Volunteers Plant 250 Berry Shrubs on Siksika Nation Saskatoon Farm

Every day, Tree Canada is inspired by the passion and commitment of individuals that volunteer their time to grow healthier and greener communities across the country. From planting large urban trees to small edible shrubs, communities are taking meaningful action to help their neighbours and the environment.

Last July, a small but mighty group of volunteers from the Calgary Tree Planting Team planted 250 saskatoon berry shrubs on Siksika Nation’s business plaza, located one hour east of Calgary. The goal was to start growing an orchard, known now as the Saskatoon Berry Farm, to help feed the Nation. Saskatoon berries are used in several traditional foods and will be greatly appreciated by the community.

The event was incredibly successful, offering volunteers – kids and adults alike – the chance to get their hands dirty, connect with nature and feel empowered to continue giving back to the community. The volunteers had a great time learning to plant trees and, for some, dancing and singing.

Watch this video to see how much fun they had, and to learn more about the impact of this project.

The project was sponsored by U-Haul through Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grants program.

“Tree Canada provided the funding and expertise we required to plant a thriving berry farm at Siksika Nation. They were wonderful to work with and have given a gift that will grow for years to come to the people of the Nation.” said Kristen Anderson-Sauve, founder of Calgary Tree Planting Team.

This year, Siksika Nation’s Saskatoon Berry Farm was awarded another grant to support their dream to plant more rows of saskatoon berry each year. Their goal is to plant another 250 shrubs this month.