A Celebration of Fresh Beginnings and Deep Connections

Renewal Day: A Celebration of Fresh Beginnings and Deep Connections

May 4th marks Renewal Day, a holiday that aligns with the vibrant spirit of spring, ushering in new possibilities and reviving the various facets of our lives. As nature undergoes a rejuvenation, so does Renewal Day become a time for rebirth, regeneration, and the restoration of connections with nature, the environment, family, and friends.

At the heart of Renewal Day in Saskatoon is a focus on deep ecology, an environmental philosophy championing the intrinsic value of all living beings, irrespective of their utility to human needs. It advocates for the restructuring of human societies in harmony with these principles. Deep ecology asserts that the natural world thrives on intricate relationships, emphasizing the interdependence of organisms within ecosystems. Any human interference or destruction of this delicate balance poses a threat not only to humans but to all elements of the natural order.

Arne Næss, a Norwegian philosopher and a key figure in the late twentieth-century environmental movement, coined the term “deep ecology.” Influenced by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, Næss merged his ecological vision with Gandhian nonviolence. He believed in fostering objective public debate and outlined principles for fruitful discussions, including avoiding tendentious references, ambiguous arguments, and untruthful reports.

While Renewal Day often invokes thoughts of renewing relationships, it extends beyond personal connections between humans. It encourages a commitment to nature and climate action through nature-based solutions. One impactful way to engage is by participating in the 2024 Saskatoon City Nature Challenge on iNaturalist. The challenge unfolds in two stages:

1. April 26 – April 29, 2024: Capture images of wild plants, insects, birds, mushrooms, and more.
2. April 30 – May 5, 2024: Identify the discovered species.

Results will be revealed on May 6, 2024, creating a shared experience of discovery and renewal.

Renewal Day beckons everyone to recharge and rejuvenate relationships, both with loved ones and the natural world. It’s a day to embrace fresh beginnings, celebrate deep connections, and participate in activities that foster renewal. So, on this May 4th, let the spirit of Renewal Day inspire you to embark on a journey of rediscovery and reconnection with the world around you.

How to Celebrate Renewal Day:

1. Reconnect with loved ones and nature.
2. Embrace deep ecology principles in your daily life.
3. Participate in the City Nature Challenge on iNaturalist.
4. Reflect on personal and environmental renewal.
5. Explore nature-based solutions for climate action.
6. Share your experiences and insights with others.
7. Foster objective and meaningful discussions.
8. Consider the interconnectedness of all living beings.
9. Embrace new beginnings and fresh perspectives.
10. Spread the spirit of renewal in your community.

Renewal Day is an invitation to celebrate the beauty of beginnings and the enduring connections that bind us to each other and the natural world. May this day inspire a collective commitment to renewal, fostering a harmonious coexistence with the planet we call home.

What is it? a YouTube Video

iNaturalist Identification a YouTube Video

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.comFacebook 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 )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation

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

Reconnecting with Nature: A Prescription for World Health Day

In the age of modernity, where concrete jungles dominate and technology reigns supreme, it’s easy to forget our innate connection to the natural world. Yet, as we mark World Health Day on April 7, with a theme resonating “My health, my right,” it’s crucial to heed the wisdom of our ancestors and embrace the profound interconnections that bind us to all living beings.

Diseases and disasters loom large as causes of death and changes in abilities, and conflicts ravage lives, inflicting death, pain, and psychological distress. Moreover, the burning of fossil fuels not only fuels the climate crisis but also deprives us of our right to breathe clean air, with air pollution claiming a life every 5 seconds. In the face of such challenges, it’s imperative to recognize the intrinsic link between human health and the health of our planet.

As Sylvia McAdam beautifully articulates in her exploration of Cree law, wahkohtowin—the concept of kinship and interconnectedness—lies at the heart of our relationship with nature. It reminds us that we are not separate entities but rather part of a vast web of life, where every creature, plant, and element is interconnected. Maria Campbell‘s elucidation of wahkohtowin further emphasizes the importance of honoring and respecting these relationships, not just among humans but with all of creation.

In the spirit of World Health Day, let us reclaim our connection to nature and acknowledge our reciprocal obligations to the Earth and all its inhabitants. As we ponder the significance of this day and reflect on its vital role in promoting holistic well-being, let us immerse ourselves in the healing embrace of the natural world.

I invite you to join us at the City Nature Challenge, taking place between April 26 and 29 in Saskatoon and its surrounding areas. Whether through recording photos and sound recordings of organisms or participating in scheduled events, let us embark on a journey of discovery, exploring the intricate tapestry of life that thrives within our city.

In embracing nature’s abundance, we rediscover the essence of true health—harmony, balance, and interconnectedness. So, let us come together to celebrate the health of nature and the health of all organisms, for in doing so, we honor the sacred bond of wahkohtowin that binds us all.

With thanks to our sponsors and supporters SaskPower, SaskTel, Saskatoon Nature Society, Wild About Saskatoon, Varsity View Community Association, 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.

Medicine Wheel, all is interconnected.
Wanuskewin balance and harmony four elements, fire, earth, air and water, are taught through the 6 directions of the medicine wheel.
South Great Grand Spirit Thunderbird, Okimaw Piyisiw rain, water
East, the sun, Kisikaw Pisim, warmth and light,
West Grandfather wind, Kisinipaw Otin, providing the four seasons,
North is Kisinipaw Pawkaw Mostos, the Spirit of the Buffalo.
The Sacred, the Great Spirit, Kici-Manitou is White above and
Mother Earth, Mamawow Nakwaimo Aski, is Green below.

City Nature Challenge free iNaturalist App

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.comFacebook 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 )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation

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

UNEA-6: Nurturing Harmony Between Humanity and Nature

Let’s explore the unfolding narrative of UNEA-6, a global congregation set to convene from February 26 to March 1, 2024, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. UNEA, as the paramount decision-making body on the environment, endeavors to reconcile the relationship between humanity and nature, with a profound impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.

In a symphony of voices for nature, the Vice Chairman of the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, inspired by the afforestation namesake and pioneer Richard St. Barbe Baker, aspires to tread the soil of Kenya at UNEA-6. Richard St. Barbe Baker’s call for collective action, encapsulated in Twahamwe—coming together as one—resonates, echoing the noble objective of the Men of the Trees: to instill a tree sense in every citizen, fostering love for native trees and promoting the noble art of unselfish and constructive forestry.

To facilitate this transformative journey, the community’s philanthropic endeavors stand as a beacon of support. As a student pursuing a master’s degree in regenerative sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan, the Vice Chairman seeks to embody the principles of environmental stewardship and regenerative sustainability at UNEA-6. Beyond the ecological impact, supporters are reminded of the financial incentive through charity tax deductions—up to 53% back.

Drawing inspiration from Dana Meadows’ dedication to environmental science and education, the journey to UNEA-6 takes on added significance. UNEA-6 emerges as a pivotal platform to address the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Through the lens of multilateralism, political resolve, and societal engagement, the assembly offers an opportunity for governments, civil society, scientists, and the private sector to sculpt global environmental policy and support the achievement of sustainable development goals.

As the world anticipates UNEA-6, the Vice Chairman of the environmental grassroots non profit charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas and the community’s philanthropic backing symbolize a harmonious collaboration to make a positive impact on the environment. In the footsteps of environmental luminaries like Dana Meadows, and Richard St. Barbe Baker let us rally behind this endeavor, recognizing the potential for collective environmental action and echoing the sentiment that each of us can indeed make a difference.

Ranked S2 by SCDC Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides

Journey to UNEA-6 Fundraiser.

For more information:

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

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.comFacebook 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!