Preserving Saskatoon's Urban Forest: A Collaboration with SOS Trees
Preserving Saskatoon's Urban Forest: A Collaboration with SOS Trees
As Saskatoon gears up for the City Nature Challenge from April 26 to April 29, one group stands out for their unwavering commitment to protecting the city's green infrastructure: Save Our Saskatoon Trees Coalition (SOS Trees), formerly known as SOS Elms. SOS Trees supports the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas by networking and getting the word out about the CNC YXE as a collaborator.
The City Nature Challenge invites citizens to explore nature in their urban environment, documenting plant and animal species using the iNaturalist app. But for SOS Trees, the challenge goes beyond just appreciation—it's about safeguarding Saskatoon's trees from threats like elm bark beetles, emerald ash borers, and other pests.
SOS Trees are dedicated to preserving the urban forest. Our city's trees provide crucial ecosystem services, from carbon sequestration to pollution reduction, and it's vital that we protect them.
The coalition, comprising individuals passionate about tree preservation, educates the public on the importance of urban forests. Through trade shows, school programs, and community projects, they raise awareness about threats like Dutch Elm Disease and advocate for responsible tree management.
SOS Trees' goal is to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship, to work with elected officials, developers, and community groups to ensure that existing trees are cared for and new ones are planted.
The term "urban forest" encompasses all trees within a community, whether on streets, in parks, or on private property. SOS Trees conducts tree inventories to assess the health of Saskatoon's tree population and advocates for policy changes to support urban forest preservation.
In collaboration with the City Nature Challenge, citizen scientists appreciate the beauty of our urban forest but also to actively protect it. Look at leaves. Find out if there is evidence of the range expansion for elm bark beetles, emerald ash borer, elm zigzag sawfly, cottony ash psyllid or any other tree pests making their way in and around Saskatoon and area. Just take a picture on iNaturalist and scientists do the rest! Together, we can ensure that Saskatoon's trees continue to enrich our lives for generations to come.
As Saskatoon embraces the City Nature Challenge, SOS Trees stands ready to champion the cause of urban forest preservation, reminding us that the health of our city's trees is vital to the well-being of our community.
