Global Reforestation – Forests of Memory. Forests of Learning. Forests for Life.

Conserving Health and Heritage Through Medicinal Plants

On this third day of March, when the nations of the world pause to honour wild creatures and untamed forests, we are reminded that humanity does not stand apart from Nature, but within her sacred circle. United Nations World Wildlife Day is not merely a date upon the calendar; it is a summons to conscience.

The theme for 2026 — Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods — calls us back to an ancient truth: the forest is our first pharmacy, our oldest teacher, and our enduring provider. Long before laboratories and dispensaries, it was the leaf, the bark, the root, and the resin that soothed fever, calmed the spirit, and restored vitality. The fragrance of cedar, the healing balm of spruce and balsam poplar, the quiet strength of herbs gathered with reverence — these are gifts woven into the story of humankind.

Yet what we harvest must be guarded with gratitude. The reckless axe and the careless flame silence more than birdsong; they extinguish remedies not yet discovered and wisdom not yet recorded. Each medicinal plant lost to destruction is a library burned, a heritage erased, a livelihood diminished.

The preservation of wildlife — plant and animal alike — is therefore not sentimentalism. It is sound stewardship. Forests regulate the waters, shelter the soil, call the rains, and cradle biodiversity. In their shade dwell species known and unknown, each bearing a thread in the intricate tapestry of life. To protect them is to protect ourselves.

In the lifetime of Richard St. Barbe Baker, he saw barren lands restored by trees planted with faith and fellowship. Baker learned that when communities unite — young and old, rural and urban — the desert can bloom again. Reforestation is not only an act of ecology; it is an act of hope. It affirms that humanity may yet choose guardianship over greed.

So let this World Wildlife Day be more than ceremony. Let it be covenant. Plant trees whose leaves may heal future generations. Safeguard the aromatic herbs whose oils carry culture and craft across centuries. Support livelihoods that gather from the wild without despoiling it. Teach children that the forest is not a warehouse of commodities but a cathedral of living wonders and homes to our brethern in the wild.

When we conserve medicinal and aromatic plants, we conserve health. When we honour traditional knowledge, we conserve heritage. When we sustain ecosystems wisely, we conserve livelihoods. And in doing so, we rediscover a deeper truth — that the well-being of people and planet is indivisible.

May we walk gently upon the Earth, tending her green mantle with reverence, so that the wild may flourish and humanity may endure in harmony beneath the sheltering trees.

Baker was recognized as the first inaugural Honorary Life Member of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for his global efforts in reforestation. An amazing testimonial to wildlife worldwide.

Colorado Blue Spruce Cone. Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, SK, CA

Native species, Trembling Aspen or Populus tremuloides, quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, Quakies, mountain or golden aspen, trembling poplar, white poplar,, Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Saskatoon, SK, CA

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

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

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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

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

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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..”

Green Hearts Unite: Celebrating Charity in Afforestation

Harmony’s Call: A Day of Charity

On International Day of Charity, 5 September, let our voices rise, United in purpose, hearts open and wise. Charity, volunteerism, philanthropy’s embrace, Creating bonds, building inclusive space.

Through acts of kindness, societies thrive, In people, planet, prosperity, peace we strive. From health care to education, housing to child’s care, Charity fills the gaps, humanity’s repair.

Advancing culture, science, sports, and more, Protecting heritage, a legacy to adore. Rights of the marginalized, underprivileged to defend, Spreading the message of humanity, to every bend.

In this tapestry of charity, six areas we weave, People, planet, prosperity, peace, partnership to believe. Mitigating barriers, fostering equity’s reach, For those deserving, naturalized green spaces teach.

Persons with disabilities, their spirit unbound, Indigenous peoples, their heritage profound. Racialized groups, LGBTQI2S+ communities stand, Immigrants, refugees, newcomers, holding hands.

English as an Additional Language, bridging the divide, Low-income households, in their corner we reside. Youth and seniors, their stories unfold, Persons living with mental illness, we embrace, uphold.

Victims of violence, strength we’ll ignite, Persons with low literacy, knowledge we’ll invite. In forests, nature’s embrace, wellness blooms, Physical and mental health benefits, nature assumes.

Let’s turn 192 hectares, 474 acres, into a haven, A welcoming greenspace, for all, we’ll engraven. Species at risk, like the Red-Berried Elder’s plight, Imperiled, in need of protection, our guiding light.

Green Skills for Youth, towards a sustainable realm, Empowering tomorrow’s leaders, at the helm. Preserving cultural and natural heritage’s grace, Richard St. Barbe Baker’s legacy we embrace.

B.T. Chappell, Bruce Gordon, and Genereux’s name, The Old Bone Trail’s tales, honor their fame. The Green Survival Program, the Green Belt’s reign, Man-made forests, Yorath Island’s glacial spillway’s gain.

Through the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas, Cultural heritage’s protection, a mission we bear. Richard St. Barbe Baker’s message, forever alive, With harmony’s call, together we thrive.

On International Day of Charity, let’s unite, For a world where love and compassion ignite. In charity’s embrace, let’s extend our hand, For a future where charity’s legacy shall forever stand.

Harmony’s Call: A Day of Charity

Sept 24 clean up at both Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and at George Genereux Urban Regional Park, Saskatoon The Clean Green Community Scene — Hairy Woodpecker female (Picoides villosus)

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.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
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!

Unveiling the Green Guardian

Seeker, whose science o’ermasters the spirit’s despair-
Teacher, whose truth mounts to heaven in worship and prayer,-
Prophet, whose deeds are a witness of faith, free and strong-
But to gain, from they life and they love, benediction, dear friend,
To hallow my labor with graces thy presence can lend.

–Charles August Keeler

Unveiling the Green Guardian: Richard St. Barbe Baker’s Humanitarian Odyssey

In the realm of global environmentalism and humanitarianism, one name stands tall—a guardian of the Earth, Richard St. Barbe Baker. On this World Humanitarian Day, we delve into the extraordinary life and impactful legacy of a man who dedicated his life to saving lives, nurturing the planet, and sowing the seeds of hope.

Kenya: The Roots of Dedication

St. Barbe Baker’s journey began with a profound realization during his biology and botany studies at Cambridge and his familial background with his father who was involved and invested in the community as a pastor. Witnessing the devastating effects of deforestation in Africa—soil loss, habitat decline, and biodiversity loss—Baker recognized the urgent need for reforestation. In 1922, he established a tree nursery in Kenya, partnering with the Kikuyu people to initiate managed reforestation, giving birth to the “Watu wa Miti” (People of the Trees) society.

Bahá’í Faith and Advocacy

Returning to England, St. Barbe Baker’s advocacy caught the attention of Claudia Stewart Coles, leading him to embrace the Bahá’í Faith in 1924. His dedication to living religions became the foundation for the Men of the Trees, an organization that would later become the International Tree Foundation. Despite being discharged from duties in Nigeria for defending an African man against abuse, his journey continued.

Palestine and Global Influence

St. Barbe Baker’s impact extended to Palestine, where he collaborated with Shoghi Effendi, head of the Bahá’í Faith. Their alliance garnered support from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders, fostering a reforestation program. His travels took him to America, where he toured Redwood groves, authored books, and championed the Save the Redwoods campaign, earning national acclaim.

Green Front and Sahara Challenge

Post-World War II, St. Barbe Baker envisioned an international Green Front for global reforestation. His most audacious challenge was the strategic planting of trees to reclaim the Sahara Desert. A 25,000-mile expedition in 1952–3 paved the way for the African Union’s Great Green Wall project today.

Legacy and International Tree Foundation

The Men of the Trees evolved into the International Tree Foundation, boasting chapters in over 100 countries. St. Barbe Baker’s efforts, along with those of Sir Robert McCarrison and Sir Albert Howard, are considered foundational to the organic agriculture movement. His community recognition, awards, and advocacy for a plant-based diet underscore his commitment.

Honors and Farewell

In 1971, the University of Saskatchewan honored St. Barbe Baker with a Doctor of Laws degree. In 1978, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Richard St. Barbe Baker’s journey concluded on June 9, 1982, in Saskatoon, where he planted his last tree just days before bidding farewell.

On this World Humanitarian Day, we pay homage to a dedicated servant of humanity with roots in Saskatoon, a green guardian whose legacy of love for the planet and its people continues to inspire a global movement toward a sustainable and harmonious future.

Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941),Richard St. Barbe Baker OBE (9 October 1889 – 9 June 1982)

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area in the fog — Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941),Richard St. Barbe Baker OBE (9 October 1889 – 9 June 1982)

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