Is There a Place for Landscape Architects in Agriculture?
From an early age, I have felt a deep connection to the rural agricultural landscapes of Ontario. Every time I drive through the countryside, I feel as if I am ‘going home’—no matter where I am headed. The smell of a hay field after a long summer rain, and listening to the forest waking up during a spring turkey hunt, are things that truly stimulate my senses. My family has had a connection to agriculture for a very long time; from my ancestors farming in Holland, to our farm in Norfolk County, which we have had since 1947. There is something about being on land where food is produced, knowing that humans and the earth have created something vital to our survival. Unfortunately, there is has always been some disconnect between urban and rural. That said, this seems to be changing with an increased awareness of where our food comes from.
Since the beginning of my landscape architecture education, I have wondered what the role of a landscape architect is within agriculture. I would think about how a design profession could apply to agriculture. It wasn’t until 2015, when I was acquainted with professor Karen Landman; she overheard me talking to someone about an incentive program for farmers called ALUS (Alternate Land Use Services). Since then, I have had many chances to ask her about the subject. Karen is well known within the BLA and MLA programs as a very ecologically-focused teacher. She has been an unofficial advisor to me on many projects including my thesis on wetland loss within Long Point region, as well as my capstone project on agricultural land management and practices. Early on, I learned that we have a shared passion for agriculture, and have had many great conversations. These discussions led me to new questions with regard to the role that landscape architects have in agriculture.
For my capstone project, I focused on agricultural land management. Specifically, how certain methods of conservation agriculture can be applied to the design of sustainable agricultural landscapes. The current model of agricultural intensification which produces high yields has also resulted in a loss of biodiversity, ecological function, and critical ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. I have noticed this trend first hand in the country. For example, many farmers are removing fencerows to make way for larger fields and equipment. Some farmers often overlook the benefits that these fencerows provide, including wind protection for their fields, as well as provide habitats that can in turn benefit crop yields. Another unfortunate trend is when farmers drain wet areas of fields, in order to have more productive land using buried tile drainage. This can have a serious effect to the quality of water downstream, as well as drain crucial wetlands. Many of the farming practices today are aimed at creating larger, more productive fields, but this landscape simplification leads to an unsustainable farming future. I chose a real farm as the site, with features that would be able to be improved on. For example, lack of windbreaks, ecological corridor connections, varying topography and also low spots which have seasonal pooling. The goal of my project was to create a model farm for farmers to see first-hand, in order to witness the benefits that certain best management practices (BMPs) can be seen on their own land. These BMPs contribute to a more ecologically diverse and sustainable agricultural landscape, as well as contribute to an increased crop productivity.
Karen is a professor and OAC Interim Associate Dean External Relations. She has been teaching as a full-time faculty in Landscape Architecture at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development University of Guelph since 2002. An early passion for gardening led her to a career in horticulture, then landscape architecture, and then rural planning and cultural geography. Her academic research interests include but are not limited to green infrastructure and urban agriculture. Recently, Karen has received the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Teaching Award (2016); Woman of Distinction (Education & Training), Guelph YM/YWCA (2016); and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute's Excellence in Planning Award: Communications/Public Education (2014).
Karen kindly agreed to sit down, virtually, for an interview with me.
Thank you for taking some time to speak with Studio V Journal today, Karen. What was it that first intrigued you about agriculture?
I grew up on a dairy farm, so agriculture has always been a part of my life in some way. My brother took over the farm from my father, and his son – my nephew – is now working full-time on the farm, and will likely, eventually, take over. So agriculture is a part of my life and my family history. I’ve always been interested in growing food; my earliest memory is of sitting in my father’s vegetable garden while he hoed the weeds. He always had a very productive vegetable garden and beautiful ornamental gardens as well.
When I was a young teenager, I was always part of a 4H club. One summer I had to grow my own vegetable garden, for my 4H club; I and my fellow club members took our prized vegetables to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Once I was on my own, I always had a garden, and especially enjoyed growing veggies. My niece grows vegetables for her on-farm dinners as part of her business; she and I discuss food production a lot – not just growing food but also processing food. Since becoming a professor, I’ve had a strong interest in urban agriculture and work with students on this subject. Since 2007, I’ve been part of an interdisciplinary research team called Nourishing Communities. http://nourishingontario.ca/about/
Much of your work involves ecological connections to landscape architecture, such as green infrastructure. When did you start to focus more on agriculture, specifically urban agriculture?
I have been interested in urban agriculture for about fifteen years. When I first talked about urban agriculture, people didn’t understand what it was. Some people think that it means large farm equipment, dust and manure smells, but it’s more about market gardening, in terms of production. No-one is suggesting large animal herds or flocks, or large fields of grain. That’s best suited to the rural landscape. Instead, urban agriculture is more typically about vegetable and fruit production, with perhaps beehives and maybe a few chickens for interest.
Urban agriculture is not just community gardens, although that could be included. Urban agriculture is food production on a larger scale than a community garden, and usually results in economic gain for an urban farmer – it’s possible to make a living as a farmer in the city. Urban agriculture contributes to green infrastructure through the maintenance of healthy soil, permeable surfaces for rainwater absorption, biodiversity due to crop diversity, and pollinator habitat.
One of your current research projects is looking at how rural landscapes and agriculture intersect with urban communities. What challenges do you see with the disconnect between urban and rural, and what role might a landscape architect have?
The biggest challenge is our perception that rural and urban are separate entities when in fact they are very much linked. Cities rely on rural and remote landscapes for resources, and this is increasingly understood in organizations that deal with issues such as hunger. Cities offer knowledge and innovation centres, such as the University of Guelph.
The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, signed by 163 cities in 2015, identifies that cities host over half of the world’s population and have a role to play in developing sustainable food systems. The Pact acknowledges “that urban and peri-urban agriculture offers opportunities to protect and integrate biodiversity into city region landscapes and food systems, thereby contributing to synergies across food and nutrition security, ecosystem services and human well-being.” I think landscape architects can see a role for themselves in that statement. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also offer insight on the role of a landscape architect, particularly in Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and Goal 15 Life on Land.
Do you see a need for more education on agriculture related issues in design programs, specifically landscape architecture?
I think all programs would benefit from some education on agriculture, and especially on food. We all require food – it’s one of the things we all have in common, and we can all benefit from learning more about about food and agriculture.
There is interesting work being done on urban agriculture infrastructure design – an example is that of Andres Viljoen and Katrin Bohn, who developed an interesting concept called CPULS, or Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes. They’ve considered food production possibilities across the extent of the city. I think CPULS could figure more importantly in landscape architecture education and practice, and in other design disciplines as well.
And landscape architects can play a role in food production infrastructure design in peri-urban and rural landscapes as well. I’ve worked with farmers in the past to create biodiversity and improved planting design at the farm landscape scale. Agriculture is also a cultural landscape element and should be considered as we work with clients at municipal and regional scales as well. Landscape architects have long done this kind of work but I think the imperative to consider agriculture as part of our green infrastructure has increased as we face challenges such as climate change, loss of diversity and population increases.
What do you see agriculture within Ontario looking like in the next 50 years? Would this outlook be different with a greater involvement of landscape architects?
Well, gee, that’s a big question and I don’t have a crystal ball. I do know that there is increased interest in, and concern for, soil health in Ontario these days. Generally, our society does not value soil enough; we pave over and build on good agricultural soils, which is forever lost to us as a food-production resource. Farmers need our support in their efforts to steward arable soils, because we all rely on that soil. Landscape architects can contribute to this by acknowledging that urban soils, too, have a role to play in food production as well as rural soils. And landscape architects can contribute to sustainable communities in many ways – ways that can support sustainable agriculture.
On a more personal note, what is your favorite aspect of agriculture? I know you grew up with farming in your blood -- is there a memory that resonates with your work today?
My father knew his farm at a very intimate level. He loved his work as a farmer; he was very interested in wildlife and in birds in particular; and he knew that there was a connection between good stewardship practices and biodiversity in the landscape. The memories that resonate most for me are those times when my father was teaching me something, simply by modeling his love of landscape. He was an immigrant from the northwest of the Netherlands and he had a great love and nostalgia for the landscape of his youth, but he also came to love the Canadian landscape as well. Memories of my father’s appreciation for landscapes resonate in my work today.
Thank you for your taking some time to have this discussion, Karen.
For more of Karen’s research work and publications, visit her website
