuity.

As we look out on the southern extent of circle drive, along the shorelines of the Gordie Howe Bridge, and out onto Township Road 362A the view of Bert Wellman, Saskatoon Planning Department, can be seen Wellman walked around Saskatoon’s perimeter choosing high spots of land for scenic beauty and brought his ideas to City Planner Bill Graham developing the 1960 Circle Drive Parkway, planting the parks, and establishing the trees.

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park were afforested by the City Parks Department in 1972; 200,000 trees on 600 acres of land in three afforestation areas. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park were on the southwest side of the South Saskatchewan River, and the third was on the east side of the river, south of Diefenbaker park, and west of the Saskatoon Golf Course. The afforestation areas were all preserved in perpetuity in 1972.

Bibliography

Lehmann, Steffen. Part I. Sustainable Urbanism Climate Change, and Resilience. Green Urbanism. Formulating a Series of Holistic Principles. Sustainable Urbanism and Beyond. Rethinking cities for the future. Tigran Haas Editor. ISBN 978-0-8478-83836-3 Rizzoli International Publications Inc. New York. 2012

Wellman, Hilbert E. and Henry F. Frolich. (1963) Community Planning Scheme 1963. Henry F. Frolich, Assistant City Planner, and Hilbert E. Wellman, City Planning and Building Director. Page 18.

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

P4G Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth The P4G consists of the Cities of Saskatoon, Warman, and Martensville, the Town of Osler and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park; planning for areas around the afforestation area and West Swale outside of Saskatoon city limits

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

Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Twitter: StBarbeBaker

You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail)

Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal using the e-mail friendsafforestation AT gmail.com, 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!

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“St. Barbe’s unique capacity to pass on his enthusiasm to others. . . Many foresters all over the world found their vocations as a result of hearing ‘The Man of the Trees’ speak. I certainly did, but his impact has been much wider than that. Through his global lecture tours, St. Barbe has made millions of people aware of the importance of trees and forests to our planet.” Allan Grainger

“The science of forestry arose from the recognition of a universal need. It embodies the spirit of service to mankind in attempting to provide a means of supplying forever a necessity of life and, in addition, ministering to man’s aesthetic tastes and recreational interests. Besides, the spiritual side of human nature needs the refreshing inspiration which comes from trees and woodlands. If a nation saves its trees, the trees will save the nation. And nations as well as tribes may be brought together in this great movement, based on the ideal of beautifying the world by the cultivation of one of God’s loveliest creatures – the tree.” ~ Richard St. Barbe Baker.

“The aim of the Men of the Trees is briefly ‘ to develop a tree sense in every citizen, and to encourage all to plant, protect and love their native trees; for forestry is among the oldest and most honourable of the peaceful arts of men, and in its practice is unselfish and constructive service.’ ”
In the words of Henry van Dyke, America’s greatest tree poet,
He that planteth a tree is a servant of God;
He provideth a kindness for many generations
And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.” Richard St. Barbe Baker

Afforestation; City Honoured as Pioneer

It is wonderful to be part of the City of Saskatoon, a city that at once is a pioneer in the world afforestation efforts. Saskatoon, was way ahead of the times in 1972. The parks department showed incredible foresight by implementing this “Green Survival” programme as it was called in its inception.

A bit of fog and hoar frost in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Northern Leopard Frog

SONY DSC

“We’ve got to realize we live in a biosphere. When the trees go, the people go. It’s a question of survival now. We’ve got to plant trees within the next 10 years to save our lives. We’ve been eating into our forest cover faster in the last 50 years than ever. If we want to enter the new century with forests, we will have to start planting trees for our lives now.” ~Richard St. Barbe Baker reported by Zeina Cleigh. Tribune Staff Writer.

‘Afforestation’ is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover.

‘Deforestation’ which means cutting of forests or trees.

‘Reforestation’ is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands (forestation) that have been depleted, usually through deforestation.

The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area was planted by the City of Saskatoon parks department in 1972. The three afforestation areas, 660 acres, were preserved in perpetuity that same year by City Council.

Wayne Buckle, a tree planter in that year, says ” I have always enjoyed travelling over the train overpass on Highway 7 to watch my forest grow – that’s probably the best vantage point to view it” ~ Leslee Newman

Paul Hanley also wrote the best selling book Eleven speaking the time when the planet reaches Eleven billion people ~ echoing the following sentiments of Richard St. Barbe Baker. What are the choices facing this generation for the future survival of our planet?

A few of the many and several articles written about afforestation and the benefits to the planet are; Afforestation and Reforestation for Climate Change and Climate change mitigation through afforestation / reforestation These, of course, are just two of over 1,510,000 scientific articles on the importance and value of afforestation to mitigate climate change.

Will the human race fail, fizzle, give out, go out, peter out, run out, break, break down, collapse, conk (out), crash, cut out, die, expire, stall, stop, run down, wane?

It is up to you, personally, to help your grandchildren and all of humanity to hold out, hold up, keep up, last, prevail, bear up, carry on, cope, endure, fare, get along, get by, get on, go, hang in, make out, manage, persevere, abide, continue, draw out, hang on, hold on, linger, persist, remain, run on.

What can you do?

Plant a tree, nay plant ten trees a year as requested by St. Barbe.
Support afforestation efforts around the world.
Care for trees everywhere.
Do a good deed.
Read Eleven, and the need to become a Sylvan economy as requested by St. Barbe

Paul Hanley, a personal friend of St. Barbe, a freelance writer, and environmentalist, has written a biography on this internationally known forester, Richard St. Barbe Baker. Contact Paul Hanley for more information about this book in order to learn more about the afforestation area namesake, Richard St. Barbe Baker.