Our Forest Returns Saskatoon

  🐾 The Pet Trade and Biodiversity: Ecological, Ethical, and Legal Dimensions 🐾   How does the global pet trade impact wildlife and ecosystems? Join us for an eye-opening evening with guest speaker Justine Block, J.D., a leading expert specializing in environmental law, animal law, and public policy!   As the leader of the "Rescue Not Retail" campaign, Justine advocates for stronger animal protection laws and raises critical awareness about the pet trade. She also serves on the Steering Committee of the International Alliance for the Protection of Parrots and the Los Angeles County Community Action Board. Don't miss this essential conversation on the legal, ecological, and ethical forces shaping the future of biodiversity and animal welfare.   🗓️ Date: Monday, October 19 🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT (Toronto Time) 📍 Location: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-pet-trade-and-biodiversity-ecological-ethical-and-legal-dimensions-tickets-2002912791075?aff=oddtdtcr...

 https://www.friendsareas.ca/events/ROOTED.html   🌍 Big changes require collective action. We are thrilled to introduce ROOTED (Resilience, Outreach and One-health, Trees, Ecology amp; Diversity)—a network of organizations united for collective advocacy, deep collaboration, and a shared goal of leaving the world better than we found it.As we prepare for the upcoming United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA7), ROOTED is launching a powerful new webinar series in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and global strategic partners:🌱 Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines: Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet This dynamic forum brings together international speakers, community leaders, policymakers, and animal welfare experts from around the world to build cross-sector solutions for biodiversity, climate adaptation, public health, and ecosystem restoration. Voices from the Afforestation Frontlines: Advancing Sustainable Solutio...

  Paul Hanley is an acclaimed environmental writer and agricultural advocate with over 50 years of experience Since 1970, he has authored eight books and over 1,600 articles focused on sustainability, food systems, and ecological stewardship About the Speaker • Notable Publications: His work includes Earthcare: Ecological Agriculture in Saskatchewan, The Spirit of Agriculture, the award-winning ELEVEN, and Man of the Trees—a biography featuring a foreword by King Charles III and an introduction by Jane Goodall • Accolades & Leadership: Paul is a recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation's Food System Vision 2050 Prize and currently chairs the Prairie Food System Vision Network He now resides on the island of Molokai Event Details • 📅 Date: World Food Day — October 16, 2026 • 🕑 Time: 2:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time CST UTC-6 • 🌱 Session: ROOTED Symposium International Speaker Series • 🤝 Partners: A collaborative event by UNEP, Juventud Unida en Acción, Animal People Inc., Frie...

  🌎 NINE EVENTS. ONE MISSION. A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. 🌿 How do we feed a growing global population while healing the planet? How can data science protect our wildlife? And what are the ancient stories that still connect us to the land? Welcome to the Rooted Symposium—a massive, multi-part speaker series bringing together leading global minds to tackle the most urgent environmental questions of our time.From the soil beneath our feet to the planetary systems above, we are diving deep into conservation, agriculture, philosophy, and ecology. 📅 Mark Your Calendars (October 2026 – April 2027): 🌾 Caring for the Earth, Feeding the FutureWorld Food Day | Paul Hanley Friday, Oct 16, 2026 🦎 Ecological Impacts of the Pet Trade National Reptile Awareness Day | Justine Block Friday, Nov 13, 2026 🧠 What Do We Value? Philosophy, Sustainability Our FutureWorld Philosophy Day | Dr. Roger Petry Thursday, Nov 19, 2026 📊 Conservation Applications of Data Science World Wildlife Conservation ...

  🌿 Growing Young Naturalists — One Discovery at a Time! 🌳 What happens when you turn a wetland and urban forest into a classroom? Students discover fish, pond snails, aquatic insects, birds, rocks, healthy soils—and perhaps most importantly, their own curiosity about nature. 🐟 🔎 🪨 🦉 Through the Junior Naturalist Program, young people explored the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and West Swale Wetlands through hands-on science, pond dipping, biodiversity investigations, bird watching, soil testing, forest walks and tree planting. One unforgettable moment came when students discovered a Brook Stickleback in the wetland. For them, it wasn't simply a fish—it was a genuine scientific discovery made right in their own community. 🌱 Some planted trees. 💧 Some explored the wetlands. 🔬 Some became budding scientists. 🦋 Some discovered a whole new world beneath the water. 🌎 And all were given an opportunity to connect with nature. We are deeply grateful to the Sas...

  Did you know that Saskatchewan’s lakes and rivers are home to incredible native freshwater mussels? 🐚 In this video, we take a deep dive into our province's native Unionid species, explore their unique life cycle, and learn how to identify them by looking at key shell features like the umbo, anterior, and posterior margins. We also examine the growing threat posed by aquatic invasive species, specifically zebra and quagga mussels. You will discover how their rapid reproduction and free-drifting larvae differ from our native species, and why they pose such a serious risk to prairie freshwater ecosystems. Most importantly, we share simple steps for cleaning, draining, and drying your gear so you can step up as a local Water Guardian and help protect our precious waterways. 🌿 WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER: How to recognize native mussel species using basic shell anatomy. The fascinating relationship between native larvae and their fish hosts. The critical differences between native musse...