Interests

My own interests are related to the role of private landowners, both farmers and non-farmers, in practicing conservation - something I label 'stewardship'. Landowners are the key 'managers' of the rural landscape, and there are numerous conservation issues they are asked to address, from habitat protection and restoration through nutrient management, to source water protection. My interests relate to how we can support private landowners in their stewardship practices.

Current Projects

  • The Farmland Preservation Research Project, including establishing the Ontario Farmland Trust
  • Assessing the structure and programs of Canadian land trusts
  • Evaluating the Partners in Nitrogen Use Efficiency (PINUE) program
  • Evaluating reforestation success and failure in Ontario, and preparing a Reforestation Handbook
  • Developing a stewardship program for the Oak Ridges Moraine, and preparing a 'Stewardship Handbook' for rural landowners
  • Preparing a Pond Management Handbook for rural landowners
  • Coordinating the Assessment of Best Management Practices ('BMPs') project in the OMAF contract

Future Directions

The Farmland Preservation Research Project, and its offshoot, the Ontario Farmland Trust, are just in their initial phases; I expect these to be a major commitment for several years. The assessment of Canadian land trusts is finished phase one, and we are seeking funding for phase two. Similarly, the OMAF 'BMP' project is in year one of a four year program. I hope that the other projects all involving stewardship programs, including several landowner handbooks currently in preparation, will provide the foundation for development of a province-wide stewardship program for rural non-farm landowners, similar to the Environmental Farm Plan program for farmers.