UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Nathan, Chloe A.
Dept./Program:
Plant and Soil Science
Year:
2010
Degree:
MS
Abstract:
In 2007, the Brewster Uplands Conservation Trust (BUCT), a 1,074 acre farm and forest property with recreation trails and diverse natural commuhities, was gifted to the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) with the intention of converting it to a recreational, agricultural and educational resource for the community. This thesis contains the results of a three-step process to develop creative visioning scenarios for community agriculture at the BUCT. For the purposes of this project, community agriculture is defined broadly as an agriculture-based operation whose mission includes engagement of the public.
Part I: Exploring Models tells the stories of six community agriculture organizations and extracts common themes related to the development, structure and impacts of these models. The themes that emerged were defining community, engaging community, engagement vs. production, financial structures, land use, land tenure, partner organizations, agricultural innovations, leadership, staying relevant and synergy.
Part 11: Exploring Community summarizes the results of interviews with approximately forty community members, creating a baseline understanding of the Cambridge community including its issues, needs and desires. The interviews revealed tensions among different groups in town (Le., long-time residents, commuters, resort residents), lack of a centralized information hub, and limited summer activities for children and teens, among other issues. Interviewees collectively expressed desires for the future BUCT, including place-based education, activities for older children and teens, continued maintenance and possible improvement of existing recreation trails, and agricultural connections to schools.
Potential BUCT collaborators from the Cambridge region were divided into five categories: organizations or individuals who could (1) occupy and manage the property, (2) farm the property, (3) provide a market for products, (4) provide support to farm operations, or (5) use the site for educational programs. Results from Parts I and II, as well as consolidated analyses of the landscape and consideration ofVLT's goals, informed the development of the three scenarios in Part III. The scenarios, intended as brainstorming tools for stakeholders, each push one theme to its reasonable limits, demonstrating the possibilities and limitations of potential land use and programmatic designs. The scenarios focus on the following themes: Agricultural Economy, Community Engagement and Sustainability Innovations.
With its multiple economic, social, educational and ecological functions, community agriculture organizations are particularly well-suited to address many of the challenges faced by our society today, including environmental degradation, suburban sprawl, food insecurity, and other issues. As these vast and inter-related challenges continue to grow and evolve, community agriculture will follow suit, providing relief and solutions in novel ways. Through the case studies and demonstration of a community-engaged visioning process, this paper serves not only to inform the design of one community farm at the BUCT, but also to inform the development of other community agriculture organizations. In particular, the paper explores the opportunity for land trusts to partner with community agriculture to support both healthy ecological and human communities.
Part I: Exploring Models tells the stories of six community agriculture organizations and extracts common themes related to the development, structure and impacts of these models. The themes that emerged were defining community, engaging community, engagement vs. production, financial structures, land use, land tenure, partner organizations, agricultural innovations, leadership, staying relevant and synergy.
Part 11: Exploring Community summarizes the results of interviews with approximately forty community members, creating a baseline understanding of the Cambridge community including its issues, needs and desires. The interviews revealed tensions among different groups in town (Le., long-time residents, commuters, resort residents), lack of a centralized information hub, and limited summer activities for children and teens, among other issues. Interviewees collectively expressed desires for the future BUCT, including place-based education, activities for older children and teens, continued maintenance and possible improvement of existing recreation trails, and agricultural connections to schools.
Potential BUCT collaborators from the Cambridge region were divided into five categories: organizations or individuals who could (1) occupy and manage the property, (2) farm the property, (3) provide a market for products, (4) provide support to farm operations, or (5) use the site for educational programs. Results from Parts I and II, as well as consolidated analyses of the landscape and consideration ofVLT's goals, informed the development of the three scenarios in Part III. The scenarios, intended as brainstorming tools for stakeholders, each push one theme to its reasonable limits, demonstrating the possibilities and limitations of potential land use and programmatic designs. The scenarios focus on the following themes: Agricultural Economy, Community Engagement and Sustainability Innovations.
With its multiple economic, social, educational and ecological functions, community agriculture organizations are particularly well-suited to address many of the challenges faced by our society today, including environmental degradation, suburban sprawl, food insecurity, and other issues. As these vast and inter-related challenges continue to grow and evolve, community agriculture will follow suit, providing relief and solutions in novel ways. Through the case studies and demonstration of a community-engaged visioning process, this paper serves not only to inform the design of one community farm at the BUCT, but also to inform the development of other community agriculture organizations. In particular, the paper explores the opportunity for land trusts to partner with community agriculture to support both healthy ecological and human communities.