The City of Saskatoon has compiled a list of actions to help protect existing green spaces and to develop new ones.

A total of 15 actions have been put together in the City’s Green Infrastructure Strategy. They include increasing food production and creating more trails in the city’s green spaces.

City councillors heard from Jeanna South, Director of Sustainability during Monday’s environment committee meeting. She says the City is also looking to expand the urban forest in Saskatoon.

“Our urban forest is a risk of decline and is under stress by pests, age and seasonal drought and the urban forest is not provided in all areas of the city.”

South says outside of the Meewasin Trail, there’s limited interpretation and education in parks and trails. One of the action plans includes putting a greater focus on culture and history.

“Action 1 in the plan proposes to design a green network to reflect our history and cultural diversity. There are initiatives such as interpretive signage, maybe using different languages and signage where appropriate.”

The report says “by integrating hubs for conservation and biodiversity into urban fabric, Saskatoon will benefit from increased resilience to climate change, improved community access to nature, and more recognizable and unique environments.”

The report was received as information at the committee level. The report will now make its way to City Council to also be received as information.

South told the committee that the report could come forward again if they’re successful in receiving external funding, although Monday’s purpose was just to provide council with information on the strategy.

She adds the strategy is a planning tool which will then be used in the 2022 budget process to see if funding can be allocated towards some of the actions outlined in the report.

Below are the 15 actions outlined in the City report.

1. Design the green network to reflect our collective history, honour cultural diversity and create a sense of belonging for all.

2. Inspire citizen-driven transformation of the green network.

3. Increase food production in the green network.

4. Invest in the green network within the City of Saskatoon.

5. Develop a cooperative governance approach to green network provision and management.

6. Redefine the partnership with Meewasin to achieve collective goals related to conservation, education,and development of the green network.

7. Renew formal and informal green space in the green network to meet citizen needs.

8. Expand the green network by creating new publicly available green space or increasing green infrastructure.

9. Increase walkability and active transportation throughout the green network.

10. Protect and grow the urban forest.

11. Protect, restore and manage significant natural areas.

12. Connect and naturalize the green network in built-up areas.

13. Improve biodiversity and ecosystem health throughout the green network.

14.Integrate natural waterbodies and drainage courses into development using green infrastructure.

15. Increase the use of low impact development.