The Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association was delighted to receive a letter from the Ministry of Environment confirming that Saskatchewan will be proclaiming annually a spring Arbor Week and an Arbor Day within the Province of Saskatchewan.
The Ministry of Environment mentioned that Arbor Week will be an annual event in Saskatchewan, permanently celebrated during the last full week in May (Saturday to Sunday) and Arbor Day will be celebrated on the Friday of that week.
The call for such a proclamation and promotion by the province was initiated by YFBTA members. The YFBTA initiative was greatly aided by the coming on board of Nature Sask, SOS Trees (a Saskatoon based group), and added support from Sask Forestry and now also the Official Opposition. Despite the restrictions associated with the COVID pandemic, Arbor Week and Arbor Day 2020 was proclaimed by the Minister of Environment, the Hon. Dustin Duncan, and Arbor Week/Arbor Day 2021 by Minister of the Environment Hon. Warren Kaeding.
The celebration annually of Arbor Week and Arbor Day is becoming a reality. It will be important that as many individuals and groups as possible begin planning for appropriate activities for 2022.
The encouragement of Hon. Warren Kaeding from when YFBTA members were first talking of Arbor Day, his championing the idea within Government circles, and then his diligence in working as Minister of Environment to bring the idea to fruition – this is all much to be celebrated.