I live in a small town where a travesty is taking place. Approximately 100 miles of shelterbelt has already been bulldozed, with more to follow.
These shelterbelts were planted 70 to 80 years ago with much blood, sweat and tears by the homesteaders in the RM of Fertile Valley, as well as my family. They are now being destroyed by an outsider …
The town that I speak of is Conquest, 90 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon. A few months ago, a stranger flew into town, bought up approximately 20,000 acres of land in the surrounding area, and is daily, digging out the trees, roots and all.
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Why? Because it will be easier to combine if he has no obstructions. We have a sign, as you enter Conquest that reads, “The Caragana Capital of Canada.” This, sadly, is no longer the case.
When the early settlers arrived in Saskatchewan, they found a treeless region with an extreme climate. They sought advice as to where to plant trees and how to care for them.
Caraganas were chosen because of their ability to survive harsh weather and because they provided nitrogen to the soil. The group planting, known as shelterbelts, were planned to provide many benefits to farm families. Shelterbelts were designed to protect their land and their livestock from the strong winds, to protect soil from erosion, as well as to provide relief during the cold winters and shade during the hot summers.
Shelterbelts provide habitat for wildlife and beautify the farmyard. Properly planned shelterbelts control blowing snow, protect buildings and gardens and trap snow for dugouts.…
Conquest is celebrating its 100th birthday next year. I am sickened at the heartbreak that some of the seniors will experience when they arrive home, only to find the home as they remembered unrecognizable.
Gone are all the trees they planted, the farmyards they so painstakingly cared for and a man sitting atop a monster machine, ripping apart their land, and caring nothing for the heritage of their community.
The RM and the town say there is nothing that can be done. Why? Because Conquest’s population has now dwindled to a mere 200 people? Do we need to have a large voting constituency in order for someone to step forward and stop this travesty?
Please, if anyone has any suggestions, I would welcome them.
Terry Joyes,Conquest, Sask.
