YORKTON - The Canadian Prairies had many aspects which attracted the earliest pioneers, but trees were one thing generally missing from the landscape.
“Most homesteaders who streamed into the Canadian prairies in the late 1800s and early 1900s brought with them a desire for the comfort and protection of trees they had known ‘back home’,” explained William Schroeder author of the recently released book Trees Against the Wind.
“Recognizing the potential value of trees as incentive for settling the vast and mostly treeless prairies, the Canadian government began to grow and distribute tree seedlings for planting around farm homes and yards.”
Trees Against the Wind is a detailed account of the federal government’s prairie tree planting program from 1901–41 under the leadership of professional forester Norman MacKenzie Ross.
Schroeder, who grew up on a small family farm near LeRoy, Sask. noted, archival photographs and materials are prominent throughout the text.
“This brings life to the story of how Ross, with his dedicated horticulturists, foresters and nursery workers, and thousands of innovative prairie farmers, transformed the open prairie into a tapestry of treed farmyards and miles of planted shelterbelts.”
From a discussion of government efforts to settle the west and the realities of immigration and homesteading at that time, the book examines the origins of the government tree planting program and the background of the man who was chosen to lead it, said Schroeder.
“Accounts of the development and workings of the Indian Head and Sutherland Forest Nursery Stations provide insight into the business of growing trees as well as the social history and lives of British and eastern European immigrants. Readers will learn about early tree planting, including the testing and selection of tree species that could survive harsh prairie conditions,” he said.
Description and illustration of the significant educational and promotional activities that supported prairie tree planning are followed by an account of the successful navigation of changes in government and the challenges posed by drought and economic depression. A brief afterword describes program highlights from Ross’s retirement in 1941 to the program’s closure in 2013, having delivered more than 600 million trees to farmers in western Canada. The goal of the book was to give life to the people involved and their stories. Trees Against the Wind is, above all, a tribute to Ross’s passion, acumen and formidable promotional abilities, which were instrumental in advancing prairie tree planting from a temporary program to a movement that improved the quality of rural life for thousands of rural residents in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The new book has a definite regional interest with Indian Head featuring prominently.
“The book is integral to the historical development of prairie agriculture. It touches on the importance of the short-lived Bell Farm founded in 1881, Indian Head Experimental Farm established in 1887 and the Department of Interior Indian Head Forest Nursery Station founded in 1902 to the community of Indian Head,” said Schroeder who was a biologist/research scientist with the former PFRA Shelterbelt Centre for 35 years retiring in 2016.
“In addition, much of the book covers how tree planting on prairie farms was adopted throughout the tree prairie provinces and how the Indian Head Forest Nursery Station played an integral role in this.
“The book was written from a prairie wide perspective.”
This is actually Schroeder’s second book since retiring, the first was The Trees of Indian Head, a written and pictorial account of the many interesting tree specimens that can be found within the town of Indian Head.
So why the new book now?
“History matters and is important,” said Schroeder. “History tells the story of who we are, where we came from, and can reveal where we are headed. It also gives us a framework upon which to bring forward new ideas.
“Trees Against the Wind is, above all, a tribute to the passion and commitment of public servants and farmers working together growing and planting trees to improve the quality of life for thousands of prairie people.
“Natural spaces are becoming scarcer all the time even in the southern prairies which seem to go on forever. But if you look closely at the landscape on a clear July day you see a monotony of yellow or green fields devoid anything natural.
“Today’s farm community could learn from retrospective story on how prairie agriculture developed and how tree planting was part of that development. In some cases the planting of trees around a barren homestead was one piece of the puzzle that helped great grandpa and grandma stay on the farm through periods of drought and economic hardship.”
The book also came from varied inspirations, starting with Schroeder’s father’s hedgerows.
“Growing up I knew that trees were important, we planted and preserved trees, acres of them, as part of our small farm operation,” he said.
“My father appreciated what trees did for the environment much more then I realized at the time. He treasured the hedgerows that he left behind when he carved his farm out of the aspen.
“These hedgerows were filled with choke cherries, saskatoons, rose bushes wildflowers along with scores of birds and animals. I learned to appreciate what trees gave us.
“These hedgerows are gone, removed to allow GPS guidance systems to do their job easier. I worry about that.
“How long can we continue to mine a resource without giving anything back? We are seeing a gradual change in the accepted norms for the condition of the natural environment due to a lack of experience and knowledge of its past condition.
“What many farmers now consider to be a healthy environment, my father would consider to be degraded, and what we consider degraded now the next generation will likely consider healthy or normal. Studying and writing about how tree planting was an important part of our agricultural development gave me the chance to preserve the memory, knowledge and experience of past generations.”
An old photo also became inspiration for Schroeder.
“On the walls of the tree nursery boardroom there was one blurry photo of a solemn gentleman along with photos of other past and present nursery superintendents,” he explained. The solemn gentleman was Norman Ross.
“I wondered why they didn't have a better picture of such an important person. Studying the photo I became fixated on Ross and other people of his era. Reading published bulletins and papers didn't provide much insight into who those people were and what they did but it inspired me to dig deeper.
“Once retired I wanted to learn all I could about how shelterbelt planting came to be on the prairies. Passive interest turned to driven passion. I scoured archive files and photos at Indian Head, spent days in the archives in Ottawa and Regina and scrolled through more reels of microfiche at the University of Regina than I knew existed.
“After reading hundreds of archived documents, the more I learned and the more perplexed I was that so little was known or written about Norman Ross and his colleagues. No buildings or streets named are after them and no monuments to their memory, other than simple grave markers.”
And not surprisingly trees inspired – specific trees in this case.
“There is one tree on the grounds of the PFRA that stands out from all others,” said Schroeder. “It was planted in the front lawn of the Superintendents residence.
“Affectionately known as the ‘Three Sisters’, it is a Colorado spruce planted about 1905. Early in its life the crown was damaged by a hungry browser and three strong trunks developed. This tree has stood the test of time. It would be the tree Norman Ross saw every morning as he left his residence for the office.
“In tree genetics, it is important to know the origin of your breeding plants. My research relied on plant genes introduced to the prairies nearly 100 years before I started my career. It made me wonder who had the foresight and belief that tree planting on the prairies would work.”
The book also took root in Schroeder’s work over the years.
“I talk with farmers about trees almost every day,” he said. “They treasure and appreciate the trees they or their ancestors planted.
“What I find interesting is that they may not remember exactly what crop they planted 20 years ago, but they almost always remember in detail planting their trees, the date, the weather that year and how fast or slow they grew.
“The Indian Head Forest Nursery no longer exists but many of the millions of trees grown and distributed by the nursery remain. I felt compelled to tell the story of how trees became a part of the prairie landscape.”
Does Schroeder see a best element to his latest book?
“That is a difficult question,” he said.
“It could be documenting the influence and accomplishments of Norman Mackenzie Ross as he captained prairie tree planting for 40 years. He was an iconic individual that few people today knew even existed. During his tenure Ross was the poster boy of prairie tree planting. Any farmer who planted trees knew who Norman Ross was, and even those that never met him personally respected and trusted him immensely.
“Or, maybe it is the stories of the people who worked diligently to get trees planted on the prairies, the Tree Inspectors, Germantown workers or farmers who provided countless testimonials on how important trees were to them and their families.
“I think these are the best elements because each tell a compelling story that today’s reader might be able to relate to through their own family history.”
Whatever the best element Schroeder said he feels readers will find the book of interest.
“I think the book brings to life the inspiration, the people, the science, the business and the politics behind prairie shelterbelts,” he said. “This history is a tribute the thousands of innovative prairie farmers who planted trees to shelter their homes and land and provides an important perspective on prairie history and a heightened appreciation for prairie trees.”
The book is available at Nature Saskatchewan’s online store: and numerous book outlets.
