“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall all be saved.β
β Jane Goodall
Discover the heritage of Saskatoon’s Secret Forests converting and transforming to Saskatoon’s Hidden Gems. The Wildwoods of Saskatoon Monday October 24 at 7:00 pm Treasure Saskatoon’s ecoheritage. Come to Nature. Come to Life. . . bit.ly/3rk33pN Eventbrite Link
“As we progress into the twenty-first century, anyone who considers themselves a realist will have to make the environment a top priority.”
βLeonardo DiCaprio
mail friendsafforestation@gmail.com phone or text Thanks! stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Information Tables and Booths provide Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. with a presence at community events. We distribute a wide variety of information in the form of pamphlets, conversations, and map directions to either the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or the George Genereux Urban Regional Park, and the upcomingWildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Film coming out October 24 at 7:00 pm The goal is to educate the community about environmental education, conservation, ecological protection, and encourage the use of iNaturalist free app in the afforestation areas. The opportunities are to sign up for a few hours on a shift on Saturday October 22 between noon and 8:00 pm and/or on Sunday October 23 between noon and 8:00 pm. Thanks for considering this opportunity!
Responsibilities of Info Booth Hosts *** Distribute various brochures and tangible resources such as maps with directions to the afforestation areas for the various members of the general public
***Let folks know about the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or the George Genereux Urban Regional Park, and the upcoming Wildwoods of Saskatoon Virtual Film coming out October 24 at 7:00 pm
***Be respectful of the opinions and beliefs of others.
***Let members of the general public know about the new signs and the new fencing.
***Engage community members in discussions about the afforestation areas.
***Make valuable connections, and draw inspiration from the next generation of environmental stewards, and engage in amazing nature connection conversations.
***On sign up through eventbrite we will let you know the perks and benefits of volunteering!
Thank you to City of Saskatoon and Mosaic for their support
Sat Sept 17 at 2:00 iNaturalist Biodiversity Challenge and Sun Sept 18 at 6:00 Easy as 1-2-3 Find It, Snap It, Share It, on the free iNaturalist app
Sun Sept 18 Wildwoods of Saskatoon Film Remai Modern at 2:00 Register Now! Seating is limited.
Commemorate #NationalForestWeek with a theme in 2022 “Canada’s Forests: Solutions for a Changing Climate.”
2022 is the 30th anniversary of “Maple Leaf Day” or National Tree Day in Canada
National Forest Week brings attention to our forests and trees from coast to coast across Canada. Maple Leaf Day (or National Forest Day) takes place the third Wednesday of September, which in 2022 is September 21. National Forest Week are the days around Maple Leaf Day.
Richard St. Barbe Baker said it this way, βIf a person loses one third of his or her skin, the person will die; if a tree loses a third of its bark, the tree will die, and if the world loses a third of its trees, the world will die.
We live less that five minutes without air and the trees give us air we breathe. We live less than five days without water, and trees are absolutely essential in the water cycle. We live less than five weeks without food, and without the trees we could not grow food.β (Filson, Bruce K. October 7, 1982, Western People, p. 5)
Find your forest and share the story about your tree friend
In the days leading up to #NationalForestWeek
οΌ Let people know about a forest you like to visit
οΌ Share the location of a unique tree
οΌ Tell a story about your favourite native tree
οΌ Create a post on social media letting everyone know what event you have to offer about your favourite tree or forest
οΌ Get together with other environmental groups to promote your forest or tree places by a networking event
There is no mood or passion that the forest cannot give us, and those of us who have discovered her secret can settle beforehand what our experiences are going to be. We can choose our day and select our hour. And lo! the dawn finds us in the obscure wood. Together witnessing the film expose the afforestation secrets, we pass through into the realm of legend. With pity or with joy, the secrets revealed, behold the stories and tales of another world, another time. Let us at least suppose so for the momentβthat at the film -we settle down to discovering the real intention and the stories of the afforestation areas. Those stories which etch and mould the form of the afforestation areas.
Discover the Wildwoods of Saskatoon Sunday September 18 at 2:00 pm at the Remai Modern. Register Now
50th anniversary of World Environment Day, 50th Birthday for Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park in Saskatoon
Richard St. Barbe Baker said it this way, βIf a person loses one third of his or her skin, the person will die; if a tree loses a third of its bark, the tree will die, and if the world loses a third of its trees, the world will die. We live less that five minutes without air and the trees give us air we breathe. We live less than five days without water, and trees are absolutely essential in the water cycle. We live less than five weeks without food, and without the trees we could not grow food.β (Filson, Bruce K. October 7, 1982, Western People, p. 5)
A Biodiversity Challenge in Saskatoon and Area September 15-18. Help us to track phenological (seasonal) changes in our biodiversity! Meet Forest Guide: Sam Ereke, BSc, MSc, Research Scientist. Look in your back yard, your house, bus stop, forest, park, greenspace, near the wetlands for wildlife! Record the discoveries on the iNaturalist app. YouTube videos providing iNaturalist hints and tips All you need is your smart phone to participate! Its so easy, download the free iNaturalist app, take pictures of signs of life including spider webs, sea shells, feathers, scat, tracks. As well as the pollinators, plants, mushrooms, insects, birds, squirrels and other wildlife
There are also Nature Connection BioBlitz Group Events
This Biodiversity Challenge taking place Sept. 15-18 is a great way to usher in #NationalForestWeek!
Saskatoon Area Biodiversity Challenge Sept 15 – 18
National Forest Week brings attention to our forests and trees from coast to coast across Canada. Our forests and trees provide habitats for wildlife, insects, polllinator species, birds and so much more! What is the βtriple environmental emergency we are facing?
1. Loss of biodiversity 2. Climate change 3. Out of control pollution.
Out of control pollution. Our native biodiversity needs wild spaces, food and homes such as trees and forests provide in which to thrive. Forests, tree planting, and forest conservation initiatives are nature-based solutions towards climate action. Pollution, pesticides, herbicides are escalating the extinction events. Creating safe, organic forest spaces is a large step to halt and slow down the silent sixth mass extinction event of invertebrates, the planetβs bird food on wings. Ornithologists and botanists have noticed that the songbird, and raptor populations have declined by a staggering 48%. The monitored wildlife populations are reduced by a catastrophic 68%. A loss of forests and habitats have caused over 2/3 of our animal populations to totally disappear.
Richard St. Barbe Baker said it this way, βIf a person loses one third of his or her skin, the person will die; if a tree loses a third of its bark, the tree will die, and if the world loses a third of its trees, the world will die. We live less that five minutes without air and the trees give us air we breathe. We live less than five days without water, and trees are absolutely essential in the water cycle. We live less than five weeks without food, and without the trees we could not grow food.β (Filson, Bruce K. October 7, 1982, Western People, p. 5)
This biodiversity Challenge is a great way to discover new trees and unexplored forest places, or perhaps it is a time to return to celebrate a favourite forest you love and are familiar with
The Legacy of Saskatoonβs Secret Forest will be shown at the Remai Modern on July 22 and is now on YouTube. This premiere live event will feature “Global Crusader and ChangemakerβΒ by Robert White who personally new Richard St. Barbe Baker.
This is part of #HistoricPlacesDays with a theme, every place has a story.
Every historic site has not just one, but many, stories. This live event is about telling the untold and forgotten stories of people who used to related to this historic site. The theme encourages you to share the alternative perspectives and points of view of your historic site. No story it too big or small.
Reviving Local Heritage. July 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm Remai Modern 50th Birthday for Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park in SaskatoonJuly 22 at 7:00 pm Reviving Local Heritage Film screening at the Remai Modern.Richard St. Barbe Baker Commemorative Signage at the Meeewasin Trail near the Diefenbaker Center on the University of Saskatchewan campus, City of Saskatoon
Your support goes towards funding bus to transport classrooms for field trips, renting porta-potties for a day’s adventure for water testing, eco-tours or iNaturalist Citizen Science discoveries.
Order your copy of Living Legacy activity book and support the semi-wilderness environment and conservation of the flora and fauna. Take action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 Life on Land, UN SDG 14 Life Below Water and UN SDG 13 Climate Action as afforestation areas are nature based solutions for climate action. Supporting 2022-2032International Decade of Indigenous Languages and the 2021 to 2030 United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
50th Birthday of the tree plantings at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park in Saskatoon
A round of appreciation is extended to the City of Saskatoon, Mosaic, Sask Energy for their support in assembling this publication, thank you kindly.
What makes the the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genreeux Urban Regional Park a special place? What is the value of species at risk, trees and wetlands? This heritage community film Wildwoods of Saskatoon is the inaugural event of National Forest Week. This year’s theme is Canadaβs Forests: Solutions for a Changing Climate. 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of Maple Leaf Day or National Tree Day in Canada, and the 50th anniversary of Saskatoon afforestation areas planted to trees in 1972. The event starts at 2 p.m. on September 18 and is free with a general admission to the Remai Modern. This film features special guests. Visit Eventbrite for more details.
A virtual zoom webinar today Wednesday June 1 takes place Right Away with hints and tips for using iNaturalist to identify Fungi at 7:00 pm CSTΒ Did you know that Fungi in Saskatchewan need you?Β Find out why!Β Specialist presentations
This presentation is just in time for World Environment Week and the BioDiverCity Challenge. Practice taking iNaturalist photos of fungi and mushrooms when out and about. The BioDiverCity challenge is for the City of Saskatoon, and the Province of Saskatchewan! It is a Northern Latitudes Great Plains of North America Challenge originating in Edmonton and Calgary, and now taking place across the Great Northern Plains! Download iNaturalist and Sign in.
Find it
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What will you discover?
Explore nature with a purpose! Support Global Conservation during Canada Environment Week. Sign up for BioBlitzes!
Arbor Week is now over. The last event was today Sunday April 29- a B.I.N.G.O. The prize winners were a couple, John and Jodi.
Binoculars were the prize for the B.I.N.G.O.
These water-proof binoculars provided 12X power magnification with a 42mm objective lens and roof prism providing 114 meters / 374 feet / 1000 Yards are also fog-proof making them excellent bird or animal watching binoculars winter or summer in any outdoor environment. For the citizen scientist, the prize package included binoculars, neck strap, lens cover, carrying bag, user instructions, cleaning cloth and a smartphone adapter. The smart phone adapter was compatible with all brands of smart phones making it an ideal choice to capture the amazing long distance organism for iNaturalist to help with global conservation efforts.
The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas are proud supporters of environmental education, and promote the use of documenting wildlife with the free iNaturalist app, and via eBird. These binoculars promoted and further encouraged these ideals. John and Jodi sound like they have an amazing environment at their home where they encourage native flora, enticing many kinds of birds and animals and along with this great biodiversity of nature at home they also frequent the afforestation areas.
Two great events to celebrate the environment, nature and the ecosystem.
June 5
You are cordially invited to special tree planting ceremony by the University of Saskatchewan collaborating with the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas on World Environment Day, June 5, 2022 taking place at 2:00 pm on the University of Saskatchewan campus near the Diefenbaker Centre.π³π²π³π²
This ceremony echoes a tree planting ceremony 40 years ago to the day of the last tree planted by the Richard St. Barbe Baker in union with the University of Saskatchewan on World Environment Day, June 5, 1982 near the Diefenbaker Centre. This collaboration between the U of S and Richard St. Barbe Baker on his visit here from New Zealand, honoured him as a former graduate (1913), and recipient of an honorary doctorate in 1971. This tree was the last tree this extraordinary champion of trees and forests planted as he died in Saskatoon four days later. In 2014, the Meewasin Valley Authority placed a marker on the MVA trail near the tree he planted.ππππ³π²ππππ³π²π³π²πππ
The 50th anniversary of World Environment Day June 5, 2022 Only One Earth!
The celebration continues into Canada Environment Week with the two local Northern Prairie City challenge.
BioDiverCity Challenge Saskatoon area and in Saskatchewan. Thursday June 9 to Sunday June 12 Northern Prairies Challenge Sign up for BioBlitzes at the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas! Explore nature anywhere in Saskatoon and Area or in Saskatchewan with the free iNaturalist app. Explore Nature with a purpose! Support Global Conservation during Canada Environment Week
During Canada Environment Week
In love with Saskatoon and areaβs incredible nature?
In love with the province’s ecosystems?
Download the free iNaturalist app
Find it
Snap it
Share it
What will you discover?
Thursday June 9 to Sunday June 12
BioDiverCity Challenge a challenge between Northern Prairie Cities!
June 5 World Environment Day You are cordially invited to special tree planting ceremony by the University of Saskatchewan collaborating with the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas on World Environment Day
BioDiverCityChallenge Thursday June 9 to Sunday June 12 Four Days to help shape conservation efforts, assist with scientific studies and land management in our local area! City of Saskatoon and Province of Saskatchewan
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 