Agroforestry Research and Development in Canada: The Way Forward

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the history and current status of agroforestry research and practices across Canada and provide recommendations as “the way forward.” Each of the five regions (the Atlantic Region, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, and British Columbia) has unique climates, soils, landforms, and natural resource management systems. The influence of these factors has resulted in different agroforestry practices and approaches to their application in each region. For example, the riparian buffer systems are promoted for the Atlantic Region; tree-based intercropping and windbreak systems in Quebec, Ontario, and in the Prairies; and silvopastoral systems in British Columbia. European settlement, beginning in the late 1700s, initiated the conversion of much of eastern Canada from native forest into agricultural land. As farming practices modernized across the country, new environmental problems (e.g., soil erosion and loss of wildlife habitat) and new socioeconomic issues (e.g., loss of income diversity) emerged. Recently, Canadian citizens have become increasingly concerned with potential ecological impacts of agricultural production, and the policy has moved toward fostering stewardship initiatives that address not only environmental goods and services but also climate change issues with a special emphasis on carbon sequestration. Agroforestry is perceived to be able to provide benefits in these areas; however, the problems and their potential solutions are different in different regions. Each region faces a unique set of challenges and constraints related to lack of knowledge, high initial capital and labor costs, farm operational issues, resource tenure, lack of niche markets, and lack of incentives.