Farmland Trust Research Project

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Application ID: 000347
This project is available.
Project Description
Project Title
Farmland Trust Research Project
What is the central research question you want answered?
What are the objectives of your project?
Central Research Question: What is the structure and operations of select farmland trusts in Canada, UK and US?

Objective: Compile background material to guide development of The Land Conservancy of BC as BC's Farmland Trust.
Project Type
Computer Related     
Creative     
Formal Research     
 Organizational Development     
Survey     
Other  
Size of Project (Number of pages, minutes, cm, etc.)
Approx 40 - 50 pages (appropriate for Directed Studies or broken up between two or more different semesters or students)
Project Description (Use this space to further elaborate on the project)
Compile list of Farmland Trusts in Canada, US and UK

Review list with TLC and select Trusts for further research

Research Farmland Trusts, focusing on:
- Vision, Mission, Goals, Objectives
- Organizational structure
- How they sustain themselves
- Case Studies (approx 2 per Trust)
- Financial sustainability (e.g. UK National Trust do farms in the NT break even, or make money or lose money? Are the farmers making money from farming or do they rely on other income?)
How do you plan to use the results of this project?
This project will provide TLC with guidance on how to grow as a sustainable farmland trust for BC.
What larger goal is served by undertaking this project?
Food security is a growing concern for BC. Only 5% of BC is suitable for farming, and of that only 1-2% is considered high quality. Farmland in BC is threatened by development (BC's prime farmland is in areas of high development pressure - Okanagan, Lower Mainland). As farmland prices rise (e.g. $50,000 to $100,000/acre) new farmers find it nearly impossible to purchase land - the costs outweigh any profit they can make. As a farmland trust, TLC secures farmland against development and makes the land available to farmers through long-term leases. The ecological integrity of the land is protected through requirement of sustainable farm practices. BC is one of the most biodiverse provinces in Canada, and areas with the highest levels of biodiversity overlap with the best farmland and the areas under greatest development pressure.

This project will help TLC to grow as a sustainable farmland trust for BC, helping support food security for the province, as well as protecting the ecological integrity of the land.
The Organization
Organization Name
The Land Conservancy of BC
What community do you represent or work with?
British Columbia
What is your organization/group's goal or mandate?
TLC is a registered charity and land trust protecting wilderness areas, cultural landmarks and agricultural lands in B.C. Since 1997, TLC has protected almost 120,000 acres of sensitive and threatened lands, involving more than 300 projects. TLC has grown to include over 7,000 members, and is now part of an international network of National Trusts with over 7 million members. For more information, visit www.conservancy.bc.ca.

Are you a registered not-for-profit?
Yes
Contact Information
Contact Person
Ramona Scott
  
Position
Manager of Agricultural Programs
Mailing Address
TLC Head Office
301-1195 Esquimalt Rd
Victoria, BC V9A 3N6
Telephone
250.479.8053
Fax
250.744.2251
Email
rscott@conservancy.bc.ca
  
Alternate Telephone
250.213.1013
Alternate Fax
 
Alternate Email
 
Project Plan of Action
Duration of Project
Larger (More than one semester)
If you know the duration more specifically, please indicate here
 
What are the specific deliverables that you expect of the student?
List of farmland trusts in Canada, US and UK
Research report with summary table
Estimated time commitment per week
3 - 5 hours
Liaison
Liaison Name
Ramona Scott
  
Liaison Position
Manager of Agricultural Programs
Liason Contact Info (If different from above)
 
How much time per week will the
liaison be available to the project?
1 - 2
How will the liaison provide direction and support to the project?
Through weekly phone calls with the student, and on-going email contact.
Student Researcher
Student area of study/experience
Agriculture
Geography
Business
Student skills/attributes
Attention to detail
Familiar with accessing a variety of research sources
Strong writing skills
Student related interests
Agriculture
Business

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