ARBOR WEEK 2024 "HomeGrown Resilience"
Where would we be without forests? Did you know that 80% of people in Canada live in urban centres now? The need for staying resilient in our communities partly depends on the trees that live in our communities and capture increasing carbon emissions, reduce temperatures, protect biodiversity, nourish our bodies, and improve our health. Growing our forest canopy is one of the many ways we're facing mounting global challenges with greater courage. The trees also need our help. Invasive insects and diseases such as Dutch Elm Disease (which is already in Saskatoon) threaten our urban forest. Through proper maintenance and tree protection practices we can help these trees stay strong. Let's get involved with our urban forest.
ARBOR WEEK EXPERIENCES 2024
Homegrown Resilience through tree planting, educating and ensuring inclusive access to nature was our theme and focus for this year's Arbor Week events. Visit this page to find out more about the event-filled week in 2024:
History of Arbor Day in Saskatchewan
For many years within the province an annual spring observance occurred that involved most schools, many community groups and municipalities, and concerned individuals. The day was marked with the planting of trees, the cleaning up of yards, streets and alleys, choosing and protecting a particular area of natural habitat and generally celebrating our dependence upon nature and specifically trees.
Thanks to the efforts of the Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association (YFBTA), the Government of Saskatchewan officially proclaimed Arbor Week dates in 2020. SOS Trees Coalition lobbied to secure Saskatoon's and Saskatchewan's proclamations in subsequent years.
Arbor Day Origins
Arbor Day was recognized as early as April 10, 1872. On that day, American journalist and politician J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day as a means of promoting conservation and correcting the gradual deforestation of the prairie. In his words, what sets Arbor Day apart from other holidays is that while other special days commemorate the past, Arbor Day celebrates the future. Read more about Arbor Day's origins here.
