Soil health is essential for ensuring the long-term viability of farming and sustainability of the environment. A new report from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation tells the stories of 14 farmers in the Greenbelt who are using a variety of practices to improve their soil health. Farming different crops in different regions across the Greenbelt, these farmers are taking leadership in protecting and conserving the rich diversity of soils in the Greenbelt that are critical to our food system.

Environment, Economy, Food and Farming, Environment Research, Economy Research, Food and Farming Research, Research, Soil, Soil Health,

Local Agricultural Advisory Committees (AACs) provide an agricultural lens to municipal policies, plans, and processes. Produced in collaboration with the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance, this report examines the structure, challenges, and successes of AACs across the region. It highlights a number of lessons learned from AACs in the Golden Horseshoe that may be useful for existing AACs, as well as municipalities interested in establishing an AAC.

Environment, Economy, Food and Farming, Environment Research, Economy Research, Food and Farming Research, Research,

Building on an earlier study, a new report from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, Agriculture Trends and Updates: Understanding the Greenbelt’s Unique Advantages, profiles the changes in agriculture in the Greenbelt from 2011 to 2016, compared to the rest of Ontario. Using Statistics Canada’s Census of Agriculture data, the report looks at key variables such as number of farms, area farmed, use of farmland, production levels, and farm revenue. 

Environment, Economy, Food and Farming, Environment Research, Economy Research, Food and Farming Research, Research, Climate Change Research, Climate Change,

Click here to view the report

The Guide can support small cities, towns and rural settlements with the integration of green infrastructure into their communities. Much of the current green infrastructure research and guidance focuses on densely populated urban centres. Smaller and rural settlements are often overlooked despite the many benefits that green infrastructure can provide in these settings.

This Guide aims to fill that gap by providing an overview of the types of green infrastructure that make the most sense for these communities and by outlining a strategic zoning approach for implementation.

Research, Climate Change Research, Environment Research,

The Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) recently conducted a consultation on a ‘Draft Protocol for Loss of Ecosystem Services’. The protocol sets out a framework for how to evaluate the ecosystem services lost because of development in natural features and appropriate compensation (in the form of replicating natural features in other locations or enhancing existing features) for those losses. The protocol triggers as a last resort when all other options to avoid and mitigate losses are exhausted. It will not apply in the Greenbelt’s protected natural features. It will apply in lands adjoining the Greenbelt and could potentially affect its natural features, and therefore it is relevant to our work.

You can read our response to the consultation here.

Climate Change Research, Environment Research, Research,

A new report, Ontario’s Good Fortune: Appreciating the Greenbelt’s Natural Capital from Green Analytics and Sustainable Prosperity finds that in addition to storing over $11.17B of carbon, the Greenbelt provides $3.2B annually in ecosystem services to the region. The report, commissioned by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, assessed the value of final services provided by the Greenbelt that Ontario residents benefit from.

Research, Food and Farming, Economy Research, Economy, Environment Research, Environment, Climate Change Research, Climate Change, Food and Farming Research,

Understanding the value of our natural capital is vital to making informed, responsible decisions. This primer explains what natural capital valuation is and how it works.

Research, Food and Farming Research, Food and Farming, Economy Research, Economy, Environment Research, Environment, Climate Change Research, Climate Change,

Natural Heritage Features Mapping: Challenges and Best Practices (480KB)

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation completed a study to understand the process by which natural heritage features (NHF) are mapped and communicated to the public by municipalities in Ontario. This was in response to issues raised by Greenbelt stakeholders, mainly within the agricultural sector, who are affected by inaccuracies in Official Plan mapping schedules for natural heritage features. 

Environment Research, Research, Environment,

For the full report, please visit bpba.ca.

In September 2012, the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association initiated a project to develop a Community Conservation and Stewardship Plan for the Bruce Peninsula through funding from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. This project has brought together the vast local knowledge and expertise of the community to better understand the Bruce Peninsula’s biodiversity and the critical environmental issues it faces. It has provided a forum for community dialogue and learning, leading to a strategic, place-based action plan to protect, restore and benefit from the region's biodiversity. The full version of the plan is not yet released. 

Please visit bpba.ca for updates and full report.

Environment Research, Environment, Research,