Approach

Overview

Farmland Advantage is not a program open to applications from any BC-based farm. The program targets high risk and high opportunity areas in BC based on pre-determined selection criteria. Once these areas have been selected, Farmland Advantage will contact the farmers whose land falls within those boundaries and gauge their interest in participating in the program.

Once a farmer has been contacted by a Farmland Advantage advisor, they can choose whether they would like to participate in the program. Participation is voluntary and includes the following:

Assessment – allow a Farmland Advantage Advisor complete an initial assessment
Collaboration – farmer and advisor work together to decide which action will have the great impact on the land
Implementation – Farmer enters into a contracted agreement and begins implementation
Payment – The farmer receives a modest payment commensurate with the cost of the activities (annual average is $1,500 per site)

Types of Projects

All on-farm activities carried out under Farmland Advantage are agreed upon in advance by the landowner/steward and the Farmland Advantage advisor. Activities must directly support the ecosystem services the program targets and may include:

Tree & shrub planting
Riparian protection infrastructure (i.e. fencing or other barriers)
Weed and/or competitive vegetation management
Thinning trees or shrubs
Seeding
Targeted grazing
Managed fire

Site Selection

Farmland Advantage sites are chosen based on the following factors:

Funding Priorities – Priorities of funding agencies
GIS Procedure – Multi-scale GIS procedure to target regions, sub-regions, and sites
Industry Expertise – Industry expertise on the appropriate GIS mapping layers needed to align target areas with program / funder priorities
Ranking – Ecosystem Service Potential tool to rank farms based on their potential to contribute to ecosystem services
Other – Other considerations like watershed, winter range, elevation, slope, and species at risk

The process to select sites is as follows:

Ecosystem Service Goals are Set

Ecosystem Service Goals are set based on Farmland Advantage’s program scope and funder priorities. In 2021-2022 FLA targeted Riparian and Grassland sites, and aimed to improve habitats for Species at Risk, fish populations, and wildlife; enhance water quality; and reduce wildfire risk.

Appropriate Mapping Layers are Identified

Working groups are established which include subject matter experts (SMEs) such as academics, scientists, and government agency representatives. These SMEs consider the ecosystem service goals and advise what mapping layers to include in the hot-spot GIS analysis.

A GIS Hot Spot Analysis is Completed

The FLA program uses the mapping layers recommended by the SMEs to conduct a GIS hot-spot analysis. This process overlaps several maps, revealing the geographic areas known as “hot spots”. Hot spots indicate important locations to target.

Analysis Results are Vetted by Subject Matter Experts

SMEs review the GIS analysis results, ensuring the locations are the most appropriate to achieve the desired outcomes for that ecosystem using their local knowledge of the region. This stage also helps prioritize hot-spots when the number of hot-spots exceeds the capacity of the FLA program during any given funding cycle.

High Resolution Mapping of the Selected Hot Spots is Conducted.

High resolution mapping allows specific properties to be highlighted and prioritized. Inclusion into the FLA program is based on specific location, size, current land use, and other factors.

Farmers, Ranchers, and/or Landowners are Invited to Voluntarily Participate in FLA

Once a property in a targeted area is identified, FLA approaches the farmer, rancher, or landowner about willingness to participate. Participation is entire voluntarily.