Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

This urban regional park commemorating Richard St. Barbe Baker founder of the International Tree Foundation [ITF] is coming up to the afforestation 50th anniversary in 2022  the same year that thee ITF is celebrating its centenary.  326 acres of a boreal like woodlands on the prairies inside a growing city is an amazing discovery of a semi-wilderness habitat.  Planted 50 years ago under the award winning Green Survival Program as a tree nursery, it is now an urban regional park for the city residents and tourists to enjoy and marvel at this laboratory of ecological succession.  The wetlands have a fascinating geological history wrapped up in a Pleistocene glacial spillway.  It’s a great place wrapped up with a lot of community involvement and the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas offer guided tours, organize bio-blitzes to connect with nature.   The park is home to a community made Winter Trail Network, as well as the South West Off Leash Recreation Area for pet lovers.  It is a forest created in the old glacial river valley flood plain, so it is flat, and easy walking for families and seniors to enjoy a break in nature.  In 2021, the community is celebrating the ceremony when John Diefenbaker – chancellor of the University of Sask at the time – conferred an honourary Doctorate of Laws upon Richard St. Barbe Baker for extraordinary global humanitarian service.