Paul Hanley - Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist

advance praise for

Man of the Trees

Richard St. Barbe Baker saw, years ago, what many of us are only now realizing, that environmental degradation is threatening our life support systems. He is celebrated by the environmental movement, including environmental activists like the late Professor Wangari Maathai, for his vision of a healthy future.

Wanjira Maathai, Chair of the Board, Green Belt Movement

There are many books written by Baker on his life and work. However, given the impact of his life and the prophetic nature of his call to arms to save the earth though all means possible from military-style all-out attack to people-centred social forestry movements, I have long wondered why there were none written by others. At last, Paul Hanley has addressed this omission.I thank Paul Hanley for seeing this project through to completion and for making the life and work of Richard St. Barbe Baker better known globally.

Tony Rinaudo, World Vision Australia

Paul Hanleys beautifully written biography of St. Barbe Baker reaffirms the everlasting legacy of a great earth healer; yes, that is what he was, a great earth healer. Whoever is interested in the right relationship between people and planet earth should read this book. It is a source of spiritual nourishment and timely reminder for practical actions.

Satish Kumar, Founder, Schumacher College

The Centenary of the establishment of Watu wa Miti (Men/People of the Trees) in Kenya in 1922 clearly emphasizes the vital durability of the foresight of its founders Richard St. Barbe Baker and Josiah Njonjo, who as environmentalists had a clear comprehension of the important ecological, social and economic roles of trees in the lives of ordinary peopleHopefully this book will stimulate a renaissance of the vision of Richard St. Barbe Baker and Josiah Njonjo and trigger a reawakening of positive attitudes of society towards trees.

Roger Leakey, Vice Chair, International Tree Foundation

My friend and mentor Richard St. Barbe Baker was a genius at figuring out how to seamlessly integrate tree planting into the cultural dna of millions of people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. This book is part biography and part handbook for engaging a new generation in conserving and restoring the worlds forests.

Hugh Locke, President, Smallholder Farmers Alliance Haiti

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Man of the Trees

Richard St. Barbe Baker

The First Global Conservationist

Paul Hanley

2018 Paul Hanley

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or placement in information storage and retrieval systems of any sort shall be directed in writing to Access Copyright.

Printed and bound in Canada at Marquis. The text of this book is printed on % post-consumer recycled paper with earth-friendly vegetable-based inks.

Cover design: Duncan Campbell, University of Regina Press
Text design: John van der Woude, jvdw Designs
Copy editor: Marionne Cronin
Proofreader: Kristine Douaud
Indexer: Patricia Furdek
Cover art and frontispiece: Richard St. Barbe Baker holding a tree. University of Saskatchewan Library, University Archives & Special Collections, Richard St. Barbe Baker fonds, mg071_baker_m1_holding_a_tree .

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Hanley, Paul, author
Man of the trees : Richard St. Barbe Baker, the first global conservationist / Paul Hanley.

Includes bibliographical references and index. Issued in print and electronic formats. isbn ---- (softcover). isbn -- 88977 -- ( pdf ). isbn -- 88977 -- ( html )

. Baker, Richard St. Barbe, 1889 - 1982 .. ConservationistsBiography.
. Forest conservationHistory. I. Title.

sd411 .. b39h36 2018 .' c2018 - 903899 - c2018 - 903900

University of Regina Press, University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, s4s 0a2
tel: (306) 585-4758 fax: (306) 585-4699
web: www.uofrpress.ca

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. / Nous reconnaissons lappui financier du gouvernement du Canada. This publication was made possible with support from Creative Saskatchewans Creative Industries Production Grant Program. This publication has also received generous funding from the D. F. Plett Historical Research Foundation.

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by HRH the prince of wales

by JANE GOODALL

chapter one

Fortunately, fortunes change; The temple of the woods; A life mission takes shape; To kill bears with a spade; Bakers Southern Wonder; A practical proposition; No collars at all; Gentling horses; Charlie Eagle and Beaver Creek; Breaking land, felling timber

chapter two

War or peace?; Back from the dead; Call to the forestand social activism; Back at school; A lucrative dream; Ghosts of Bakers past; Lost in the bamboo; A paradox; The Treeless Place; Dance of the trees; Sacked for taking a blow; Uncle Dick

chapter three

Sustainable yield in Nigeria; A brief idyll in Europe; Igi Oka; Education or catastrophe?; Baba Wa Miti

chapter four

In Palestine; Meeting the grandees; The ruse; Feast of the Trees; At Bahj

chapter five

A slim wallet; Another stroke of luck: Lowell Thomas; Gifford Pinchot, President Hoover, and the lecture circuit; The cathedral of nature; Save the redwoods!; With the Maoris; The battle drill; A lone fiver; I need both legs; A life not his own; Hell marry a tree one day

chapter six

fdr and Morgenthau; A new kind of army; Menand Womenof the Trees; Like a raven; The royals and the redwoods; The Scandinavian front; The war effort; A strange likeness of Shaw; World Forestry Charter Gatherings

chapter seven

An emerging global consciousness; Marriage, childrenand trees; A hectic schedule; The Green Front Against the Desert; On the continent; Skinned alive; The Sahara expedition

chapter eight

The most inhospitable route; Mirages and fossils; A solitary tree; A graveyard of dying races; An international forest reserve; Small fields, tree surrounded; Congo; Kampala; The Temple of Pure Science; An unusual conference

chapter nine

Join the Green Front!; Other fronts; Land of Tane; At The Firs; Ban the Bomb!; Wedding bells, again; Retirement?; The worlds greatest conservationist; A global network; The Pope and Dr. Sen; An ever-wider circle; A World Conference on Desertification

chapter ten

The headwaters of consciousness; The Kenya conference and Maathai; Indias tree-huggers; A few words to Her Majesty; Declining health; Ninety years, ninety trees; Children of the Green Earth; A final tour