Tag: Nature City Festival

Citizen Science & CBC radio One

May 19 2019 at 7:45 am The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park were on  CBC Radio One SASKATCHEWAN WEEKEND for the morning show with Shauna Powers on the Sunday May 19 2019 7:45 am show. If you did not catch the show live, please tune in here. The Wild About Saskatoon Nature City Festival kicks off this week May 21-26, 2019 with a theme

I Spy With My Wild Eye…

.

 

 

 

Photo of Richard St. Barbe Baker Courtesy: University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections, Richard St. Barbe Baker fonds, MG 71
Photo of Richard St. Barbe Baker Courtesy: University of Saskatchewan, University Archives & Special Collections, Richard St. Barbe Baker fonds, MG 71
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
White-tailed Deer Fawn. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Saskatoon, SK, CA
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

The Festival keynote evening is at the Broadway Theatre at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, May 22, featuring Dr. Maureen Murray, a rising star in the field of urban ecology and an expert on urban coyotes.  She is joined on stage by a circle of voices from Saskatoon, offering a variety of inspiring ways to build a nature-friendly city.

Current global response insufficient;
‘Transformative changes’ needed to restore and protect nature;
Opposition from vested interests can be overcome for public good
Most comprehensive assessment of its kind;
1,000,000 species threatened with extinction. UN Report

At both the wild walks, we will learn about “Citizen Science” to make a connection with the natural world in place based learning.

“The Wild Walk” is on Tuesday May 21 6:30 – 8:00 pm out at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.  Join us in the South West Off Leash Recreation Area, and we will walk west out of the off leash dog park, and proceed to the wetlands, making observations as to the flora and fauna along the way.  Learn about Richard St. Barbe Baker along the way, who was the first honourary member of the World Wildlife Fund.

Try “The Wild Spring Walk” on Thursday May 23 6:30 – 8:00 pm by venturing out to the George Genereux Urban Regional Park.  We will start west of the CNR overpass which crosses SK Hwy 7, and walk south and west through the woodlands searching out spring wildlife and emergent plants.

Ten Principles of Citizen Science

  1. Citizen science projects actively involve citizens in scientific endeavour that generates new knowledge or understanding. Citizens may act as contributors, collaborators, or as project leader and have a meaningful role in the project.
  2. Citizen science projects have a genuine science outcome. For example, answering a research question or informing conservation action, management decisions or environmental policy.
  3. Both the professional scientists and the citizen scientists benefit from taking part. Benefits may include the publication of research outputs, learning opportunities, personal enjoyment, social benefits, satisfaction through contributing to scientific evidence e.g. to address local, national and international issues, and through that, the potential to influence policy.
  4. Citizen scientists may, if they wish, participate in multiple stages of the scientific process. This may include developing the research question, designing the method, gathering and analysing data, and communicating the results.
  5. Citizen scientists receive feedback from the project. For example, how their data are being used and what the research, policy or societal outcomes are.
  6. Citizen science is considered a research approach like any other, with limitations and biases that should be considered and controlled for. However unlike traditional research approaches, citizen science provides opportunity for greater public engagement and democratisation of science.
  7. Citizen science project data and meta-data are made publicly available and where possible, results are published in an open access format. Data sharing may occur during or after the project, unless there are security or privacy concerns that prevent this.
  8. Citizen scientists are acknowledged in project results and publications.
  9. Citizen science programmes are evaluated for their scientific output, data quality, participant experience and wider societal or policy impact.
  10. The leaders of citizen science projects take into consideration legal and ethical issues surrounding copyright, intellectual property, data sharing agreements, confidentiality, attribution, and the environmental impact of any activities.Source

“The diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, as well as many fundamental contributions we derive from nature, are declining fast, although we still have the means to ensure a sustainable future for people and the planet.” said Professor Sandra Díaz

Come out for a Nature City Festival walk, engage in Citizen Science, learnt about WildObs Observer, Sci.Spy, Project Noah, iNaturalist, LeafSnap, and many other ways, you can contribute to Citizen Science.  There are many research projects are engaging millions of individuals young and old in the collection of scientific data. Citizen Science as a valuable tool for conservation in urban eeosystems.   “Public participation in scientific research,” participatory monitoring, and participatory action research often see advancements in scientific research, as well as an increase in the public’s understanding of science. “Citizen science can push conservation biology in residential ecosystems from being a “science of discovery” to a “science of engagement.”source

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

 

YXE Green Strategy Survey.

Have your say – have you completed the survey?

 

Grus canadensis Sandhill Crane
Branta canadensis Canada Goose
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
Is there anything I can do?

YXE Green Strategy Survey.

Upcoming meetings with the YXE Green Strategy Team~ mark your calendars.

The City of Saskatoon Key Findings from prior meetings.

Phase 2 of the YXE Green Strategy.

What is the YXE Green Strategy?

Have your say – have you completed the survey?

Save the date:

City of Saskatoon YXE Green Strategy

Public city-wide Phase 2 event planned to coincide with the

Nature City Festival: May 22-27, 2019

to consider options and “actions” for Phase 2 between stakeholders both internal and external.

 

 

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

You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park

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

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ***

 

“St. Barbe’s unique capacity to pass on his enthusiasm to others. . . Many foresters all over the world found their vocations as a result of hearing ‘The Man of the Trees’ speak. I certainly did, but his impact has been much wider than that. Through his global lecture tours, St. Barbe has made millions of people aware of the importance of trees and forests to our planet.” Allan Grainger

“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 nation 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.


“Be gentle – gentle – gentle with the tree,….Put your hands like this to bless it…I want you to feel your love going out from your fingertips to the …[tree], and, you know, this will help it grow, make it happy…We love to be blessed don’t we? And the trees love to be blessed. ..” ~Richard St. Barbe Baker

 

 

Reflections on the Forest

It is with a spirit of reverence that I approach God’s Creation, this beautiful Earth

At the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, there were tours held during the Wild About Saskatoon Nature City Festival in May of 2016. It was a blessing to indeed meet those who came out, and managed to find the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.

Their comments proclaimed that they learned so much about the history of the afforestation area, about Richard St. Barbe Baker, and about the trees planted in the forest. And, in turn, it can truly be said that the tour guides, in turn learned from the participants, so it was very fantastic, indeed.

The Meewasin Valley Authority has a similar counterpart in Prince Edward Island, called the Island Nature Trust. The Island Nature Trust protects the wildlife habitat and manages natural areas of Prince Edward Island. Their vision is to connect natural areas on the island by corridors sustaining and managing land for sustained use, planning for future generations.

During clean up blitzes on Prince Edward Island, a group of women come out and sing for the volunteers. They sing in the style of Caroline McDade. The album, This Ancient Love; Visions of a Sacred Land sung by McDade is online at YouTube. A quote from McDade’s song “Peril and Promise” echo words of Richard St. Barbe Baker, himself.

“This is a time when humanity must choose its future,
A future that holds both peril and promise. . . .
To focus not on having, but being.
Having or being? The choice is ours.”
Rising Green flows like a Celtic melody, the last verse;
“My foot carries days of the old into new,
our dreaming shows us the way.
Wondrous our faith settles deep in the earth,
rising green to bring a new day.
Rising green, rising green, rising green to bring a new day.”

Upon hearing quotes by Richard St Barbe Baker, these singers thought they would incorporate some of St. Barbe’s thoughts and words into their songs at the next Prince Edward Island Clean Up, and so St. Barbe lives on, and now in song!

As we wandered around in the forest, each drinking in the various scenes and hearbeat of the forest, various wishes came forward from those walking in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a bench right here, and sit to listen to the blackbirds, and watch the ducks upon the West Swale wetlands.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a rest room area to be able to spend a longer time within the afforestation area and not be called away.
Wouldn’t it be exciting to explore other tree varieties, perhaps Aesculus glabra commonly known as Ohio buckeye -a type of horse chestnut common to the midwestern United States, but introduced to Saskatchewan. This would, indeed insert a bit of orange colour into the autumn landscape.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic to increase the number of Green Ash. The Chappell Marsh Conservation Area has successfully drawn the “uncommon” Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides, to bird boxes by the marsh south of Cedar Villa Road. Richard St. Barbe Baker afforestation area has Green Ash, the natural home of the Mountain Bluebird. An amazing conjunction of the two portions of the west swale connecting the wildlife habitat corridor in such a fashion.

Closing the tour at the end of the day with the two planting ceremonial rites or songs of Richard St. Barbe Baker, and this was very well received. St. Barbe said “Why not a dance for tree planting? A Dance of the Trees!” A request was made that they should be online, so here they are.

Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause:
Stand firm. Grip hard. Feet shoulder width apart, string attached to crown of head at the top, pull to straighten spine. Shoulders comfortably back, Chin tucked in. Feel this firm stand. Now grip hard with toes. Feel roots growing down into the earth
Thrust upward to the skies. Hands go up over head (may tip-toe if desired)
Bend to the winds of heaven. Wave back and forth in the air bending sideways at the waist, to the left, to the right, arms still overhead, swaying with wind.
And learn tranquility. Lower hands to “prayer pose” in front of chest holding the earth in arms, and rest.

“Children of the Green Earth” song

From our Hearts Start: standing “firm” as above. Place hands folded up across heart.
With our Hands, Open arms wide outstretched in front of body –face palms up showing hands.
To the Earth Bend over at the waist, and reach down to touch the earth.
All the world together Rise up slowly, bringing arms up and around as if encompassing the whole world globe, the entire earth.

And so it is fitting that a reflection is taken, a moment to step back, see what went well at the Wild About Saskatoon ~ Nature City Festival and what can be learned to move forward.

“It is with a spirit of reverence that I approach God’s Creation, this beautiful Earth. The ancients believe that the Earth was a sentient being and felt the behavior of mankind upon it. As we have no proof to the contrary, it might be as well for responsible people to accept this point of view and behave accordingly.” – Richard St. Barbe Baker

 

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA
The Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) West Swale Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Saskatoon, SK, CA

 

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 : $20.00 CAD -monthly
Membership with donation : $50.00 CAD
Membership with donation : $100.00 CAD

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ***

What was Richard St. Barbe Baker’s mission, that he imparted to the Watu Wa Miti, the very first forest scouts or forest guides?  To protect the native forest, plant ten native trees each year, and take care of trees everywhere.

“We stand in awe and wonder at the beauty of a single tree. Tall and graceful it stands, yet robust and sinewy with spreading arms decked with foliage that changes through the seasons, hour by hour, moment by moment as shadows pass or sunshine dapples the leaves. How much more deeply are we moved as we begin to appreciate the combined operations of the assembly of trees we call a forest.”~Richard St. Barbe Baker

 

 

“St. Barbe’s unique capacity to pass on his enthusiasm to others. . . Many foresters all over the world found their vocations as a result of hearing ‘The Man of the Trees’ speak. I certainly did, but his impact has been much wider than that. Through his global lecture tours, St. Barbe has made millions of people aware of the importance of trees and forests to our planet.” Allan Grainger

“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 nation 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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