September Agroforestry Extension Events

The British Columbia Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AIDI) is pleased to provide support for a big line-up of education and outreach events in September.  All events are free to attend, but please contact the respective event organizers to indicate your attendance.

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Silver Hills Biodiversity Tour (AGF1304)
Friday, 6 September 2013, 10:00 - whenever
Silver Hills Ranch, Lumby

More information:  http://www.agroforestry.info/2013/07/6th-annual-silver-hills-ranch.html

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Streamside Honeybees Agroforestry Tour (AGF1205)
Saturday, 7 September 2013, 13:00 - 14:00
Murray Family Woodlot, near Slocan City

More information: http://www.agroforestry.info/2013/08/streamside-honeybees-agroforestry-tour.html

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Kootenay Silvopasture Tour (AGF1207)
Thursday, 19 September 2013, 08:00 – 12:00
Start from junction of Pritchard Road and Hwy 3/93, Cranbrook

More information: http://www.agroforestry.info/2013/08/2013-kootenay-silvopasture-tour-sept-19.html

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Agroforestry Open House (AGF1103)
Monday, 23 September 2013, 16:00 - 20:00
Resources North Boardroom
2666 Queensway Street, Prince George

More information: http://www.agroforestry.info/2013/08/agroforestry-open-house-prince-george.html

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Cariboo Silvopasture Workshop & Tour (AGF1209)
Friday, 27 September 2013, 10:00 – 16:00
At the Zirnhelt Ranch, 5455 Jacobson Rd (near Big Lake Ranch, BC, east of Williams Lake)

More information:http://www.agroforestry.info/2013/08/cariboo-silvopasture-workshop-tour.html

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A full listing of AIDI extension events is available at:  http://www.agroforestry.info/p/events.html

Interior Stewardship Workshop Report Available

The summary report from the 9th Annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop, held in Vanderhoof on May 7-8, 2013 is now posted online. Visit www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/tr_interior_stewardship.html for links to most of the presentations and the summary report for this year, and previous years.

Following the format from previous years, the workshop included sessions for learning, networking, and making new connections. The agenda featured presentations from stewardship organizations, First Nations, and university students.  This year's workshop includes presentations on the use of agroforestry for watershed stewardship.

Partial funding for this workshop was provided by the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative in partnership with the Farmland Riparian Interface Stewardship Program of the BC Cattlemans Association.

Interior Stewardship Workshop tour to the Murray Creek restoration project

Cattlemen's Agroforestry Tour a Great Success

Over 140 participants from around the province and Alberta enjoyed an informative and educational afternoon learning about the opportunities for BC's ranching sector to benefit from including agroforestry in their operations.

Tour participants enjoy a refreshment break at the Coldstream Ranch

Lee Hesketh, manager of the Farm Riparian Interface Stewardship Program, and organizer of the tour noted, "...it was an excellent opportunity for cattle producers from around the province to see examples of agroforestry in action, and hopefully stimulate ideas of how these multiple use systems can be adapted to work at home."

The tour, held in conjunction with the 85th Annual BC Cattlemen's Association AGM in Vernon, BC focused on successful examples of agroforestry used on ranches and Crown lands to diversify production, and to generate economic, conservation and social benefits.

Additional photos from the tour can be found here: www.agroforestry.info/p/photos.html 

Agroforestry at the Ninth Annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop

The Farm Riparian Interface Stewardship Program, with funding from the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, is pleased to provide support for an agroforestry information session at the upcoming Ninth Annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop, in Vanderhoof, May 7 and 8, 2013.

This event is part of the extension series: Riparian Stewardship through Agroforestry 

For more information on the Annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop, locally hosted by the Nechako Environment and Water Stewardship Society, please visit the Fraser Basin Council website.

Register for the workshop and tour at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P56YNS6

Workshop is at full capacity - registration is now closed. 

Extension Series: Riparian Stewardship Through Agroforestry

Photo courtesy of D. Trotter, BC Ministry of Agriculture

The Farm Riparian Interface Stewardship Program (FRISP), with funding from the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AIDI), will be delivering a series of agroforestry education and outreach sessions in British Columbia throughout 2013.  These sessions will provide information and build awareness about agroforestry beneficial management practices (BMPs) within the agricultural community, and will deliver details on how agroforestry practices can contribute to responsible riparian stewardship.

FRISP, a partnership led by the BC Cattlemen's Association, is designed to help the agricultural sector to protect and enhance water quality, to protect and enhance riparian vegetation, and prevent and mitigate agricultural impacts on streams, rivers and lakes.  This is accomplished by:

• Increasing understanding and cooperation between the provincial and federal agencies responsible for resource management in BC and the agricultural community regarding farmland development and use;
• Promoting the joint planning of habitat restoration and farmland activities between landowners, resource management agencies and community groups;
• Increasing awareness of interactions between land use and habitat values; and,
• Resolving conflicts that may arise between resource agencies and landowners.

Working directly with the landowners to supply technical services or workable advice has enabled FRISP to provide the reasoning behind the regulations, which brings about understanding, cooperation and stewardship through action.

Proper land stewardship requires that landowners understand riparian functions and the negative impact that riparian mis-management can have on agricultural operations, fisheries, and watershed health.  These information sessions will provide attendees with access to agroforestry-related BMP information and resources to understand their full range of management options, and with that information, help plan and implement sustainable agricultural production integrated with riparian stewardship and watershed values.

Details on specific events in this extension series will be announced through the AIDI website (www.agroforestry.info) and social media, and will be included in the Agroforestry BC Event Calendar listings (www.agroforestry.info/p/events.html).

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Funding for this work has been provided through the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AGF1304)

Cultivating Sustainable Agroforestry Workshop Agenda

Saturday, 29 September 2012 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PDT) at the UBC Farm, Vancouver, BC

9:00-10:00 – Registration

10:00-10:20 – Welcome and opening remarks

10:20 – 11:00 – David Trotter - David will give an overview of Agroforestry principals, look at the current agroforestry industry in BC, and touch on existing challenges and opportunities.

11:00-11:15 – Break

11:15-11:45 – Kelleen Wiseman - Kelleen will focus on the business planning and marketing tools that can be used to assess readiness and expansion potential of a farm business into the agroforestry area.

11:45-12:30 – Break-off groups: facilitated discussion – what are potential barriers to adopting agroforestry initiatives? Regulation or policy red tape? What concerns, challenges can we foresee? What processes/functions/frameworks does one need to better understand to successfully bring a product to market?

12:30-1:30 – Lunch (vegetarian and featuring produce from UBC Farm)

1:30-2:00 – Concurrent sessions

Peter Andres – Peter will provide an overview of the hazelnut industry, including current challenges and specifically EFB disease. He will discuss what the industry is doing to build itself up again and what this means in terms of opportunities for farmers looking to incorporate hazelnuts into their production.

Robin Clark and Taylor White -- Robin and Taylor will outline steps to assess the carbon footprint of an agroforestry or agriculture operation and discuss potential opportunities to integrate carbon sequestration into agroforestry strategies. Farm specific GHG calculator can be found here http://www2.cplan.org.uk/index.php?_load=page&_pageid=3 . Participants encouraged to visit this site prior to the conference.

2:00-2:30   – Concurrent sessions

Thom ODell –  Thom will discuss current research into new hazelnut varieties, what these new varieties offer in terms of yield and disease resistance, what growers can expect from new varieties, time from establishment to production and other characteristics.

David Bradbeer – David will introduce the idea of establishing native trees & shrubs on local farms, and what benefits (and challenges) these impart on the agroecosystem. Some focus will be given to ways of managing hedgerows for food production.

2:30- 3:20  Shannon Berch – Shannon will explore basic truffle biology, the methods used to produce and harvest them, and what success would look like in BC. Her presentation begins in the event tent and ends in the field.

3:20-3:30 Break

3:30-4:00 Scott Henderson – Scott will impart his knowledge of mushroom cultivation: How to produce mushrooms within an agroforestry framework, what varieties grow best/easiest/offer the best market value, what does one need to begin a cultivation enterprise, and more.

4:00-5:00 Facilitated discussion

Agroforestry Session at the 2012 Hort Growers Short Course

The Lower Mainland Horticulture Improvement Association (LMHIA), with funding from the British Columbia Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, is pleased to sponsor an agroforestry educational session at the 2012 Horticulture Growers Short Course.

The Horticulture Growers Short Course will be held in partnership with Pacific Agriculture Show, January 26-28, 2012 at the Tradex Exhibition Center (Abbotsford Airport) in Abbotsford, BC.

The Agroforestry Session will take place on Saturday, January 28 from 9 am to 12 pm in the Lobby Room at Tradex. It will be chaired by Dave Trotter, Agroforestry Specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture. The session agenda is as follows:

09:00 - 09:30
Agroforestry Initiative - Current Projects and Funding Opportunities
George Powell, BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative 
The Agroforestry Initiative has cost-share funding for projects which benefit industry development including demonstrations, workshops etc; Outlines of current and pending projects will be provided.

09:30 - 10:00
Ideas, Opportunities & Resources – An Agroforestry Retrospective
Harold Macy, Headquarters Creek Woodlot, Merville, BC
Harold will provide an overview of the synergies and considerations from his many years of experience managing a woodlot using a forest farming agroforestry systems approach.

10:00 – 10:30
Break
Harold Macy will highlight his new book: “The Four Storey Forest: As Grow the Trees, So too the Heart”.

10:30 – 11:00
Silvopasture and Range Considerations in BC - Pilot Initiatives for a Production Approach
Lisa Zabek, Ministry of Agriculture, Kamloops, BC
Learn about the new steps that are being developed to support silvopasture as a land use option in BC.

11:00 - 11:30
Huckleberries: Management Strategies for Agroforesters
Ali Kennedy, Keefer Ecological Services Ltd., Cranbrook, BC
Ali will look at the variety of berry species along with the biological and management considerations needed to develop an agroforestry system approach to huckleberries.

11:30 – 12:00
Exploring the Possibilities of Integrated Riparian Management in BC
Dave Trotter, Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC
Dave will discuss management considerations for the development of an integrated riparian management systems approach to specialty crops on agricultural lands.

For registration information, or to register online, please visit www.agricultureshow.net or phone 604-556-3001 or 604-857-0318.

Registration fees for the entire Horticulture Growers Short Course (including the Agroforestry Session) are $67.00 (by January 9) or $90.00 (after January 9). Registration fees include membership to the LMHIA, attendance at any or all educational sessions, admittance to the Pacific Agriculture Show, admittance to welcome reception and free parking.

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Funding for this work has been provided through the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AGF1104)