U of S students' plan to bring 'snack belt' to riverbank bears fruit

Escaping the mundane by letting the mind wander free is often fertile ground for new ideas. Jordan Shirley says it's what led to what would later become a new idea for some fertile ground near Saskatoon's river.

"I'd bike to school every single day and there's a very barren stretch of land…and it's very windy all the time and there's not a lot growing there. So I figured it would be nice to kind of plant something there that would enhance the area," Shirley said in an interview with CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

That location in the Sutherland neighbourhood didn't work out, but Shirley did not let that vision go.

Please pick

Now, Shirley and six other classmates at the University of Saskatchewan have a new vision to plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs in Saskatoon along the South Saskatchewan River. They are calling the project Snackbelt for Sustainability.

Most of the fruit can either be harvested through people walking by.- Jordan Shirley 

They envision a variety of trees and shrubs — mostly native species — including Saskatoon Berry, Highbush Cranberry and Dwarf Apple.

"They have different periods which you can pick fruit throughout the summer and this would allow a relatively continuous period of fruit picking for people to enjoy along the way," Shirley said.

"Most of the fruit can either be harvested through people walking by biking around running in the summer but there's also an organization in the city called Out of Your Tree which can pick local food and donate it to food banks."

Money does not grow on trees

The site is the flat barren section of grassland on the east side of the river between the CPR Bridge and Circle Drive. So far, the group has approval from the Meewasin Valley Authority and is working to gain approval from the University of Saskatchewan. Shirley said they also need a permit.

"The soil is very ideal at this site, it's quite productive," he said.

The group also needs money and, unlike fruit, cash doesn't grow on trees.

Shirley said they are trying to plant trees that are three or four years old, because they have a better chance of survival and will require less maintenance over the long term. The goal is to plant 217 trees and the bill, he said, could reach $10,000. He said they have secured some funding from the university and have a GoFundMe account going to raise more.

"I hope it's a unique feature along the river bank that that'll get people to this area. Most people kind of avoid this area because it's quite barren," he said.

Shirley said the group has really just planted the seeds of the idea. They will rely on the next group of young students to bring the project fruition. If funding and permissions come together, the first trees could be planted as early as spring 2020.