OWA Agroforestry Alliance Ideation Session 3 (Tree Intercropping/Polycultures, Perennial Biomass, Riparian Buffers, Hedges & Windbreaks )

 The purpose of this session is for farmers who are part of the living labs intake phase to ask questions about the intake survey they are required to fill out by Nov 5th. 

This specific session is focused on Tree Intercropping (Polycultures), Perennial Biomass,  Riparian Buffers, Hedges & Windbreaks.

The Ontario Woodlot Association (OWA),  was rewarded $100K from Agriculture and Agrifood Canada based on our Agroforestry Climate Solutions Living Labs proposal that we submitted in June this year. These funds were so that we could dedicate time and energy to submit a more detailed proposal for the Living Labs program to create a series of agroforestry living labs for climate change solutions. If successful with round two (due Dec), we will have up to $10M to set up 40+ living lab farms to explore a variety of agroforestry practices that include: Marginal land restoration, Shelterbelts, Riparian Buffers, Silvopasture, Alley Cropping, Establishment of perennial crops and polycultures, Woodlot enhancement with Non-Timber Forest Products, Bioeconomy solutions such as biofurnaces and more. 

We have partnered with the top agroforestry researchers on this project across Canada, and also have partners that include the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ecological Farmers of Ontario, National Farmers Union, Ontario Farmland Trust,  OMPSA, Ontario Biomass Producers Cooperative, and more. We are also looking to work closely with indigenous communities across Ontario.

The program is really all about reimagining agriculture where trees are welcomed on the landscape and seen as vital to our food system. .