Richard St. Barbe Baker: Child of the Trees

An inspiring biography aimed at middle grade readers! 


Richard St. Barbe Baker dedicated his life to planting trees all over the world to help cool our overheated environment. He was called “the world's greatest conservationist” and was a pioneer in protecting the world's forests, creating sustainable forestry methods, and educating people about the importance of planting trees. He was the founder of the Men of the Trees, the first international Environmental Non-Governmental Organization, known as the International Tree Foundation today. He was a world traveler who taught people everywhere about environmentalism, and who stood up against racial discrimination and worked to empower local populations wherever he went. Richard St. Barbe Baker was a “Change Maker” who left an enduring legacy on the world. 


This is the third book in the recently launched Change Maker Series from Bellwood Press, highlighting people connected with the Bahá'í Faith who worked to bring about social change.


Paul Hanley has published four books and 1,600 articles on the environment, sustainable development, agriculture, and other topics. He is editor and co-author of Earthcare: Ecological Agriculture in Saskatchewan (1980) and The Spirit of Agriculture (2005). Paul is a recipient of the Canadian Environment Award, the Meewasin Conservation Award, the Organic Connections Pioneer Organic Communicator Award, and the Saskatchewan Sustainability Award from the Regional Centre of Excellence for Education on Sustainable Development. His book ELEVEN (2014) was nominated for two Saskatchewan Book Awards and received the 2015 University of Saskatchewan President's Award for Non-fiction and the 2015 Association for Bahá'í Studies North America Award for Distinguished Scholarship. He was environment columnist with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix from 1989 to 2016.