Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. Humboldt Broncos Memorial Forest. Come to Nature. Come to Life. Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestationk Areas Inc. friendsareas.ca
MOST OBSERVED SPECIES IN SASKATOON FOR THIS FOUR DAY STRETCH ….IN A SNOWSTORM NO LESS Most Observed Species ROBIN! Turdus migratorius 64 yellow-rumped warbler Setophaga coronata 43 dark-eyed junco Junco hyemalis 40 American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 28 black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus 25 Canada goose Branta canadensis 23
Beneath the canopy of our global forests, a slow-motion dialogue is taking place—a metabolic conversation between the standing giants of the timber world and the persistent, creeping network of the fungal kingdom. To the untrained eye, a mushroom is a mere ornament. But to those who walk the path of the Watu Wa Miti—the “People of the Trees”—it is a profound indicator of a landscape in transition.
Phellinus tremulae Aspen BracketSchizophyllum commune Splitgill MushroomFomes fomentarius Hoof Fungus
The Ancestral Pledge
In 1922, Richard St. Barbe Baker and Chief Josiah Njonjo founded a movement in Kenya that would ripple across a century. The “Men of the Trees” (now Watu Wa Miti) understood a fundamental truth: our fate is intertwined with the sap and the spore. Their pledge—to plant ten trees a year and do one good deed daily—was more than a conservation effort; it was an acknowledgment of our role as stewards of a living, breathing respiratory system. Today, as we navigate an era of climate instability, the health of our forests depends on our ability to read the “language of the limb.”
The Polypore: Nature’s Hardened Wisdom
Look closely at the trunk of an aging oak or a weathered hemlock. You may see a woody shelf, hard as a horse’s hoof, jutting from the bark. These are the Polypores.Unlike the ephemeral meadow mushrooms with their delicate gills, these organisms possess millions of microscopic pores. When they take on this woody, hoof-like form, we call them conks.
These structures are not merely growing on the tree; they are growing with it. A conk like Fomes fomentarius (the Tinder Polypore) or Phellinus tremulae (Aspen Bracket) adds a new layer of spore tissue each season, mirroring the growth rings of the tree itself. If you find a conk with eight distinct layers, you are looking at a four-to-eight-year history of fungal respiration. It is a biological clock, ticking in the key of decomposition.
The Art of Decay
Among these architects is the Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum). Its creamy underside is a living canvas; a gentle scratch with a fingernail leaves a permanent brown line, preserved through the drying process. But the “art” goes deeper than the surface.
These fungi are saprophytes, the grand recyclers of the planet. They target the lignin—the very “rebar” of the tree’s structural concrete. While a white-rot fungus like the Artist’s Conk leaves the wood flexible but weakened, the Common Split Gill (Schizophyllum commune) thrives on the sun-scorched, drought-stressed limbs of trees already gasping for relief.
“A hollow or dull sound when knocking on a trunk is the tree’s way of whispering its internal secrets. It tells us that the mycelium has already moved into a tree wound, claiming the heartwood for the next generation of life.”
The Inevitable Transition
We must address the uncomfortable truth: once a polypore fruits, the mycelium has already occupied the fortress. Whether the infection began via a lightning strike, a pruning wound, stress on the root or a territorial woodpecker, the decay is a one-way street. There is no “cure” for wood-decay fungi.
In our human desire to “fix” nature, we often want to rip the conks off the bark. Do not destroy the evidence. Removing the fruiting body does nothing to stop the vegetative hyphae devouring the nutrients inside. In fact, if you tear a conk away during a humid rain, you may unwittingly help the fungus broadcast its spores to the rest of the grove.
Stewardship in the Mycelial Age
To care for our forests is not to wage war on fungi, but to mitigate the stress that invites them. Wood-decay fungi are opportunistic; they are the “undertakers” of the woods, summoned by wounds from machinery, fire, and drought.
To be Watu Wa Miti today means:
Preventing Wounds: Protect the bark of your trees as you would your own skin.
Mitigating Stress: Water during droughts and mulch to preserve soil health.
Observing with Humility: Recognize that a “hazard tree” to a homeowner is a “wildlife skyscraper” to the ecosystem.
The polypore teaches us that death is simply a restructuring of energy. As the lignin breaks down, the nutrients stored from decades of sunshine and soil are released back into the web. We plant the trees, and the fungi ensure that no atom is ever wasted. In this sacred cycle, we find our place—not as masters of the forest, but as humble members of the Mycelial Collective.
To keep our forest healthy and safe, the City of Saskatoon Parks Dept. (led by Urban Forestry Supervisor Scott Kindrat) will be conducting essential tree maintenance in the RSBBA from June 9–11. Arborists will focus on removing trees marked with a painted dot—specifically those that are diseased or pose a risk of falling or fire. We appreciate your cooperation as we care for this natural space! Thank you.
Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker 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 or
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
The road east of Saskatoon opens into a sweep of prairie sky—vast, quiet, and deceptively fragile. Here, near Clavet, Saskatchewan, on land shaped by wind, memory, and time, a new kind of forest is being imagined. Not one born solely of ecology, nor solely of grief—but of both, intertwined. The Clavet Memorial Healing Forest is not simply a planting project. It is an idea about how landscapes can hold memory, and how restoration can begin not only in soil, but in people.
In April 2018, the Humboldt Broncos bus crash changed lives across Canada and beyond. The loss of sixteen lives and the injuries sustained by many others created a ripple of sorrow that has never fully receded. And yet, from that sorrow emerged something else—an enduring sense of unity, compassion, and the desire to remember in a way that gives forward. The proposed forest near Clavet takes that impulse and roots it in the land itself.
This is not incidental land. It lies within the temperate grasslands—an ecosystem so diminished it is often described as the most endangered on Earth. Unlike forests that once stood and were cleared, these grasslands evolved with their own delicate balance of grasses, forbs, insects, birds, and soil systems that run deep and ancient. To plant trees here is not to overwrite that story, but to work carefully within it—restoring diversity, stabilizing soils, creating shelterbelts, and reintroducing ecological complexity where fragmentation has taken hold.
The vision is precise and layered. A 5.431-hectare site, authorized within the Rural Municipality of Blucher and supported by the City of Humboldt, will be transformed into a living memorial. Trees will be planted not in rigid rows, but in patterns that echo natural systems—woven, varied, adaptive. Native grasses and flowering plants will return alongside them. Trails will invite quiet movement. Water systems will be considered. Wildlife will be welcomed, not excluded. The forest will not stand apart from the prairie—it will speak with it.
And yet, the forest’s meaning extends far beyond its boundaries.
To understand this project fully requires a wide-scope lens. It is, first, a place of remembrance—a landscape where grief is given form, where names are honoured not in stone alone, but in growth, in seasons, in continuity. Visitors will not only remember what was lost; they will witness what continues.
It is also a response to a global ecological moment. Scientists speak with increasing urgency about biodiversity loss—the so-called sixth mass extinction, unfolding quietly across species of birds, insects, and animals. In this context, even a modest restoration site becomes part of a much larger effort: to repair habitats, to reconnect fragmented ecosystems, to act while there is still time to act meaningfully.
The Clavet Memorial Healing Forest also positions itself as a place of learning. Not in the formal sense of classrooms and lectures, but as a living system where knowledge is encountered directly. Interpretive signage, citizen science initiatives, and public programming will connect everyday choices—what we consume, how we live—to their impacts on soil, water, and life. It is an invitation to see the continuum between personal behaviour and planetary health.
There is a social dimension as well. Forests gather people. They slow time. They create space for conversation, reflection, and shared experience. In this way, the project becomes a community commons—one that bridges generations, cultures, and perspectives. Youth will plant alongside elders. Volunteers will return season after season. The act of tending becomes part of the meaning.
And then there is the global context. Through its alignment with international environmental frameworks and partnerships, the project connects a local story to a global dialogue. It reflects the understanding that sustainability is not abstract—it is lived, place-based, and relational. What happens near Clavet matters beyond Clavet.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Clavet Memorial Healing Forest is its refusal to be only one thing. It does not separate memory from ecology, nor grief from action. Instead, it asks whether landscapes can do both: hold what has been lost and nurture what is still possible.
On the prairie, where horizons stretch without interruption, this question feels especially resonant. A forest here is never just a forest. It is a commitment. A gesture. A beginning.
Rooted in memory, yes—but just as importantly, growing toward something still unfolding.
The Clavet Memorial Healing Forest project recognizes it as far more than a local tree-planting initiative—it is a multi-dimensional effort that develops experiences and integrates ecology, community healing, education, and global environmental action.
At its core, the project is aliving memorial honouring those lost in the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, transforming grief into a place of reflection, resilience, and hope. Socially, it provides a shared space for families, survivors, and communities to gather, heal, and remember, reinforcing collective identity and long-term well-being.
Ecologically, the forest is situated within the temperate grasslands, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Restoration efforts—such as native tree and grass planting, soil remediation, and habitat creation—contribute to biodiversity recovery, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation. In this way, the project responds directly to the broader global crisis of biodiversity loss and the ongoing sixth mass extinction.
From an educational perspective, the site functions as a living classroom, making sense of our learning, deeper understanding, linking human actions to environmental outcomes. Creating new ideas, meaningful and reasonable ideas, using various data. Programs such as citizen science, interpretive signage, and national outreach initiatives help build environmental literacy and encourage sustainable behaviours, including awareness of how everyday consumer choices impact ecosystems.
At the community and policy level, the project aligns with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation in line with Sustainable Forest Management 2027–2036, International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development 2024–2033, and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030 connecting local action to global frameworks for sustainability, resilience, and equity. It also fosters collaboration across sectors—bringing together municipalities, non-profits, scientists, educators, and international partners.
Operationally, the project spans multiple years, incorporating planning, restoration, infrastructure development, and long-term stewardship, ensuring measurable environmental and social outcomes.
In essence, a wide-scope understanding sees the Clavet Memorial Healing Forest as:
a memorial landscape
a biodiversity restoration project
a climate action initiative
a community healing space
an educational platform
and a model for global-local environmental collaboration
It is where understanding, remembrance, connections, ecology, critically thinking and future-focused sustainability intersect.
At the heart of the Memorial Healing Forest is a unifying idea—one that functions like an umbrella, drawing together remembrance, ecological restoration, community healing, education, and climate action into a single, coherent vision. Each element of the project, from the placement of trees and the return of native grasses to the creation of trails and spaces for reflection, becomes a constituent part of something larger. Seen this way, the forest is not a collection of features, but a connected landscape of meaning, where every detail contributes to a shared purpose.
Through this conceptual framework, the factual dimensions of the project—its location near Clavet, its role in restoring biodiversity within endangered temperate grasslands, its educational programming, and its long-term stewardship—take on deeper significance. They are no longer isolated facts, but interrelated expressions of how memory, ecology, and human responsibility intersect. The Memorial Healing Forest becomes, in this sense, a living system of understanding, where knowledge is experienced as much as it is learned, and where the connections between people, place, and planet are made visible
Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet
In a world increasingly defined by ecological uncertainty, the forests, meadows, and urban greenspaces around us are more than backdrops—they are living, breathing systems of resilience. YOUTUBE Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines – Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet, a four-part environmental sustainability education series organized by Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., in collaboration with joint co-organizers the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Animal People Inc., Juventud Unida en Acción (JUENA), and other global partners, has illuminated this truth with remarkable clarity. Through dialogue, reflection, and community engagement, the series offered a rare opportunity to witness the intersection of conservation, ethical human-animal relationships, and sustainable urban development.
Introduction: Setting the Stage
The inaugural session welcomed three visionary leaders whose work exemplifies the deep interconnection between humans, ecosystems, and animals. Julia Adamson, co-founder of Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., shared her decades-long dedication to conserving urban and peri-urban forests, promoting biodiversity, and fostering community stewardship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Wolf Gordon Clifton, of Animal People Inc., explored the ethical, ecological, and scholarly dimensions of human-animal interactions, bridging conservation science with compassionate advocacy. Dalia F. Márquez A., CEO and founder of Juventud Unida en Acción, highlighted the power of youth leadership, sustainable community engagement, and equitable environmental action on a global scale. Their contributions framed the series in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Community Engagement in Conservation
Moderated by Frezer Yeheyis Tsegaye, Co-Facilitator of the Women Major Group at UNEP, Public Advocacy and Volunteerism Director at Friends of Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., and Women 7 Advisor for the G7 Summit, this session explored the transformative power of citizen science, local stewardship, and grassroots engagement. Speakers included:
Paul Hanley, award-winning author and co-founder of FSAAI, whose writings and advocacy span over 1,500 articles and seven books on sustainability, agriculture, and urban forestry.
Dalia F. Márquez A., co-chair of Women’s Major Group at UNEP, and founder of Juventud Unida en Acción, championing youth-led environmental awareness.
Julia Adamson, co-founder of FSAAI, highlighting urban forest conservation and citizen engagement.
Wolf Gordon Clifton, executive director of Animal People Inc., emphasizing ethical conservation and human-animal coexistence.
Madison Cooke, Prairies Regional Action Coordinator for Climate Reality, promoting local climate action and community-based ecological awareness.
This session underscored the importance of inclusive, participatory approaches to environmental stewardship, where communities are empowered to become agents of change and ecosystems benefit from collective care.
Sustainable Human-Animal Interactions
Moderated by Wolf Gordon Clifton, this session brought together an extraordinary international panel to explore the ethics, policy, and practice of sustainable coexistence with animals—wild and domestic. Speakers included:
Adeline Lerambert, International Policy Manager at the Born Free Foundation, advocating for freedom, compassion, and ethical policy for animals worldwide.
Femke den Haas, Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Ellis Park Wildlife Sanctuary, sharing field experiences of rescue, rehabilitation, and coexistence.
Isaac Maina, Program Manager for Human-Animal Coexistence at the Africa Network for Animal Welfare, emphasizing community-driven solutions that sustain ecosystems.
Julia Adamson, FSAAI, connecting urban nature stewardship with broader ecological resilience.
Dr. Kimmy Cushman, Plant Based Treaty, framing sustainable food systems as ethical and ecological choices for planetary health.
Pei F. Su, CEO and Founder of ACT Asia, advocating education and cultural transformation to instill kindness toward animals in future generations.
Tozie Zokufa, Executive Director of the Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organizations, advancing compassion-driven policy across the continent.
Wolf Gordon Clifton, guiding the discussion on the interdependence of science, ethics, and public advocacy.
Varda Mehrotra, Co-Founder of Samayu and A Just World, connecting animal welfare with equity, ethics, and global sustainability.
The session illuminated a profound principle: sustainability is relational. How we live with animals mirrors how we live with each other, and with the Earth itself. Every choice, from the forests we restore to the food we consume, ripples through the web of life.
The Role of Biodiversity in Ecological Resilience
Moderated by Dalia F. Márquez A., this environmental sustainability session highlighted the scientific, policy, and practical strategies that underpin ecosystem resilience. Speakers included:
Carmen Capriles, agronomist and sustainable development specialist with decades of experience in international environmental policy, climate governance, and civil society advocacy.
Mirna Inés Fernández, environmental engineer from Bolivia, researcher at Third World Network, and founding member of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, bringing expertise in biodiversity policy and education.
Daniel Sawadogo, political scientist from Burkina Faso, offering insights on governance and social dimensions of biodiversity conservation.
Rosalyn Kilcollins, former instructor with the Florida Master Naturalist Program, long-time environmental specialist in coastal management, and citizen science advocate.
Frezer Yeheyis Tsegaye, providing leadership and facilitation connecting global expertise to local action.
Wolf Gordon Clifton, guiding ethical reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue.
The discussions emphasized that biodiversity is the backbone of ecological resilience—urban afforestation, habitat protection, and species conservation are essential threads in a planet-wide tapestry of life. Participants explored how local and global strategies intertwine, from urban green corridors to cross-continental biodiversity networks.
Gratitude and Acknowledgment
This series could not have succeeded without the vision, scholarship, and dedication of all the moderators: Wolf Gordon Clifton, Dalia F. Márquez A., and Frezer Yeheyis Tsegaye. Their collective expertise, compassion, and commitment have created a platform for actionable learning, citizen empowerment, and global collaboration.
Through their efforts, the webinars advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Each session demonstrates that the path to a resilient planet is paved not only with science and policy but with empathy, dialogue, and hands-on stewardship.
UNEA-7
In the sun-drenched halls of Nairobi, Kenya, during UNEA-7, Prince Sobere George and Dalia F. Márquez A. stood at the heart of a global convocation on our shared environment—a place where ideas, cultures, and solutions converged like rivers into a single ocean of purpose. They listened, learned, and shared, bringing home not only the stories of communities and conservationists across the world but the spark of connection that fuels change. From these encounters emerged tangible spin-offs: innovations in capacity-building, cross-continental partnerships, and educational initiatives ready to take root. One such innovation is the Capacity Building Training Program concept, envisioned as a collaborative effort with Canadian academic institutions, where curriculum development, facilitation, and participant engagement converge to empower a new generation of environmental leaders. Prince George, as program lead, in partnership with Legacy-Culture Solutions Limited (Nigeria), seeks to oversee coordination and leadership while ensuring rigorous financial, curriculum and legal compliance.
A Call to Action
As we leave the digital halls of these webinars and step into forests, meadows, and communities, we carry a renewed responsibility. Every act of stewardship—every tree planted, every species protected, every young person inspired—ripples through ecosystems, communities, and future generations. The future of our planet will belong to those who listen: to the rustle of leaves, the whisper of wings, and the subtle wisdom of all living beings. YOUTUBE Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines – Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet reminds us that the stewardship of Earth is not optional—it is essential, urgent, and profoundly interconnected.
From Insight to Action: Expanding Environmental Sustainability Through Interactive Quizzes and Global Engagement
Building on the rich insights of Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines – Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet, environmental sustainability can continue to evolve through dynamic, interactive approaches that extend learning beyond the webinar screens. One particularly effective method has been the development of online quizzes for reflection, thoughtfully designed to engage learners across different education levels and difficulty tiers. Shared widely on social media, these quizzes highlight the expertise of the series’ distinguished speakers while prompting participants to critically reflect on ethical human-animal interactions, local stewardship practices, and broader sustainability challenges.
Unexpectedly, participants reported that combining interactive tools with global perspectives significantly enhanced understanding and personal connection to environmental issues. Knowledge dissemination now flows through multiple channels: ongoing digital campaigns and quizzes, recorded webinars shared widely as YouTube videos, citizen science activities and hands-on field engagement in local environmental projects, and pre-UNEA-8 workshops and hybrid events. These efforts have already generated tangible spin-offs, including the creation of educational materials such as policy briefings, youth-led engagement programs, and interactive quizzes that collectively extend the impact of the original video series. Through these layered, reflective, and participatory approaches, sustainability learning becomes not only accessible but actionable, fostering a new generation of environmental advocates ready to implement change locally and globally.
Moving Forward
The project has generated an exciting array of spin-offs, demonstrating how local initiatives can ripple outward into global impact. Inspired by the connections and insights gained through UNEA-7, Frezer has spearheaded plans to support international environmental and sustainability initiatives throughout 2026. Central to this vision is the Rooted Coalition, a series of webinar, hybrid, and in-person events under the working title Resilience, Outreach, and One-Health: Trees, Ecology & Diversity (Rooted). This initiative aligns with the 2026 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) under The United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC, embracing the theme of transformative and equitable action for the 2030 Agenda, and seeks to strengthen multi-sector collaboration, innovation, and advocacy in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Key milestones include a global convening in New York on July 13, 2026, where Rooted partners will engage with international stakeholders to advance integrated solutions, and a pre-consultation summit toward UNEA-8 on September 24–25, 2026, to be hosted in either Toronto or Saskatoon. These gatherings will unite leaders in environment, health, and sustainability, promoting cross-sector dialogue and concrete strategies to accelerate ecological resilience, community engagement, and the protection of life on Earth.
To the hurried commuter or the developer eyeing the horizon, a wetland is often dismissed as a “soggy patch”—a bit of wasteland awaiting the “improvement” of a drainage pipe or a layer of asphalt. But if we listen to the wisdom of the great conservationist Richard St. Barbe Baker, we begin to understand that the health of the land is a mirror of our own spirit. To drain a wetland is to puncture the lungs of the earth.
In the heart of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, specifically within the ancient glacial spillway known as the West Swale, a quiet drama of survival is unfolding. Recent research by Sarah Diab, supported by the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, has brought a startling clarity to this landscape: we are not just looking at mud and reeds; we are looking at a masterclass in biological complexity.
The Aviary of the Anthropocene
The West Swale is home to over 60 species at risk, but it is the birds that offer the most poignant testimony to the land’s importance. When we see the Horned Grebe—a vulnerable jewel of the prairie potholes—anchoring its floating nest to a stalk of emergent vegetation, we are seeing a lineage that has survived since the Pleistocene.
However, as Sarah’s research indicates, these birds are now caught in the crosshairs of the Anthropocene. The Horned Grebe and the Western Grebe are not merely “present”; they are dependent. They require shallow, sheltered waters that are free from the chemical runoff of urban sprawl and the intrusion of unrestrained domestic pets. To protect them, we must realize that a wetland is not a static pond, but a living, breathing “operating system” that requires every component—from the microscopic nitrifying bacteria to the tallest cattail—to function.
The Paradox of Restoration
In our rush to “fix” nature, we often inadvertently break it. This is the central lesson of the new management rubrics developed for the area. We might think that planting a dense wall of trees is an inherent good, but for the Baird’s Sparrow or the Sprague’s Pipit, a tree is a predator’s perch. These birds require the vast, sky-filled openness of the native Fescue prairie. If we allow woody encroachment or invasive Smooth Brome to choke the uplands, we lose the very biodiversity we claim to cherish.
Similarly, the Bank Swallow reminds us of the value of the “imperfect.” They require the raw, erodible vertical banks of the Swale to burrow their homes. In our desire to stabilize every slope with riprap or heavy vegetation, we risk evicting a species that has already seen its global populations plummet.
A New Covenant with the Land
The solution lies in what Sarah Diab calls Riparian Restoration—the careful, science-based healing of the “green ribbon” where the water meets the soil. This is not about massive engineering; it is about stewardship. It is about planting low-growing native sedges that filter toxins without blocking the Grebe’s path. It is about protecting the “fishless” status of temporary ponds so the Western Tiger Salamander can multiply in peace.
This work aligns with a higher purpose: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By protecting the West Swale, we are not just checking a box for SDG 15 (Life on Land); we are ensuring Clean Water (SDG 6) for our children and building a Sustainable City (SDG 11) that respects its ecological boundaries.
The Ancestors of the Future
We stand at a crossroads. We can continue to view the West Swale as an obstacle to expansion, or we can recognize it as a sacred trust. As St. Barbe Baker often suggested, we are the ancestors of the future. The choices we make today—to keep a dog on a leash, to pull a patch of invasive brome, or to support a student’s research—will determine whether the song of the Bobolink remains a part of the Saskatoon spring or becomes a ghost in the archives.
To understand the land is to gain the power to save it. It is time we opened our eyes to the powerhouse in the “soggy patch.”
Species / Group
Habitat Requirements
Vulnerability
Restoration Risk
Mitigation Strategy
Bank & Barn Swallow
Breeding: Vertical soil banks (Bank); structures (Barn). Foraging: Open air over water.
Bank erosion/stabilization; loss of insect biomass.
Reshaping steep banks; planting tall shrubs that block flight paths.
Do not stabilize vertical banks used for nesting. Maintain open flight corridors near water.
Celebrating Species at Risk in Saskatoon’s Afforestation Areas
February 7, 2026
On February 7, 2026, communities around the world will unite to celebrate Reverse the Red Day—a global call to action that highlights conservation success and proves that species decline can be slowed, halted, and even reversed. In Saskatoon, two remarkable urban natural areas stand as living examples of this hopeful message: the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the George Genereux Urban Regional Park.
Together, these landscapes form part of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, providing essential habitat for a wide range of Species of Concern and Species at Risk, while demonstrating the powerful role urban forests play in biodiversity conservation.
Urban Forests with a Conservation Legacy
The 326-acre (132-hectare) Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and the 148-acre (60-hectare) George Genereux Urban Regional Park are more than green spaces. They are ecological refuges—carefully stewarded landscapes that support native plants, insects, birds, and animals in an increasingly urbanized region.
These afforestation areas were created with foresight and purpose, and today they contribute directly to the goals of Reverse the Red by:
Providing habitat for vulnerable and declining species Supporting migration corridors and breeding grounds Maintaining native plant diversity Offering opportunities for research, education, and community engagement Species at the Heart of Reverse the Red
Reverse the Red Day emphasizes evidence-based optimism, and the species found within Saskatoon’s afforestation areas reflect both conservation challenges and opportunities.
Animals
Among the mammals and amphibians relying on these habitats are the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus), a species facing widespread threats across North America, and the Western (Barred) Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium), which is Endangered in Canada under the Species at Risk Act. Wetlands and forest edges within these parks are critical to their survival.
Birds (Aves)
The afforestation areas support an impressive diversity of birds, including grassland, woodland, and wetland species—many of which are listed as Species of Concern or at risk.
Notable species include:
Baird’s Sparrow (Centronyx bairdii) – Special Concern in Canada Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) – Vulnerable Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) – A conservation success story still requiring protection Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) – Declining across its range Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) – Strongly tied to intact grassland habitat
Wetland and shorebird species such as American White Pelican, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Red-necked Phalarope depend on the mosaic of water, forest, and open space these areas provide. Raptors including Osprey, Northern Loggerhead Shrike, and Turkey Vulture further demonstrate the ecological value of these urban forests.
Invertebrates
Often overlooked, invertebrates are essential to ecosystem health—and many species within the afforestation areas are considered Species of Concern.
Their presence reflects the importance of native vegetation, undisturbed soils, and habitat continuity.
Plants: The Foundation of Recovery
Plants form the backbone of all conservation efforts, and the afforestation areas host numerous native plant species with conservation rankings that signal long-term concern.
These include:
American Elm (Ulmus americana) – Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) – Facing widespread decline Northern Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin) – Vulnerable in Saskatchewan Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii), Engelmann’s spike-rush, and Red-berried Elder – All with elevated conservation concern
Protecting and restoring native plant communities ensures habitat stability for every species above them.
Reverse the Red in Action
Reverse the Red Day invites organisations and communities to move beyond awareness toward measurable impact. For Saskatoon’s afforestation areas, this includes:
Habitat protection and restoration Monitoring and documenting species presence Supporting afforestation and native planting initiatives Educating the public about species at risk Celebrating conservation success stories
By sharing these efforts, making Species Pledges, and hosting educational events, local partners help connect urban residents to global biodiversity goals.
A Future Rooted in Hope
The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park show that urban spaces can be places of recovery, not just recreation. On Reverse the Red Day, they remind us that conservation success is possible when communities commit to stewardship, collaboration, and long-term vision.
Every restored habitat, every protected species, and every informed citizen brings us closer to reversing the red—and ensuring that future generations inherit landscapes alive with birdsong, pollinators, and resilient native forests.
Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker 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 or
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
The site chosen for the memorial forest is, at present, a wasteland—an abandoned parcel of land on the outskirts of Clavet. It is the kind of landscape that typically becomes a dumping ground or development afterthought: bare soil, compacted earth, no shade, no structure, nothing that might inspire care.
In other words, it is the perfect place to begin again.
Help bring this vision to life—one tree, one family, one community at a time.
The inspiration comes partly from Ontario’s Highway of Heroes Living Tribute, where millions of trees are being planted to honour fallen Canadian service members. But the prairie variant adapts this model to a harsher climate and a different emotional terrain. Here, the goal is not only to honour those who died, but to reclaim land from neglect and transform it into a space for reflection, healing, and ecological renewal.
Their vision for the Clavet Memorial Forest is multilayered:
A sanctuary for families and communities to gather, remember, and grieve. A sanctuary for remembrance, where families and communities can gather beneath a canopy of living tribute.
A greenspace for residents and travellers, especially ecotourists following the Yellowhead Highway, looking for quiet refuge.
A teaching forest, where Indigenous knowledge keepers, scientists, and students can learn from each other.
A research and education hub, where schools, Indigenous knowledge keepers, and citizen scientists can learn and collaborate.
A restored ecosystem, replacing ecological barrens with climate-resilient trees, native grasses, and wildlife habitat.
Indigenous and Métis elders come forward to enrich community collaborating on cultural and ecological storytelling for interpretive signage, tours, pamphlets.
Schools and youth groups use the forests for climate education and citizen science.
Local businesses contribute materials, equipment, and sponsorship.
Volunteers monitor species, maintain trails, and advocate for long-term protection.
A climate-mitigating carbon sink, built on principles championed by Richard St. Barbe Baker—the Saskatchewan-born environmentalist who founded the Men of the Trees and influenced global afforestation efforts.
It is a living answer to loss—a reminder that memory can take root and spread.
Add your voice, your time, or your hands to a forest that belongs to all.
Why a Forest? Because the Prairies Have Been Stripped Bare
Afforestation in Saskatchewan is neither simple nor guaranteed. These are some of the most extreme growing conditions in Canada: scorching summers, brittle winters, drought cycles that can render the soil as hard as fired clay.
Yet it is here—precisely here—that forests matter most.
Saskatchewan’s remaining native prairie represents one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth. Every patch of restored habitat acts as a lifeline for biodiversity: songbirds, owls, deer, foxes, pollinators, and prairie plant species that are disappearing everywhere else.
Join a community restoring hope, habitat, and heritage.
The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas know this better than anyone. Over the past decade they have advocated for two forgotten urban forests—Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park—into thriving ecological sanctuaries. They removed nearly 200,000 pounds of waste, fought for trail safety, restored wetlands and grasslands, and brought thousands of citizens into climate action.
These are not just trees. They are acts of resistance.
Be part of a prairie forest that heals the land and the people on it.
A Coalition of Care
What makes this new memorial forest remarkable is not only its ecological ambition but the breadth of those who have stepped forward to support it.
This is what community looks like—not the sentimental version promoted in political speeches, but the hard, grounded work of people choosing to care for land and each other.
Stand with us as we restore land, honour stories, and build connection.
A Future We Choose to Grow
The memorial forest near Clavet will not undo past grief. No forest could. But it will do something that is increasingly rare in the modern world: It will give grief a place to live.
A place where families can walk and remember. A place where children can learn what happened and why it matters. A place where trees grow not just upward, but outward—casting roots into a community that refuses to forget.
A correction to ecological degradation. A correction to the erasure of trauma. A correction to a cultural habit that treats tragedy as a moment, rather than a continuum.
We deeply appreciate and acknowledge all letters of support which have arrived from the RM of Blucher, the Village of Clavet, the City of Humboldt, and regional organizations. Contractors are at the ready. Businesses have expressed interest. The project hopes to secure funding by spring, plant by autumn, and grow the project for decades. When communities mobilize—when they plant, restore, educate, and refuse to forget—they do more than grow forests. They grow resilience. Perhaps the most striking element of this story is how much of it is powered by community. What emerges is not merely a forest, but an ecosystem of relationships. The project, envisioned by Project Manager René Kreutzwieser and championed by the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, has gathered support from the Village of Clavet, the RM of Blucher, the City of Humboldt, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, and a growing chorus of environmental and community groups.
Its purpose is clear: To create a living memorial that refuses to let Saskatchewan forget.
In a province where the land bears so many scars, this forest will become something radical: a reminder that healing, like restoration, is a long, patient, communal act.
We cannot change the events that brought us here. But we can choose what grows in their shadow.
And in Saskatchewan, on ten acres of reclaimed earth beside a small prairie village, something living and lasting is about to take root.
Here, sorrow did not disappear. It took root. Here, memory is not a stone. It is a sapling. Here, we plant not just trees, but a new way of living with the land and with each other.
And perhaps, years from now, long after the first slender shoots push through the prairie wind, visitors will walk among the trees and understand that this is what resistance looks like—not grand, not loud, but persistent, rooted, and growing still.
Join us in growing a place where memory, healing, and hope take root.
The Memorial Forest honouring the Humboldt Broncos stands as a living place of remembrance—not only for the team members and staff who lost their lives in the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus accident, but also in honour of earlier tragedies that touched the hockey community and the province. The 1986 Humboldt Broncos bus accident, which claimed the lives of players including Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, and Brent Ruff, remains a solemn chapter in Saskatchewan’s history. The 1980 Swift Current Broncos accident, which took the life of player Bryan Pergel, is remembered as well.
By naming these events openly and respectfully, the forest acknowledges that grief and resilience echo across generations. The trees become symbols of continuity—rooted in loss, but growing toward hope. The Yellowhead Memorial Forest will not erase grief. But it may transform it—into shelter, into shade, into songbird habitat, into carbon stored safely in the ground. The Memorial Forest proposes that the environment is a relationship. Relationships, unlike infrastructure, cannot simply be built. They must be cultivated. And they grow only when people insist on them.
Become a steward of remembrance, reconciliation, and renewal.
The memorial forest also recognizes that healing in Saskatchewan stretches far beyond hockey tragedies. For many Indigenous families, the impacts of the residential school system continue across lifetimes. As a greenspace dedicated to reflection, reconciliation, and connection to the land, the forest provides an inclusive setting where all forms of community healing are honoured.
Through its memorial plantings, storytelling, and shared stewardship, the forest becomes a place where the memory of the Broncos, the legacies of earlier losses, and the path of healing from residential schools can coexist—rooted in sorrow, strengthened by community, and guided by a shared commitment to move forward together.
The memorial forest will say: Here, sorrow did not disappear. It took root. Here, memory is not a stone. It is a sapling. Here, we plant not just trees, but a new way of living with the land and with each other.
And perhaps, years from now, long after the first spades of earth are turned and the first slender shoots push through the prairie wind, visitors will walk among the trees and understand that this is what resistance looks like—not grand, not loud, but persistent, rooted, and growing still.
Together, we can turn loss into legacy—and legacy into living forest.
The Clavet Memorial Forest is more than a project—it is an invitation. An invitation to honour the past, restore the land, and grow a future rooted in hope, remembrance, and reconciliation. We welcome everyone who feels called by this vision: families seeking a place of healing, educators and students eager to learn, Indigenous knowledge keepers wishing to share teachings, businesses ready to support local environmental action, and volunteers who believe in the quiet power of planting change one tree at a time.
Together, we can transform a neglected landscape into a living sanctuary—one that shelters wildlife, restores the prairie, strengthens community, and stands as a testament to resilience across generations.
Join us. Stand with us. Help this forest take root.
Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines Presents:The Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Resilience
As the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) calls the world to action under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” communities everywhere are stepping forward to meet the moment. Among them is a remarkable initiative from the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., whose four-part webinar series—Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines – Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet—is uniting global experts, grassroots leaders, and everyday citizens eager to build a more sustainable future.
On Thursday, November 20 at 6:00 PM EST, the series hosts its next installment:The Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Resilience, a free virtual event exploring one of the most foundational questions in environmental science today: How does biodiversity make ecosystems stronger, more stable, and better able to recover from disturbance?
At a time when the world grapples with climate change, biodiversity loss, and escalating pressures on land and water, this webinar offers clarity, direction, and a renewed sense of collective purpose.
Why Biodiversity Matters Now More Than Ever
The objective of the evening is clear and urgent: To examine how diverse species and habitats contribute to ecosystem stability and recovery—and to understand why protecting biodiversity is essential for adapting to environmental change.
Healthy ecosystems depend on a tapestry of interconnected life. Forests recover from fire faster when they host a rich mix of plant species. Oceans adapt to warming when fish, coral, and microorganisms maintain functional diversity. Grasslands withstand drought when pollinators, predators, and soil organisms each play their part.
Biodiversity is resilience in action. And safeguarding it is one of humanity’s most powerful tools for securing a livable planet.
This webinar aims to illuminate these interconnections while highlighting how conservation solutions must be as diverse as the ecosystems they aim to protect.
Master of Ceremonies: Wolf Gordon Clifton
Opening the event is Wolf Gordon Clifton, whose work bridges ethical human–animal relationships, animal welfare, and conservation. With a thoughtful and engaging presence, Clifton frames the evening with a reminder that biodiversity includes more than species counts—it includes the moral landscapes that shape how humans coexist with the natural world.
The Vision Behind the Series: Webinar Lead Frezer Yeheyis
Guiding the overarching vision of the webinar series is Frezer Yeheyis, Co-facilitator of the Women Major Group with UNEP, Public Advocacy and Volunteerism Director for Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., and Women 7 Advisor for the G7 Countries Summit.
Yeheyis—whose leadership blends public advocacy, global environmental policy, and community empowerment—has positioned the series as a vital connection between international dialogue and local action. Her direction ensures that each session elevates grassroots voices while aligning with the goals of UNEA-7.
Moderated by Dalia F. Márquez A.
The evening’s conversation will be moderated by Dalia F. Márquez A., CEO and Founder of Juventud Unida en Acción, a youth-led organization advancing environmental awareness, equitable community engagement, and sustainable action across borders.
Márquez brings deep experience in youth mobilization, environmental justice, and global collaboration—ensuring that diverse viewpoints are woven into a cohesive, compelling dialogue.
Meet the Distinguished Panelists
The webinar brings together seven experts whose collective knowledge spans science, policy, governance, finance, restoration, and community engagement—reflecting the multidimensional nature of biodiversity itself.
Carmen Capriles
Agronomist & Sustainable Development Specialist With decades of experience in global climate policy and civil society advocacy, Capriles brings a grounded understanding of how biodiversity connects to food systems, sustainable land use, and climate justice.
Mirna Inés Fernández
Environmental Engineer, Third World Network Researcher & Co-founder, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Fernández offers expertise at the nexus of biodiversity policy, global governance, and youth participation. Her work emphasizes education, equity, and the transformational power of informed communities.
Daniel Sawadogo
Political Scientist, Burkina Faso With advanced studies in law and political sociology, Sawadogo examines biodiversity through the lens of governance, institutional resilience, and societal structures. His perspective underscores that ecosystems cannot thrive without stable, inclusive human systems.
Rebecca Self
Co-founder & Managing Director, Seawolf Sustainability Consulting Self brings a finance and sustainability lens to the conversation, highlighting how economic systems, corporate responsibility, and innovative investment strategies influence biodiversity outcomes.
Julia Adamson
Environmental Advocate & Nonprofit Leader, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. Adamson’s work is rooted in urban forests, community stewardship, and the restoration of Saskatoon’s afforestation areas. She offers insights into how local conservation initiatives—powered by volunteers, education, and citizen science—strengthen ecological resilience.
Rosalyn Kilcollins
Former Instructor, Florida Master Naturalist Program & Coastal Environmental Specialist With extensive experience in habitat restoration, coastal management, and citizen science, Kilcollins showcases how public education and hands-on ecological restoration enhance the resilience of both natural and human communities.
A Webinar that Connects Local Voices to Global Action
What sets this event apart is its commitment to bridging scales—linking global policy frameworks with the lived experiences of communities from the Canadian prairies to Latin America, Africa, and coastal regions of the United States.
The series itself was born from the recognition that the solutions needed to build a resilient planet must come from everywhere: scientists and students, policymakers and volunteers, activists and educators, Indigenous knowledge holders and youth leaders.
Together, these voices reflect the spirit of UNEA-7: that resilience requires diversity—not only in nature, but in the people working to protect it.
Whether you are a conservation professional, an educator, a student, or someone simply passionate about the natural world, this webinar invites you to explore biodiversity as the living foundation of planetary resilience.
From species interactions to policy frameworks, from grassroots restoration to financial innovation, this session promises a vibrant, holistic exploration of what it means to protect the web of life—and why doing so is essential for our shared future.
Join us today, Thursday, October 23 for an inspiring session in our Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines webinar series — Community Engagement in Conservation. Together, we’ll explore how grassroots initiatives and community stewardship can transform conservation and animal protection from ideas into powerful, local action.
Our moderator, Frezer Yeheyis Tsegaye, Co-facilitator of the Women Major Group for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)and Public Advocacy Director for the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc., will guide this global conversation. Wolf Clifton of Animal People bringing introductions.
We’re honoured to feature Paul Hanley, award-winning author of Man of the Trees A Biography of Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist A and recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Food System Vision 2050 Prize; Julia Adamson, co-founder of Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas and champion for urban biodiversity and green infrastructure; Madison Cook Prairies Regional Action Coordinator for Climate Reality Canada, leading community engagement and policy advocacy across the Prairie provinces to advance climate action, adaptation, and sustainability; and Dalia F. Márquez A., human rights advocate and founder of Juventud Unida en Acción.
This event celebrates collaboration — empowering citizens, inspiring stewardship, and amplifying hope for a more resilient planet. 🌎
Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines(the global webinar series) O gentle earth, your whispers rise, Across the seas, beneath the skies. From forest depths and city streets, A chorus of small, steadfast beats. We come to listen, we come to care, To sow the future in open air. Voices unite where green hearts stand, A resilient world grows from our hands.
Sustainable Human-Animal Interactions The fox and sparrow, deer and dove, All share this earth we cherish and love. Our hands can harm, our hearts can heal, If we learn to see, to pause, to feel. In gentle ways, our worlds entwine, Through careful thought, their fates are mine. Let kindness shape the lands we tread, So both the living and we are fed.
The Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Resilience A thousand voices, a thousand wings, The meadow hums, the river sings. Each leaf and stone, each creeping vine, Holds secret strength, a grand design. When storms arise or seasons change, Their myriad forms will rearrange. Protect the web, the life unseen, Where vibrant growth meets every green.
Community Engagement in Conservation Together, neighbors till and sow, Where gentle waters ripple slow. Hands in soil, hearts in sun, Each deed a song, each task begun. Shared care for forest, field, and glen, Returns the gift to all of men. In common labor, love takes flight, And turns our work to lasting light.
Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet Across the world, from shore to shore, The earth calls softly, “Learn, restore.” From every city, every glen, Rise thoughtful voices, women, men. We share the burden, share the dream, To mend the rivers, tend the stream. With care, with hope, with hands allied, A thriving world stands at our side.
Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines
Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet
Join us for the webinar series entitled Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines – Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet. This four-part webinar series will bring together experts, communities and the public-at-large from Canada, United States and Globally
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” presents a timely and vital platform to explore the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable human-nature relationships. In response to this global call, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. proposes a dynamic webinar series that brings together diverse voices to highlight innovative and community-driven approaches to conservation and sustainable living.
This initiative, promotes cross-sector dialogue, amplify grassroots action, and explore practical solutions that foster environmental stewardship and animal welfare.
Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life. 