Get outside this May and take notice of the variety of life around you! Help One School One Farm raise awareness and funds for our important work to increase biodiversity. Sign up as an individual, a classroom, as an office staff, create a pledge page on Canada Helps for yourself or your team, raise funds, and go backpacking for an afternoon, a day, or several days!
Sign up or donate on Canada Help’s Backpacking 4 Biodiversity page.
Unsure about going for a hike on your own? Join us for a series of hikes in and around Saskatoon where we take some time to notice the variety of life around us. Hikes will be led by OSOF board members. All are welcome! See details below.
Check out these OSOF resources to help enhance your B4B experience!
- Biodiversity Bingo Card (pdf) – how many squares can you check on your hike?
- Backpacking 4 Biodiversity Lesson plan for grades 4-8. Bring B4B to your classroom! Not a teacher? No problem! The lesson plan can teach anyone how to do a biodiversity audit.
- A Letter to Student Families Template (Word doc), for teachers to send home to parents explaining B4B and encouraging involvement
- Tips students who want to run a Student-Led B4B Campaign (pdf) in their school or classroom
Tell us about the biodiversity you find (or don’t find!): on Facebook, Instagram, or via email.
The Hike Details:
- Wear appropriate footwear.
- The distance and length of these walks will vary, depending on how much we stop to observe and discuss. If you have to leave early, that’s ok, don’t let it stop you from coming!
- There is no charge for these hikes, but this is a fundraiser to help fund OSOF’s work facilitating the planting of eco-buffers and prairie strips! Please consider donating or joining a fundraising team and fundraising on Canada Helps
Sat May 16, 9 am: Meewasin Park to Chief Mistawasis Bridge
Starting point: Meewasin Park, just south of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (Google Maps)
Hike leader: Andrew Johnson
The hike: This stretch of river trail contains interesting transitions in the dominant vegetation – can you notice the change and figure out why it occurs?
Park along Whiteswan Dr just south of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Sections of this trail can be muddy so wear appropriate footwear. About 5km round-trip.
Sunday May 24, 10am: Biodiversity by the City? For Sure! Let’s Go!!
Starting point: Thorstad Acreage, 605 Gabriel Road, Grasswood, SK, Only 1 km South of Saskatoon (Google Maps). There is a deer fence around the Thorstad acreage with a red metal gate. This gate will only be open to get in from 9:40 to 10:15 am, however you can leave at any time. If you need to come late, please contact Brian Thorstad at 306 361-6645.
Hike leader: Brian Thorstad & friends
The hike: We will explore the Thorstad acreage for biodiversity and native plants, along with a walk to see what is growing in the gardens. The Science Trek Class, which is a land-based program at Montgomery School, has been planting native plants and trees on the acreage for the last 4 years to help increase the biodiversity. Then we will walk over to the neighbouring Miller acreage, which has quite a bit of undisturbed native prairie. David Miller will have lots of interesting stories for us and will give us a tour of the land.
Sun May 31, 1pm: Gabriel Dumont Park to Gordie Howe Bridge
Starting point: Gabriel Dumont Park parking lot (Google Maps)
Hike leader: Evan Nienaber & Let’s Lead Students
The hike: Join students from the Let’s Lead Nīkānētān program for a guided walk in support of One School One Farm. Starting at Gabriel Dumont Park, we’ll walk to Gordie Howe Bridge and back (approx. 4 km / 75 minutes). Enjoy a relaxed, conversational walk with student-led stops highlighting local plants, animals, and biodiversity along the river.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Didn’t B4B used to be in October?
A: Yes. We’ve moved this annual event to May to increase the observable biodiversity that participants may encounter, including “spring happenings” such as first blooms, nesting birds, pollinators, and the next generations of our natural neighbours.
Q: How can I be involved in B4B?
A: There are many ways to get involved!
- Go on a walk with family & friends, paying attention to the biodiversity
- Help fundraise through the B4B Canada Helps page or donate to another team or individual raising funds
- Join one of the public hikes organized by OSOF (details above)
- Perform a biodiversity audit (like the one described in the B4B Lesson Plan – you don’t have to be a teacher or classroom!)
- Repost OSOF posts on social media: Facebook | Instagram
- Play Biodiversity Bingo (pdf)
- Share info about OSOF & B4B with your friends and family
- Let OSOF know what you’re doing for B4B!
Q: What is biodiversity?
A: Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It includes all the different species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, as well as the genetic differences within these species and the ecosystems they form.
Q: Why is biodiversity important?
A: Biodiversity is essential for the health of ecosystems, providing services such as pollination, water purification, and soil fertility. It also contributes to resilience, allowing ecosystems to recover from disturbances like natural disasters.
Q: What are some threats to biodiversity?
A: Habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and overexploitation are major threats to biodiversity. Protecting biodiversity is crucial for maintaining balanced ecosystems and the overall health of our planet.