LANDSCAPE OVERVIEW

Each of Quebec's agricultural landscapes is facing unique issues, including:

LANDSCAPES IN PROXIMITY TO BIG CITIES:
Flooding of residences

INTENSIVE AGRICUTLURAL LANDSCAPES:
Water and soil degradation, biodiversity losses, absence of green corridor and riparian buffers

AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES FOR MILK PRODUCTION:
Changes in milk quotas (ALENA/NAFTA)

LANDSCAPES WITH MARGINAL AGRICULTURE:
High demand for recreational activities & new products

RESEARCH

LANDSCAPES WHERE RESEARCHERS HAVE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS

CASE 1: QUEBEC: WETLAND ECOSYSTEM SERVICE

​Conservation network

• 9 ES (regulation of river flow)
• SCP (Marxan)

Restoration priorities

• Cost
• Potential ES supply

Creation priorities

• Spatial analysis of ES demand
• Historical presence of wetlands
• Suitability of land (NEM)

APPROACH BASED ON:

• Site complementarity (Maxan)
• Biodiversity vs ES: need better evaluation of both
• Wetlands as selecting units: need to test with grids for a whole landscape
• Targets to achieve: Need scientific basis for establishing these, notably in link with people needs for ES (and perceptions)
• Spatial spatial flow between supply and demand: need to refine
• Integrity vs disturbances in wetlands: Need to better assess integrity and establish criteria for prioritizing restoration actions

CASE 2: INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE IN COASTAL ZONE: LSP

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop crop cultivation and agricultural practices adapted to the particular context of LSP:
  • 1790 ha of prairies in lower littoral
  • 2677 ha of good practices for annual crops in the higher littoral
• Evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of agricultural activites and of restoration projects
• Give recommendations for sustainable practices in LSP,  address problems also related to land management upstream.

​

Decline of fisheries

Changes in agricultural between 60’s and now.

CASE 3: INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE: ACADIA RIVER

OVERVIEW:

• Watershed of 150 km² including organic soil : really intensive (crop, crop, crop…)
• Annual crops + field vegetable production on big farms (+ 1M$ gross revenue per farm)
• Farmers and other stakeholders voluntary engaged for the rehabilitation of agroecosystem since 2015 in a Living Lab

RESEARCH THEMES:

• Soil erosion :  farmers aim to reduce suspended solids in the watercourse by 20% within 5 years
• Governance and methodology of the Living Lab
• Adoption of environmentally friendly practices by farmers

RESNET INVOLVEMENT:

• Interest : implication of farmers (60) and other stakeholders (ministry, municipalities, watershed organization, etc. = 56 professionals)
• Constraint : adopted a LivingLab methodology where farmers and stakeholders are going to construct the ResNET project directly with researchers from the beginning to the end (possible redefinition of objectives)​