Multifunctional agricultural landscapes in the urban fringe Christopher Ling John Antill Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC

Multi-functionality “an integration of different functions within the same or overlapping land unit, at the same or overlapping in time” (Brandt, Trees, & Tress, 2000, p.159)

Multi-functionality in agriculture the existence of multiple commodity and non-commodity outputs that are jointly produced by agriculture; and (OECD, 2001)

Multi-functional agricultural landscapes Adapted from: Potter and Burney (2002) producing food, sustaining rural landscapes protecting biodiversity generating employment contribution to the vitality of rural areas

Question How do farmers perceive the multi-functionality of their farms? What relevance do those perceptions have for landscape assessment and management?

Case Studies 68 acre dairy farm 31 acre mixed organic vegetable and fruit farm 27 acre organic mixed vegetable and fruit, chicken eggs and cereals

Data collection Sequential exploratory strategy (SES) Qualitative Data: Importance of on-farm landscape features and associated benefits Quantitative Data: Evaluated agricultural multi-functionality

Qualatative Quality of Life Capital Approach (Natural England, 2008) ‘What Matters and Why?’ in the Landscape. A framework for integrated assessment of attributes and functions within the landscape

Quantitative Likert scale evaluation by farmers of: Ecological function Production function Economic function Cultural function Social function Of each landscape unit

Quality of Life Capital (Natural England 2008) ‘What Matters and Why?’ in the Landscape. A framework for integrated assessment of attributes and functions within the landscape

Matrix of benefits (Farm 3) Landscape features/land use systemFunctional Benefit Importance of benefit (H, M, L) a Scale of benefit (H, M,L) FarmRegionProv Vegetable stand areaEconomic Social Culture HHMHHM HHL Leaf composting areaProductionH HLL Front fields to lower field (vegetable, cereal & flower patches, and orchard) Production Economic Ecological HHLHHL HML Mid farm wooded corridor and pond Ecological, Production, Social HLLHLL HML Upper-fields (vegetable and sunflower patches, fruit trees) Production, Economic, Ecological HHLHHL HML Northern wooded areaEcologicalHHHL Water supply systemProductionHHLL

Functional evaluation (Farm 3) Functional benefits Vegetable stand area Leaf compost area Front and lower field Forested areas Upper fields Water supply system Ecological Productive Economic Cultural Social Total

Functional evaluation (Farm 1) Is the agri-tourism on the farm more important that the farming?

Functional evaluation (Farm 1)

Functional evaluation (Farm 2) Important supplier to local restaurants, and partly forested landscape

Functional evaluation (Farm 2)

Functional evaluation (Farm 3) Long established community farm supplying local community

Functional evaluation (Farm 2)

Components of functionality

Conclusion Current planning policies and land assessment focus almost exclusively on the production aspects of farm landscapes rather than the multiple functions identified by famers Understanding multi-functionality at the farm scale can help to create a framework in which a variety of outcomes and policy objectives can be implemented and examined Agricultural land impacts community vitality in many more ways that in areas of food sovereignty and farm livelihoods