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
Celebrating Community Collaboration: Rosewood’s Commitment to Nature Conservation
In the heart of Southeast Saskatoon lies a vibrant community pulsating with life and brimming with natural wonders—the Rosewood Community. Nestled within its embrace are 65 acres of wetlands, green spaces, and natural trails, forming a haven for both residents and wildlife alike. Namely these areas are Adams, Bitz, Mackay, Struthers, Swick, Glen Penner, and Secondary Core Parks!
One of the key players in preserving this natural beauty is the Rosewood Community Association, whose unwavering dedication to environmental conservation has been nothing short of remarkable. Their recent collaboration with the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas for the City Nature Challenge from April 26 to 29 stands as a testament to their commitment to protecting and celebrating nature.
The Rosewood community boasts an impressive array of natural assets, including the Rosewood Pocket Park—a 1.64-acre oasis of tranquility set to bloom into life this spring. Residents will soon find themselves immersed in the sights and sounds of nature as they explore its lush trails and serene conservation areas.
But the beauty of Rosewood extends beyond its borders, as it is located in Southeast Saskatoon and bordered by the breathtaking Hyde Park naturalized area. Spanning 65 acres, this award-winning wetlands design is a testament to the city’s and community’s dedication to preserving native vegetation and promoting biodiversity.
In the words of the City of Saskatoon, Rosewood has been meticulously designed to maintain its natural conservation areas, ensuring that green corridors connect residents to the breathtaking landscapes that surround them. This holistic approach to community planning not only fosters a deeper connection with nature but also promotes the health and well-being of its residents.
At its core, the goal of Rosewood is simple yet profound—to conserve and integrate a large wetland complex, allowing residents to immerse themselves in the wonders of the natural world. Whether it’s a leisurely stroll along the wetland banks or a moment of quiet reflection amidst the greenery, Rosewood offers a sanctuary where residents can reconnect with the beauty of the earth.
As we celebrate the collaborative spirit of the Rosewood Community Association and its partnership with the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, we are reminded of the profound impact that community stewardship can have on our environment. Together, we can continue to preserve and protect the natural treasures that enrich our lives and sustain our planet for generations to come.
It is here in Rosewood that residents are invited to explore their neighborhoods, parks, bus stops, school yards, sidewalks, yards, and green spaces, capturing photos and observations of plants, animals, insects, fungi, and signs of life. In addition to exploring close to home, everyone is cordially invited to join any of the four free planned events in the southwest area of Saskatoon at the two afforestation areas, hosted by the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas.
With thanks to our sponsors and supporters SaskPower, SaskTel, Saskatoon Nature Society, Wild About Saskatoon, Caswell Hill Community Association, SOS Trees Inc., Rosewood Varsity View Community Association, Nutana Varsity View Community Association, Montgomery Place Varsity View Community Association. City Nature Challenge Saskatoon CNC YXE 2024 led by Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas. Reach if you would like to sponsor the City Nature Challenge, or share the City Nature Challenge information as a collaborator!
Saskatoon and area will compete for the title of the most Biodiverse City. We need your help. The goals are to engage the public in the collection of biodiversity data, with three awards each year for the cities and areas that 1/ makes the most observations, 2/ find the most species, and 3/ engage the most people. We’re so excited to have this fun friendly competition with a chance to place Saskatoon and Area on the World Stage for the City Nature Challenge 2024! Find out more friendsareas.ca
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
Nutana Collegiate adjacent to Chief Darcy Bear Park
The Nutana Community Association and the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. recently joined forces to spread awareness about the City Nature Challenge event. Nutana Community Association’s willingness to network and promote the event in their newsletter is crucial in ensuring its success.
Uncover Nutana’s Natural Treasures: Join the City Nature Challenge!
The Nutana Community Association plays a vital role in the community. They work hand in hand with the City of Saskatoon and the Broadway Business Improvement District to make the city a greener and more vibrant place for all. Their involvement in various activities and events, such as the Nutana Free Film Festival, showcases their commitment to promoting arts, culture, and environmental conservation.
Nutana has numerous green spaces that provide excellent opportunities for outdoor exploration and nature observation. Parks like Rotary Park, and Cosmopolitan Park alongside the South Saskatchewan River shore line, Idylwyld Park, Massey Park, Poplar Park, Albert Recreation Unit, W.E. Graham Park, Chief Darcy Bear Park. offer residents and visitors alike a chance to connect with nature and learn about local ecosystems.
When exploring the waters of the South Saskatchewan River near Nutana, it’s important to prioritize safety while keeping your senses open for the wonders of nature. The riparian water edge and shoreline waters are rich with life waiting to be discovered. You might catch sight of majestic kingfishers or eagles soaring overhead, or witness a variety of gulls and shorebirds gliding gracefully. The shores are lined with willows, snowberries, bulrushes, horsetail, bent grasses, saltbushes, sedges, and unique arrowhead plants, providing a feast for the senses. As you spy the aquatic plants and observe minnows darting about, keep an eye out for the distinctive presence of a Virile Crayfish or a freshwater clam. Signs of life on the sandy shoreline, such as the tracks of frogs or amphibians, or the sleek trails left by snakes in the evening, might surprise you. With luck, you might even catch a glimpse of otters, muskrats, or beavers, a true treat along the riverside, all while we work together to protect our watershed for future generations to enjoy.
Old Victoria Bridge and Nutana Collegiate
Nutana’s Heritage, Nutana’s Future: We Care for Both
Moreover, Nutana is home to several heritage sites, making it a unique destination for a walking expedition that combines history and nature observing and recording biodiversity and signs of life along the way. The Gustin/Trounce House, Marr Residence, and Nutana Collegiate Memorial Art Gallery are just a few of the heritage sites that showcase the rich history of the area.
One of the highlights of the collaboration between Nutana Community Association and the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. is the City Nature Challenge event. This event encourages people to observe and document the biodiversity in their area, contributing valuable data to the global scientific community.
The City Nature Challenge event, which takes place from April 26-29, sees enthusiastic participation from Nutana residents and other members of the community. Participants are encouraged to explore their local green spaces, bus tops, sidewalks, boulevard trees and share their observations on social media, contributing to a global effort to document biodiversity.
George Genereux Urban Regional Park: A Place of Pride, Nature, and History
A unique aspect of Nutana’s connection with the afforestation areas is its association with George Genereux, a student at Nutana Collegiate and Canada’s only Gold Olympic champion of 1952. The George Genereux Urban Regional Park, named in his honor, serves as a reminder of his remarkable achievements and his connection to the Nutana neighborhood. This park serves as a symbol of inspiration and a testament to the community’s commitment to preserving natural spaces. . This connection adds another layer of significance to our collaboration and highlights the rich history and heritage of the Nutana community.
Nutana’s eagerness to help promote the City Nature Challenge event in their newsletter was instrumental in spreading the word and encouraging participation. This collaboration between the Nutana Community Association and the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. demonstrates the power of community involvement in environmental conservation and biodiversity research.
Nutana’s City Nature Challenge: Discover, Record, Share!
In conclusion, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Nutana Community Association for their collaboration and support. Their efforts to promote the City Nature Challenge event and their commitment to environmental conservation are commendable. We look forward to future collaborations and continue to work together to create a greener and more sustainable future for all.
To learn more about the Nutana Community Association, visit their website at https://nutana.ca/. To stay updated on the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc.’s events and activities, follow us on social media @friendsareas or visit our website at http://www.friendsareas.ca/.
Nutana Community Association: Where Ecology Meets Community.
Together, we can make a difference and create a better world for future generations. Thank you, Nutana Community Association, for being a valuable partner in our mission to promote environmental conservation and biodiversity research.
Image of George Genereux courtesy of his son, George Genereux Jr.
Image of South Saskatchewan River, Victoria Bridge, and Nutana Collegiate courtesy Trekphiler
Image of Nutana Collegiate courtesy Drm310
With thanks to our sponsors and supporters SaskPower, SaskTel, Saskatoon Nature Society, Wild About Saskatoon, Caswell Hill Community Association, SOS Trees Inc., Rosewood Varsity View Community Association, Nutana Varsity View Community Association, Montgomery Place Varsity View Community Association. City Nature Challenge Saskatoon CNC YXE 2024 led by Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas. Reach if you would like to sponsor the City Nature Challenge, or share the City Nature Challenge information as a collaborator!
Saskatoon and area will compete for the title of the most Biodiverse City. We need your help. The goals are to engage the public in the collection of biodiversity data, with three awards each year for the cities and areas that 1/ makes the most observations, 2/ find the most species, and 3/ engage the most people. We’re so excited to have this fun friendly competition with a chance to place Saskatoon and Area on the World Stage for the City Nature Challenge 2024! Find out more friendsareas.ca
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
CNC YXE DNU participant / collaborator / organiser meetings held the second Tuesday of the month via zoom email for your zoom link friendsafforestation@gmail.com From there we can arrange to host iNaturalist introductory webinars for observers and identifiers or bio-blitz hints and tips.
Help put the City of Saskatoon and area on the world nature scene! Using iNaturalist take photos of plants, animals, insects and mushrooms between April 29 – May 2, 2022! Saskatoon will compete for the title of the most Biodiverse City. We need your help. YouTube Video about getting involved
From May 3-May 8 identify what was found in Saskatoon Taking part is easy!
Whether you’re an avid naturalist or a dog walker, everyone can participate: it’s easy, fun, and will encourage you to get outdoors.
If you’re new to iNaturalist, then we can help {either contact us via friendsafforestation@gmail.som or follow instructions online at https://inaturalist.ca/.}
Started in 2016 for the first-ever Citizen Science Day, the citizen science teams at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences dreamed up the City Nature Challenge as a fun way to capitalize on their home cities’ friendly rivalry and hold a citizen science event around urban biodiversity. The first City Nature Challenge was an eight-day competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, engaging residents and visitors in documenting nature to better understand urban biodiversity. Over 20,000 observations were made by more than 1000 people in a one-week period, cataloging approximately 1600 species in each location, including new records for both areas. During the 2016 CNC, the organizers heard so much excitement and interest from people in other cities that they decided that they couldn’t keep to the fun just to themselves. In 2017 the City Nature Challenge went national, and in 2018, the CNC became an international event!
Saskatoon is now registered for the very first time ever to participate in the 2022 event – so we really need your help to highlight the City of Saskatoon area!
The Canada Wide City Nature Challenge is hosted by Canadian Wildlife Federation. The worldwide City Nature Challenge is hosted by California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
CNC YXE is run completely by volunteer organizers. If you’re part of a local stewardship or municipal group and would like to contribute to the promotion of the event, offer your skillsets, or make a donation to this city project please contact friendsafforestation@gmail.com to learn more.
Nutana Collegiate adjacent to Chief Darcy Bear Park 
Old Victoria Bridge and Nutana Collegiate
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 