Afforestation Areas as Sacred Places

The afforestation areas have a unique sense of place. Place and the sacredness of place is something that indigenous people feel are being lost in this day of truth and reconciliation.

Places are embodied with the aura of that which is sacred or holy and can be dedicated as sacred places as can be objects, artifacts, or organisms.

In the afforestation areas is a species at risk, an endangered species which means that it is of minute and scarce quantity in danger of disappearing entirely. This species at risk is sacred to indigenous people and to other cultures as its very name bears homage to that which is holy.

It is with heavy heart that a desecration occurred with a great disrespect to indigenous cultures, and to the community of the afforestation areas. The population and afforestation area community are stewards and guardians of the afforestation area, and respect the gift of greenspace afforded to them to be in the great out of doors. There is a diverse community of users who have pride in the afforestation areas, and consider it special. It is with sorrow to say that there are those who do not honour and respect the gift which the community has in this urban regional park. It is with great disrespect, when a species at risk has been so vandalized and desecrated in the afforestation areas.

There is much loss and anguish for the extirpation of the bison from the plains historically. In this day of age with Traditional Ecological Ways of Knowing, and western scientific knowledge shared through Species at Risk Act SARA, The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre that extirpation of species is seeing history repeating itself. Why would anyone wish to wilfully and maliciously extirpate a species at risk? Why would anyone wish to despoil, wreck, raze, devastate a species at risk which is accorded a high honour within our indigenous community, as well as in other cultures globally? Why would anyone wish the bison to disappear from the plains?

If anyone has any clues or reports to be made in protection of the afforestation areas, please call the Provincial Government TIPP hotline for illegal forest harvesting. or call the City of Saskatoon Parks department 306-975-2476 or the Meewasin Valley Authority 306-665-6887 Please help protect these places which so many have come to honour and appreciate for a variety of reasons. What is the difference between walking, cycling and skiing in a parking lot and in a forest?

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 )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

Starting Over from great comments

We had some fantastic comments and input from our first input to the introduction of Our Forest Returns Saskatoon! We didn’t start from the beginning, that’s for sure. We started over on our YouTube video, indeed.

There is illegal trash dumping, and illegal trespass going on, so the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc is an environmental charity seeking environmental protections in the form of motorized vehicle barriers and park identification signs to alleviate problems, and preserve the environment as first steps. This concept was developed at a community meeting held at City Hall with input from a varied segment of the people who live in the area, users of the afforestation areas and many stakeholders came out. See the minutes which provided the initial direction and were recorded by Trish from the Montgomery Place community which are online!

We appreciate all the input, and if you can nominate our charity for the GoreGiving campaign on social media ie. facebook or twitter, it would help so much, indeed!

@GoreMutual #GoreMutual . Thank you for your wonderful @GivingTuesdayCa campaign to give $5,000 to nominated charities. I nominate @FriendsAreas Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas for their dedication to 2 amazing urban regional parks, education & awareness programs

OR

I nominate the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas @FriendsAreas for the @GoreMutual Giveaway. The Friends take action on climate change, protect trees, forests, wetlands & species at risk & promote a social distancing healthy active lifestyle connecting with nature! #GoreMutual #GivingTuesday #OurForestReturns

GivingTuesday #OurForestReturns #SaskatoonWildForestAngels

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

DRAFT 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

Blogger: FriendsAfforestation

Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.com

Facebook 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

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 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 nations 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.

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