Andre Hucq, Ph.DCentre for Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment(CSALE)University of Saskatchewan

AGROFORESTRY NETWORK MEETING, Ottawa24th September, 2001

Web Sites

PowerPoint Presentation:www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/NSERC.ppt

Draft letter to NSERC:www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/nserc1.pdf

Report to the Dean of Agriculture:http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/Dean.PDF

NSERC:www.nserc.ca/guide/b2_e.htm

Andre Hucq:hucq@duke.usask.ca

NSERC Network Application

UofS SERM, SAF, SRC, PFRA Guelph, UofA CFSAgWest Biotech

Format of Presentation

NSERCNETWORKPARTNERSHIPMANAGEMENT AGROFORESTRY

A Network

The National Afforestation and Agroforestry Research Network

Comprising:Universities;Government;Private Industry;Land owners (farmers; First Nations; Others).

A Definition

Agroforestry comprises all land-use systems and practices in which woody perennials are intentionally grown on the same land unit as crops and/or animals.

                    Shelterbelts;                      Riparian forest buffers;                      Alley cropping;                      Silvopasture;                     Forest farming;                     Block plantations

Why Agroforestry?

Economic sense (so far, numbers look good);Poor prospects for agriculture;Rural revitalization;Provide for future national wood supply;GHG (Kyoto commitments, credits, etc.);Income for First Nations;Diversification;Environment

Afforestation(In the context of the NSERC Application)

Afforestation is the intentional planting of trees for commercial or industrial purposes on agricultural land that has not previously had trees or where the trees have been removed for agricultural purposes.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry represents the use of these trees within a systems approach such as silvopasture, fiber supply allocation, companion planting and phyto/bioremediation. Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry through a set of guidelines formulated to create a more integrated, diverse and sustainable land-use system.

Institutional Interest (to date)

afforestation (within the context of this letter) and agroforestry represent neither forestry nor

agriculture per se but are fully-fledged entities of their own that includes guidelines and principles

drawn from both forestry and agriculture but within their own physical, economic, scientific and technical framework. For this reason, few

Canadian academic institutions have researched this topic to any degree.

Economics (Simplified)

Several fixed and variable inputs are combined to produce at least two products. Quantities (and type) of all outputs can be varied by deliberate management decisions. Add trees to the land so long as the benefits from each additional tree are greater than the benefits forgone from what that tree is replacing.

Why a network?

Centre has some negative connotation;Interdisciplinary nature of work;Difficulty/complexity of task;Coordination of task – reduced duplication;Access to large database;Sharing data and information;Open internal/external communication;Piggy back on existing work;U.S. already far ahead

NSERC (1)

NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) is the national instrument for making strategic investments in Canada's capability in science and technology.

NSERC (2)

NSERC supports both basic university research through research grants and project research through partnerships of universities with industry, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people in both areas.

Research Networks (1)

The Research Networks program funds large-scale, complex research proposals that involve multi-sectoral collaborations on a common research theme and that demonstrate the added advantages of a networking approach.

Research Networks (2)

A management structure is required to direct, manage, and integrate the activities of the network. Research Networks normally require in excess of $500,000 annually from NSERC.

Goals of Network (1)The objectives of the National Afforestation and

Agroforestry Research Network are:

         To foster the creation of knowledge and expertise that can most effectively be attained through large-scale multidisciplinary research projects;

         To foster the collaboration between university-and college-based researchers and other sectors;

         To foster the transfer of knowledge and expertise to Canadian-based organizations;

Goals of Network (2)

      To foster the training of qualified personnel;

    To provide economic benefits to Canada,

    To further the advance of knowledge;

To develop a sound and vibrant agroforestry infrastructure throughout Canada.

INPUT MARKET LAND OWNERSLAND OWNERS OUTPUT MARKET

Agroforestry Network

ResearchExtensionEducationPromotion (Marketing)NetworkingThe creation of an industrial infrastructure based on agroforestry.

Goals

Grow from within;Strong extension component;Strong networking;Equal partners;Federal + Provincial;Industry, government, farmers and other land owners;

Universities (1)

Agroforestry Research

Minnesota (The Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management –CINRAM);

Wisconsin (The William F. Heckrodt Program of Excellence for Fiber Crop Development and Utilization);

Florida (Georgia, Alabama, Virgin Island): Centre for Sub-Tropical Agroforestry);

Universities (2)

Agroforestry (cont.)

Missouri - Center for Agroforestry;

Nebraska – US National Agroforestry Centre;

Oregon;

Washington State;

Guelph;

Universities (3)

Forestry

UBC

Laval

Alberta

Universities (4)

Agriculture

UofS

Guelph

Laval

Network Management

The network would comprise three levels:

          The Regional Level;

         The Canadian Level, and;

         The North American Level.

electricity

GHG

tree species

other

silvopasture

food

ethanolpulp/paper

engineeredwood

products

RESEARCH

INSTITUTIONS

DISCIPLINES

soil animalscience

plant/horticulture

engineering laweconomics bio-technology

other

NORTH AMERICAN

NATIONAL

PROVINCIAL

CSALE SRC

NRCAN

DU

AAFC

UBC

LAVALU.

ENV.CANADA

U OFGUELPH

U OF S&

CAN.PARTNERS

U OFNEBRASKA

USDA

U OFMISSOURI

U OFFLORIDA

U OFMINN.

U OFWISC.

OTHER

Institutions:The Regional Level Example

The Western Level

UofS, UofA, UofM, SAF, SERM, PFRA, SRC, FSIN

The Eastern Level Guelph, Canadian Universities Other Institutional

Institutions:The Canadian Level

NRCANDUAAFCForest 20/20Environment CanadaCanadian Universities

Institutions:The North American Level

Linking Canadian network with U.S. Universities.

Some Saskatchewan Initiatives

The Agroforestry Opportunities Team of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food;

The Agroforestry Teaching and Research Development Committee established by the Dean, College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan;

Saskatchewan Agroforestry Course Development Committee, Cumberland College.

Poplar Planting

June 1999

June – July 2000

September 28, 2000 – 14 ft Tall

Large biomass

source for:

- Power

- Ethanol

- Pulp and Paper

- Engineered wood products

Carbon Sequestration Potential (simplified)

Value of Agroforestry to Canada (1)

Diversify products and farm income; Improve soil quality and reduce erosion;Improve water quality; Enhance wildlife habitat & improve biodiversity; Reduce pest management inputs;Increased aesthetics;Rural revitalization;

Value of Agroforestry to Canada (2)

Carbon sequestration;Tree farms (for engineered products, ethanol,

energy);Improved woodlot management; Forest products (mushroom, ginseng, berries,

hunting facilities etc.);Organic farming potential;Provide for future Canadian wood supply

Current Needs

Systems (species mix) that will work for Canada (biological, economics, etc);Demonstration sites;Extension and information;Education;Funding Partnerships and Networking;

NSERC Collaborative Research  Network

Objectives: creation of knowledge and expertise that can most effectively be attained through large-scale multidisciplinary research projects; collaboration between university and college-based researchers and other sectors; transfer of knowledge and expertise to Canadian-based organizations; training of highly qualified personnel; and social and/or economic benefits to Canada.

Web Sites

PowerPoint Presentation:www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/NSERC.ppt

Draft letter to NSERC:www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/nserc1.pdf

Report to the Dean of Agriculture:http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/caedac/pubs/Dean.PDF

NSERC:www.nserc.ca/guide/b2_e.htm

Andre Hucq:hucq@duke.usask.ca