motorized vehicles – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park.

New Fence, Woo Hoo!

The city of Saskatoon, and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park #344 have collaborated. Together they installed a fence alongside Township Road 362A (Cedar Villa Road).

Fence on the south side of Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area parallel to Township Road 362A (Cedar Villa Road) along with signs stating No Dumping of any Material. Fines up to $25,000 Bylaw #8318 Call 975-2486 to report illegal dumping. No Motorized Vehicles allowed. City of Saskatoon.

City Council had previously voted to accept the proposal for vehicle barriers for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.

Eliminating illegal use of motorized vehicles in the afforestation area and the wetlands will eliminate unprecedented erosion, ecological and habitat damage. Taking responsibility and accountability for the environment will increase public appreciation for a picturesque urban forest for educational classes, naturalists, bird watchers, winter fat bike cyclists, hikers and walkers on properly planned and designed pathways to mitigate the ecosystem footprint.

The two signs erected state: “No dumping of any material. Fines up to $25,000. Bylaw #8318. Call 975-2486 to report illegal dumping. No motorized vehicles allowed. City of Saskatoon.”

It is wonderful that the east side of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area has responded so well to the installation of Jersey barriers, and now illegal trespass by motorized vehicles in the forest has declined to virtually none. It is such a relief!

The chain link fencing combined with the page wire fence around the South West Off Leash Recreation Area, allows service vehicles to enter and the fencing keeps the dog walkers and the off leash dogs safe, and illegal trespass by motorized vehicles is also none.

The neighbouring residents of Cedar Villa Estates should also be able to enjoy that same level of ease and comfort living next to the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area as they are. So, appreciation and great thanks are extended out to the Rural Municipality of Corman Park 344 and the City of Saskatoon to mitigate and reduce illegal trespass by motorized vehicles at this next area of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area along this stretch on the southern perimeter of the forest.

Thank you for keeping the illegal trespass by motorized vehicles out of the forest, indeed.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Thank you to the civic officials of the City of Saskatoon and the RM of Corman Park 344

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Parent and Child in Nature

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

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!

QR Code FOR PAYPAL DONATIONS to the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. — Paypal

Payment Options

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

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“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.

“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

Environmental Resource Violations

I look at it this way. If a person is living a normal life and not abusing themselves

Investigation is underway to install barriers to prevent motorized vehicles egress to sensitive areas within the wetlands of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Even though motorized vehicles are prohibited within a City of Saskatoon open space, the damaging activity has been ongoing. Funding from conservation agencies and foundations is being sought out to help protect the wetlands and forest ecology at the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area which includes the wetlands of the West Swale. Ruts created by motorized vehicles on the wetlands areas alter water movement within the West Swale.

Call the Department of Natural Resources 1-877-996-6199 (The Honourable James Gordon Carr, Minister of Natural Resources) or Saskatchewan Environment if you observe anyone driving off-highway vehicles in any sensitive area. There is an anonymous tip line which can be called for any environmental resource violations. These violations include, but are not limited to:”
Dumping of toxic materials on land or in water
Dumping tires
Illegal forest harvesting

Provide the information below, if possible:
Licence plate of the suspect vehicle/boat
Date/time/location of the offence
Whether it is ongoing or not
Description of the violation
Description of the violators
Description of the vehicle
Photos or video of the offence or the offender

Report suspicious activity three ways. All calls and submissions are confidential.

Toll-free -1-800-667-7561
Sasktel cell – #5555
Complete and submit a form online.”

It is important to limit use of off-highway vehicles to designated trails in the province. Never operate off-highway vehicles in sensitive wildlife habitats such as wetlands, and shorelines. The effect of areas accessed by four-wheel drive vehicles, ATV and off-road vehicle has seen a loss of riparian vegetation, and a reduction in the quality of riparian vegetation especially along the wetlands shorelines. Additionally, an increase is seen in the spread of noxious weeds, and and increase in human intitiated grass fires

Long term sustainable improvements in the Richards St. Barbe Baker West Swale Wetlands would occur as a direct result of mitigation applied and restoration action. With the installation of barriers to motorized vehicles, the effects of cross-country travel would be mitigated, and though currently motorized vehicles in a City of Saskatoon open space is not authorized, barriers would prevent such illegal activity from continuing. Riparian areas wuld not see any motorized vehicle traffic if barriers were installed. The province of Saskatchewan does, indeed, have areas to meet the needs of motorized recreation use.

“I look at it this way. If a person is living a normal life and not abusing themselves – not smoking too much, not eating too much, not drinking too much – but living normally and eating the right food – they will be fit and well. It is only when they start abusing themselves that they are prone to attack by disease. It is the same with trees.”~Richard St. Barbe Baker

Canada Geese West Swale Wetlands. Chappell Marsh. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

West Swale Wetlands (Chappel Marsh) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

Mallard Ducks. West Swale Wetlands (Chappel Marsh) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA