A team of researchers from the University of Guelph is working on a project which aims to identify and measure the ecosystem services provided by agricultural landscapes in Southern Ontario.
In addition to providing for crop and livestock production, researches believe agricultural lands also provide a valuable complement to the ecosystem services traditionally associated with natural areas.
That includes woodlands, wetlands, and stream corridor.
But to test the theory, the research group is seeking help from individual farmers from regions across southern Ontario including the Wellington and Waterloo areas.
The research is supported through the “Food from Thought” project.
Farmers that are interested in participating in the study will be asked to collect and share data on provisioning and social services, such as ecotourism and education.
And researchers would need access to land to assess soil quality, pollinator diversity, and wildlife habitat.
Work could start by summer and continue through next year.
Ineterested parties can contact Dr. Madhur Anand at manand@uoguelph.ca or call 519-824-4120 ext. 56254.
