Bloom where you are planted

Bloom where you are planted.  Afforested in 1972, the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas have become home to native plants of Saskatchewan.  The forest provides a unique biome, and soil for even the rarest of species.

Rose in the Richard St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper – Cypripedium parviflorum Courtesy James St. John cc2-0

Bee

Right now, write down 20 things you are grateful for in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional park.

What are five ways the afforestation areas can help you find health and happiness?

How old are the old-growth areas of the afforestation areas?  How many trembling aspen bluffs are there?  Are there other trees which were not afforested?

“There is no mystery about the succession of forest-growths, nothing in Nature is more plain and simple.  We cannot but admire her wisdom, economy and justness, compensating in another direction for any disadvantage a species may have to labor under.  Every kind of tree has an interesting history in itself. Seeds with a hard shell, or with a pulpy and resinous covering, which retards their germination, are often saved from becoming extinct by these means.” Mr. Robert Douglas, horticulturalist and forestry consultant.

To celebrate Arbor Day this Friday May 22, 2020 virtually, Coloring Page 2, a pdf file for free download. (preview first)  In this free coloring page, there is also a puzzle.  Can you find the two birds in the tree?  When you are out walking can you find the birds in the trees, and spot the woodpeckers?

Starting Sunday May 17 and continuing on until Sunday May 24, is arbor week.  Richard St. Barbe Baker..said to a lady once who wanted to plant a tree in his honour, “Madam, don’t plant a tree, plant a wood.”  And here, in Saskatoon, we have planted an afforestation area named in honour of Richard St. Barbe Baker, biologist and botanist, environmental activist and author.

Art is for everybody. 

Arbor Day Safe Forests Go Fund Me Page to support our trees in the afforestation areas!

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

  Canada Helps

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

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

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ^***

  Canada Helps

The children and nature movement is fueled by this fundamental idea: the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable.Richard Louv

 

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall

Virtual Arbor Day for Kids

An Arbor Day Activity for Kids! …And what the heck, this activity can be for the young at heart, kids of all ages!  Use the COVID-19 #StayHome protocols to have some fun.

On the first day of Arbor Week, we shared Arbor Week is here.

Today we share the first in a series of Forest Coloring Pages!

Download the pdf, (preview first) and receive for free a great arbor day picture to color, it’s that easy!

More tree celebration coloring pages coming throughout Arbor Week, stay tuned.

Saskatchewan’s very first Arbor Day, Friday May 22, and all this week celebrate trees during Arbor Week.

Make A Wish Day

Make A Wish Day

Children enjoying their time collecting leaves in the autumn forest.

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

Happy Girl

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

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 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!

Canada Helps

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ^***

“The future of the planet concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it. ” Wangari Maathai.

 

“The fate of an individual or a nation will always be determined by

the degree of his or its harmony with the forces and laws of nature

and the universe” Richard St. Barbe Baker

 

Vernal pools and forests

“American author Henry David Thoreau once described cities as places where millions of people are lonely together.  In a healthy city, this is not the case….Neighborhoods with parks, trees, cafes, shops and leisure facilities make city life healthy and enjoyable.”~ Lomberg, Michelle. Healthy Cities: improving urban lie.  ISBN-1-58340-359-0.  Smart Apple Media.  Minnesota.  1980.

 

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

Blue heron

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)

Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus breeding colours

Pelican Preenning

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

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

The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the George Genereux Urban Regional Park are both part of City of Saskatoon land bank, and are not a part of municipal reserve, natural space reserve, nor parks.  However both The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the George Genereux Urban Regional Park are “preserved in perpetuity” as of the 1972 City Council approval for this request.

“When conserving wildlife habitat and water quality and protecting aquifer recharge areas are of greater concern, a forest protection strategy is advisable.”  Arendt, Randall.  Envisioning Better Communities.  Seeing more options, making wiser choices.   ISBN 978-1-932364-82-8 ISBN 978-1-932364-81-1. American Planning Association.  Planners Press.  Chicago 2010.

The West Swale waters flow from the North Saskatchewan River into the South Saskatchewan River, with its confluence at Yorath Island.  The Afforestation Areas benefit the drinking water extracted from the South Saskatchewan River.  The forests filter sediments, and pollutants, increasing water quality.

Forests are the most effective land cover for maintenance of water quality. They serve as natural sponges, collecting and filtering rainfall and releasing it slowly into streams. Forest cover has been directly linked to drinking water treatment costs – the more forest in a source water watershed, the lower the treatment costs. With an increase of urbanization, a forest serves to filter trap road contaminants, impervious pavement run off,  dissolved solids, pollution, and increases in sediment.

“Conserving Ephemeral Wetlands -Vernal Pools.  Vernal pools occur on land that ponds during the later winter and spring; they dry up by midsummer and remain dry for half the year.  The fact that these ponds do not remain wet year-round makes them environmentally very special, because they do not support fish populations, which would otherwise devour the egg masses(…with tadpoles emerging) that have been deposited in vernal pools by woodland amphibians such as salamanders, frogs and some toads.  It is important to protect not only these sanctuary pools but also the surrounding woodlands constituting the terrestrial habitat of species that begin their life cycles in these shallow water….Experts with trained eyes should be engaged to identify pool locations and estimate biological activity levels.”Arendt, Randall.  Envisioning Better Communities.  Seeing more options, making wiser choices.   ISBN 978-1-932364-82-8 ISBN 978-1-932364-81-1. American Planning Association.  Planners Press.  Chicago 2010.

West Swale and Richard St. Barbe Baker AFforestation Area wildlife Urban Forest Semi-Wilderness Area. Mountain Bluebird, White Tailed Deer Fawn. Barred Tiger Salamander or western tiger salamander. American Pelican, Mallard Duckling

The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the George Genereux Urban Regional Park are both considered wetlands by biologists. In both areas, it is great to detect and determine where the vernal pools are located, as well as the permanent wetland areas.

 

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

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!

Paypal

Payment Options

Membership : $20.00 CAD – yearly Membership with donation : $50.00 CAD Membership with donation : $100.00 CAD

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ^***

 

“I believed that God has lent us the Earth. It belongs as much to those who come after us as to us, and it ill behooves us by anything we do or neglect, to deprive them of benefits which are in our power to bequeath.” Richard St. Barbe Baker