Tag: waterfowl

Countdown to City Nature Challenge: Join the Effort to Map and Protect Saskatoon and Area’s Biodiversity

Are you in love with the incredible nature of Saskatoon and Area? Do you want to contribute to the mapping and protection of its biodiversity? If so, mark your calendars for April 28 to May 1, 2023, and get ready to participate in the Saskatoon and Area iNaturalist City Nature Challenge (CNC) YXE 2023! With just a few days left until the challenge begins, nature enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds are invited to join this global citizen science initiative and make a difference for local wildlife.

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) This is the brightly colored male. The female of the species will use the cattails, reeds or rushes standing above the surface of the water to weave a nest, and lay 2-5 eggs.
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), wetlands mammal enjoys the emergent vegetation around Chappell Marsh such as cattails
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

All you need to participate in the City Nature Challenge is a smartphone and the free iNaturalist app. Simply download the app, create an account, and start documenting the flora and fauna you encounter in Saskatoon and Area during the challenge period. It’s a fun and easy way to contribute to a global effort of mapping urban biodiversity and raising awareness about the importance of nature in our cities.

Last year’s City Nature Challenge was a huge success, with 52,000 people from 445 cities in 47 countries participating, resulting in over 1.69 million observations of more than 50,000 species including those participants who documented 2,244 rare, endangered, and threatened species. These observations provide valuable data for scientists, researchers, and policymakers to better understand and protect urban biodiversity.

One of the highlights of the City Nature Challenge is the opportunity to learn about species at risk or noxious invasive species in your area. The iNaturalist app has a built-in feature that will notify you with an icon if the species you observe is at risk or invasive. This allows participants to contribute to the conservation efforts by providing important information about the distribution and abundance of these species in Saskatoon and Area.

As the City Nature Challenge takes place in the spring, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the best of what the season has to offer. From blooming wildflowers to singing birds, the natural world comes alive during this time of the year. Participants are encouraged to share their observations (photos and sound recordings) on social media using the hashtag #CityNatureChallenge, #CNCYXE and tagging Friends Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc @Friendsareas or #FriendsAreas, the organization hosting the event. Let nature be heard, and let’s celebrate the beauty and diversity of Saskatoon and Area’s natural heritage together.

So, be the reason nature believes in humanity and join the Saskatoon and Area iNaturalist City Nature Challenge from April 28 to May 1, 2023. With just a few days left, it’s time to get ready, download the iNaturalist app, and start exploring the local parks, trails, and natural areas to document the incredible biodiversity that surrounds us. Together, we can make a meaningful contribution to the conservation of Saskatoon and Area’s precious natural heritage. Learn more at FriendsAreas.ca and be part of the City Nature Challenge!

Planned events

Please let us know of your business, school, classroom, or group’s City nature challenge planned events also!

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

The Dangers of Avian Flu for Dogs: What You Can Do to Protect Them

Attention dog owners! The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reported that a dog in Oshawa, Ontario, died after contracting the avian flu, also known as H5N1 or the bird flu. The dog was infected after chewing on a wild goose and subsequently developed “clinical signs” and passed away. Although the risk of a human contracting avian influenza from a domestic pet is minor, experts warn that the virus is “gathering momentum” and becoming more of a human threat.

Therefore, it is crucial to take precautions with pets, such as not feeding them raw meat from game birds or poultry and not allowing pets to consume or play with dead wild birds found outside. The virus has been detected in other mammals as well, such as foxes, seals, dolphins, black bears, and wild minks, raccoons, porpoises, and skunks from areas across Canada. To reduce the risk of exposure, keep dogs (and other domestic animals) away from wild birds, especially in areas where avian flu activity is prevalent. It’s also important to note that canine flu vaccines do not protect against avian flu. Although the risk of transmission to humans from infected dogs is low, it is still an unknown and a concerning issue.

Please report signs of bird flu to “Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC).” westernnorthern@cwhc-rcsf.ca

Puppies. Puppy Day March 23.
Puppies.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Dog as Pets
Dogs in Off Leash Dog Park socializing, playing and having fun
Dogs in Off Leash Dog Park socializing, playing and having fun
Active Dog
Active Dog outside
Dog waiting for a walk at South West Off Leash Dog Park
Dog waiting for a walk at South West Off Leash Dog Park

As pet owners, we want to ensure the well-being of our beloved companions. However, one of the most threatening diseases to both humans and animals is the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 or Avian Flu. This virus primarily affects birds, but it has also been sporadically detected in mammals such as cats, dogs, raccoons, striped skunks, and red foxes.

Although HPAI is primarily a disease of birds, it can also infect mammals that hunt, scavenge or consume infected birds. For instance, outdoor cats that hunt and consume an infected bird or dogs that scavenge dead birds could get infected with the virus. In such instances, it is crucial to report it to the regional avian influenza hotline or the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.

If you suspect the presence of Avian flu in an area, it is crucial to report it immediately as it is a notifiable disease. According to the current guidelines, you should contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. if you come across any of the following situations: one or more dead birds of prey, three or more dead gulls or waterfowl (such as swans, geese, and ducks), or five or more dead birds of any species. By reporting these cases, appropriate measures can be taken to control the spread of the disease and protect both wildlife and humans.

Early detection of HPAI in birds is crucial to stop its spread. Infected poultry and pet birds may show signs such as sudden death, low energy or appetite, purple discoloration or swelling of various body parts, reduced egg production, nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing, lack of coordination, and diarrhea.

Become aware of signs and symptoms of Avian Flu = HPAI = H5N1 for pets.

In areas where there have been reported outbreaks of bird flu, contact between dogs and birds or poultry should be prevented. Dogs should be stopped from picking up and eating any sick or dead wild birds. If they are likely to flush out any carcasses, they should be kept on a lead. This will help prevent the spread of H5N1 to other birds.

Overall, the risk of H5N1 influenza infection in dogs from normal activities like walking in a park is low. However, it is crucial to exercise common sense and take preventive measures such as avoiding areas with lots of birds, being more restrictive about outdoor activities and observant when flu is active in birds in the area, and being alert and observant keeping dogs away from sick or dead birds. By taking these steps, we can ensure the safety of our pets and prevent the spread of the disease.

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

Wetlands Curriculum

Do you want to explore the wetlands while you are out at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area?  Here are some teacher and student curriculum resources.  Great for homeschoolers and families as well!

Threatened in Saskatchewan as recorded by SCDC Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Threatened in Saskatchewan as recorded by SCDC Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) This is the brightly colored male. The female of the species will use the cattails, reeds or rushes standing above the surface of the water to weave a nest, and lay 2-5 eggs.
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) This is the brightly colored male. The female of the species will use the cattails, reeds or rushes standing above the surface of the water to weave a nest, and lay 2-5 eggs.
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), wetlands mammal enjoys the emergent vegetation around Chappell Marsh such as cattails
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), wetlands mammal enjoys the emergent vegetation around Chappell Marsh such as cattails
Permanent wetlands in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area with cattails and emergent vegetation in the summer
Permanent wetlands in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area with cattails and emergent vegetation in the summer
West Swale Wetlands (Chappel Marsh) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA
West Swale Wetlands (north side of Chappel Marsh) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

Government of Saskatchewan fact sheets and Sask H2O Stewardship and Conservation

Sask Rivers Public School Division Grade 2 water curriculum supports

Global Schools Program Sustainable Development SDG Activities Guides for the Classroom includes:

  • Quality Education and Inequality
  • Responsible Consumption
  • Clean Water and Sanitation

Canadian Water Resources Assocation Project Wet Instructional Resources

PCAP Become Water Wise teacher resources

Watersheds on Earth Teacher Grade 8 Resources

YPTE Water Cycle

Oldman Watershed Council [Oldman River in Alberta] Learning AT Home 2020 Websites, Games, Activities

Canadian Geographic Protect your Watershed

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 )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

““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

Water and Afforestation

March would not be complete without acknowledging World Water Day celebrated on March 22. The theme for 2021 is Valuing Water! #WorldWaterDay and Water2me.

So when you are out enjoying the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, know that learning about the underground natural springs, the wetlands and the formation of the West Swale via the Yorath Island Glacial Spillway is a great way to learn about the South Saskatchewan Watershed which supplies the City of Saskatoon drinking water. A valuable commodity which is supplied by a “free” ecosystem service. This service will only provide supply if we take care of our ecosystem.

The trees and vegetation, which cover the land surface of the Earth and delight the eye, are performing vital tasks incumbent upon the vegetable world in nature. Its presence is essential to earth as an organism. It is the first condition of all life; it it the ‘skin’ of the earth, for without it there can be no water, and therefore, no life.~Richard St. Barbe Baker

Water ~ critical long range planning

“Of the earth’s thirty billion acres, already nine billion acres are desert. And if a man loses a third of his skin, he dies; plastic surgeons say “He’s had it.” And if a tree loses one-third of its bark, it dies. And if the earth loses one-third of its green mantle of trees, it will die. The water table will sink beyond recall and life on this planet will become impossible. It’s being skinned alive today…” Richard St. Barbe Baker

What is your story about how you value water? Do you value the community volunteer Clean Green Community Scene trash cleanups which keep the West Swale wetlands water fresh and clean? Do you value the Chappell Marsh wetlands located in both Chappell Marsh Conservation Area and in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area which provide habitat for a number of species at risk waterfowl? Check out the iNaturalist.pdf pamphlet!

There are stories indeed about water and how the stewards and stakeholders of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestion Areas value water on a variety of levels.

Did you take part in the Government of Canada freshwater management consultation? The consultation paved the way to creating a Canada Water Agency to keep our water fresh and clean! 😉 Read the Government of Canada’s Discussion Paper “Toward the Creation of a Canada Water Agency.” The University of Saskatchewan also discusses this project.

Do you value water? Do you conserve and preserve water at home? Do you appreciate walks alongside the water’s edge and observe the blackbirds, ducks, geese and herons? Do you participate in the community cleanups to keep our wetlands fresh and healthy?

For the Take It Outside Winter Staycation challenge. Email us your wetlands photograph out at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Download our local wetlands bird checklist Pamphlet.

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

YouTubePlaylist
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

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

“I thought how lovely and how strange a river is. A river is a river, always there, and yet the water flowing through it is never the same water and is never still. It’s always changing and is always on the move. And over time the river itself changes too.

Aiden Chambers

Life is like the river, sometimes it sweeps you gently along and sometimes the rapids come out of nowhere.

Added to Global Map

Our International Day of Action for Rivers challenge has been added to the Global Map The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. challenge is very proud to take action for rivers and to be added to the International River org global map

Please will you sign the Universal Declaration for the Rights of Rivers here? The InternationalRivers.org global movement is becoming the backbone of efforts to protect rivers worldwide!

  1. This challenge throws down a gauntlet for you to overcome!  It is without a doubt a formidable task!  March 14 is International Day to Take Action For Rivers.  With a theme, the Rights of Rivers, can you imagine now what the challenge is set before you?

For our Winter Staycation challenge today, we would like you to email to us at friendsafforestation@gmail.com what you think would belong in a list for the Rights of Rivers????

Finally, the folks over at International Rivers is having their our own Day of Action event called “Life of a River: From Restoration to Protection and Rights“. This is a virtual online celebration (co-hosted with American Rivers) we will be hearing from movement representatives just like you to share and discuss emerging tactics and themes in global river protection and Indigenous rights work! For more information and click here to register if you are interested.

Download our International Day of Action for Rivers Pamphlet

As a further challenge, record on iNaturalist or the eBird hotspot for Chappell Marsh the wetlands birds which you have sighted. The International Day of Action for Rivers Pamphlet contains a water birds checklist as an indicator of what might be sighted. The Geese and some ducks are back already (March 11)

  • A bit of fog and hoar frost in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Autumn picture of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas supported by the non profit group Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. Please join now, like, support, share.

We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future generations.

David Brower

YouTubePlaylist
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

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

“I thought how lovely and how strange a river is. A river is a river, always there, and yet the water flowing through it is never the same water and is never still. It’s always changing and is always on the move. And over time the river itself changes too.

Aiden Chambers

Life is like the river, sometimes it sweeps you gently along and sometimes the rapids come out of nowhere.

Emma Smith

Safety in the Forest

 

Safety in the Forests
Blue-winged mallard
Child running through the forest having a great time connecting with nature

The “Safety in  the Forest” campaign from Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas is raising the necessary funds to provide wildlife friendly motorized vehicle barriers to mitigate illegal trash dumping, as part of our Great Canadian Giving Challenge campaign.
Donations will help support the work required to install Jersey Barriers with gates for legitimate motorized vehicle users, allow safe passage for users into a greenspace who appreciate an urban regional park and wetlands inside of the City of Saskatoon, and minimizing future damage.

  • Challenge begins June 1, 2020 at 9:30 p.m.  Central Standard Time(midnight Newfoundland Daylight Time (NDT) and ends on June 30, 2020 at 1:59:59 am Central Standard Time ( 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

  • Grand prize draw is on CANADA DAY, July 1, 2020 – $20,000 will be donated to the winning charity

Can you help ?  Any size donation to the Great Canadian Giving Challenge is awesome!!!  And this is a great opportunity to participate in a fund raising challenge for a chance to win $20,000 and build a parking lot to park the motorized vehicles!

Thanks!

White Rose National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

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:

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 SW 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

Instagram: St.BarbeBaker

Twitter: StBarbeBaker

You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park

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

Canada Helps

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ***

We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all.~ Wangari Maathai

“ If a nation saves its trees, the trees will save the nation. ” ~ Richard St. Barbe Baker.

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. Carl Jung

Birds!

Well it is now the Great Canadian Birdathon, beginning noon Friday May 8 and ending at noon the next day, May 9th, which also matches up with a major event in the bird world: eBird’s Global Big Day.  Register now for the Great Canadian Birdathon, or sign up to Cornell Birds for the e-Bird Global Big Day.

The wetlands at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area are shared with Chappell Marsh Conservation Area.  The water body is in the West Swale and is called Chappell Marsh.  On eBird there is the Chappell Marsh “Hot Spot” where birders record birds which are spotted on either side of Cedar Villa Road (Township Road 362A)

There are also folks recording on iNaturalist the biodiversity and birds which are found at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park.  All you have to do is download the smart phone app on your phone.  Go out, and use the app to take pictures, and it will be your field guide to help in the identification!  Take part in the iNaturalist Project: “The Social Distancing BioBlitz of 2020!  Mar 17, 2020 – May 31, 2020”, or the project “Phenology Test”, or perhaps the “Observations from Isolation” project.

e-Bird also has a mobile App for download to make bird sighting easier.

What else are you going to do during this era of social isolation?  Come on out and have some fun!

Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Scaup
Blue-winged mallard

“I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence – that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light.”
― Lynn Thomson

Canada Helps

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 SW 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

Instagram: St.BarbeBaker

Twitter: StBarbeBaker

You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park

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

Canada Helps

1./ Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ***

Creative expression, whether that means writing, dancing, bird-watching, or cooking, can give a person almost everything that he or she has been searching for: enlivenment, peace, meaning, and the incalculable wealth of time spent quietly in beauty. Anne Lamott

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” — Vincent Van Gogh

 

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands. Douglas Adams

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE DAY

What kinds of wild animals walk in the afforestation areas?

This semi-wilderness habitat sees a great variety of waterfowl on the north end of Chappell Marsh, large mammals, birds of various types, small animals, and insects.

American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica) sighted at Richard St. Barbe Baker spring 2019
Coyote as predator. Stock image – not a photograph taken at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, nor photographed at George Genereux Urban Regional Park. How to co-exist with coyotes in Saskatoon, SK
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla Garrulus Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
American Red Squirrel Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Rabbit

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

WILDSIDE crossword puzzlie
Across
5. Four legged mammal with large ears (2 words)
9. These large birds make nests from cattails.
10. A winter bird with a narrow black eye mask and chin (2 words)
11. A group of these animals is called a “brace”, “flush”, “paddling”, “raft”, or a “team.”
Down
1. A brownish woodpecker which sports a black bib.(2 words)
2. A mammal who creates food stashes called ‘Middens’ (2 words)
3. A rusty colored summer bird sporting a black mask.(2 words)
4. Black and White Mammal
6. A raptor sporting a red tail, that competes with the Great Horned Owl.(3 words)
7. A red mammal with black feet (2 words)
8. Hungarian partridge (2 words)

“We are in a bottleneck of overpopulation and wasteful consumption that could push half of Earth’s species to extinction in this century.”
– E. O. Wilson

Sunday April 12 is Easter Sunday,  and the second sunday in Earth Month. This year’s Earth Day 2020 theme is Climate Action. 

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” — Albert Einstein

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:

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

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: ***

“I’ve seen wildlife under mounting pressure and it’s not just from human economy or technology but behind every threat is the frightening explosion in human numbers.”
– David Attenborough

“The natural world is in serious trouble and it needs our help as never before. We continue to lose the precious wildlife that enriches our lives.”
– David Attenborough

anthropomorphize your bird

anthropomorphize  your bird

April 8 is Draw A Picture of a Bird Day!

Is your art style art nouveau, caricature, cartoon or totally realistic?  Are you going to draw a bird in flight, sitting on a nest, swimming on the water as waterfowl do, walking on the ground, waiting for food like a baby bird would or climbing down the trunk of a tree like a nuthatch?

Grus canadensis Sandhill Crane
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla Garrulus Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Do  you prefer to draw with pen and ink, with charcoal, pencil, chalk, oil pastels or perhaps colored pencils?  What kind of medium do you draw on – would you choose paper, construction paper, toilet paper, birch bark, paper towels, newspaper, glossy magazine paper, bristol board, cardboard, lined or graph paper?

Couldn’t resist adding toilet paper in, as there seems to be some hoarding going on, so there may be an abundance of toilet paper on which to draw pictures of your bird/s.

Anthropomorphization
Anthropomorphize your bird

On Wednesday April 8, there are two weeks before the Earth Day celebration! This year’s Earth Day 2020 theme is Climate Action, which will be explored during Earth Month.

During your time spent drawing birds, consider the local birds which you may no longer see around anymore because they are endangered.  Consider what actions could be taken to protect endangered species.  A lot of thought has gone into what actions are needed to protect homo sapiens during the COVID-19 pandemic, what actions are needed for our local avian endangered species?

The horned grebe and barred tiger salamander are listed as a species of special concern by the Committee On The Status Of Endangered Wildlife In Canada – an Independent Advisory Panel to the Minister Of Environment and Climate Change. The Red-necked Phalarope, Baird’s Sparrow and Grasshopper Sparrow are special concern, and Bobolink, Bank Swallow is threatened nationally under the federal Species at Risk Act SARA Schedule 1. The provincially listed small yellow lady’s slipper is another species in need of environmental guardianship. Protecting critical habitat is thus a key concern.

 
Horned Grebe Podiceps AuritusHorned Grebe Podiceps Auritus
 
 

A fund-raiser has been started to protect the habitat of a federally listed species in the wetlands of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area.  April 19 2020 is the cutoff date for this fundraiser should you wish to help out.

At the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK Construction Discards and Hazardous Waste. Before the 2016 Community Clean UpRefuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
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

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 damage that climate change is causing and that will get worse if we fail to act goes beyond the hundreds of thousands of lives, homes and businesses lost, ecosystems destroyed, species driven to extinction, infrastructure smashed and people inconvenienced.”~David Suzuki

“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

“This generation may either be the last to exist in any semblance of a civilised world or that it will be the first to have the vision, the bearing and the greatness to say, ‘I will have nothing to do with this destruction of life, I will play no part in this devastation of the land, I am determined to live and work for peaceful construction for I am morally responsible for the world of today and the generations of tomorrow.’”
Richard St. Barbe Baker

Spring is on the way!

 

Here is a little bit of spring!!!
You Tube video Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the West Swale Wetlands

A bit of early morning birdwatching, with a few ducks and ducklings interspersed with blackbirds!

 

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.

“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

 

%d bloggers like this: