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Agroforestry Steward Circle Launch Meeting

July 19, 2023

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1. Agenda

1) Welcome, housekeeping & agenda (Mary Simpson 2 min)

2) What happened with the Living Labs application? (Erica Dixon 15 min)

3) How are we moving forward? (Elliott Groen 20 min)

4) How will this work & how do you participate? (Mary Simpson 10 min)

5) Next meeting date (Erica 2 min)

6) Closing thoughts (Mary 2 min)

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2. Quick Recap - Erica

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History of the Network

Applied to AAFC ACS Living Labs Grant

Began to develop network interested in supporting agroforestry called “Agroforestry Alliance”

Held 15+ Farmer Engagement Sessions

We visited 40+ Partner Farms

Results from Survey Compiled and Proposal to ACS Living Labs Round 2 Drafted

Changed the name to “Ontario Agroforestry Network”

Proposal for Round 2 Living Labs Submitted with 120 Letters of Support

April-June 2022

Sept- Oct 2022

Nov-Dec 2022

Jan 2023

OWA received $100K from Living Labs Grant

Erica transitioned to Agroforestry Coordinator, Elliott Groen and Olyvia Foster joined OWA

Launched Farmer Survey

OMAFRA launched Trees on Farms webpage

Unsuccessful with Round 2 largely due to the time horizon required for trees to realize GHG reduction

Launch of Agroforestry Network with scaled-back resources

June 2023

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About our Proposed Program submitted to AAFC January 2023

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Our farmer survey and advisory committee geared our focus to three types of agroforestry due to limited adoption and high potential

promote adoption and advancement of other types of agroforestry which include Woodlots/farm forests, bioenergy plantings (ie. willow and poplar coppice), linear forests (windbreaks, shelterbelts, riparian buffers, christmas trees and other orchards

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We have received over 120 letters of support

50+ Farmers, Ontario Power Generation, ECCC, Nature United, NRCAN, Canadian Chestnut Council, EFAO, OMAFRA, Kawartha Land Trust, Dufferin County, Fleming College, Indigenous Communities & Individuals (Six Nations, Mohawk Seed Keepers, Ardoch FN & Manoomin Collective, Kichisiperini Algonquins, Wiijindamaan Restoration Project, Green Legacy Farm), Camphill Community, Canadian Ecology Centre UofG, UofT, Huron College at Western U, Trent U, Nippissing U, Algoma U, Ontario Farmland Trust, Ontario Hazelnut Association, National Farmers Union, Ontario Farmland Trust, Lanark County Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Sheep Farmers, Beef Farmers Of Ontario, NPCA, GRCA, LTVCA, Ontario Maples Syrup Producers, PPAQ, Langian Group, Forests Ontario FU, FCS, ALUS local pods, Arbe-evolution, Ontario Biomass Producers Cooperative, The Savannah Institute, Practical Farmers of Iowa, FP Innovations, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, Forest Products Association of Canada, Grimo Nut Nursery, Southern Ontario Nut Growers, Canadian Institute of Forestry, New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners, Canadian Herb Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association, Creative Communities, Common Earth Soil Health

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Time for 2-3 Questions about the recap

(Please write questions in the chat and we will answer 2-3 aloud. Additional questions will be collected and answered via email to all attendants)

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3. How can we move forward? - Elliott

(OWA’s proposal to our network)

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Working Vision

Working Mission

We envision a network of thriving and connected communities supported by agroforestry

Catalyze the development and adoption of agroforestry (ie. land management that integrates trees, perennials, crops and livestock) in Ontario to improve environmental, economic and social well-being.

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Proposed Aims

Agroforestry sites

Advisory & extension services with network support
Working and experimental implementation of agroforestry

Facilitate knowledge sharing:

Monthly Zooms (camp-fire style)
Events (field days, workshops, 10+/year)
Online info sessions (5+/year)
Factsheets & Videos (with partners such as OMAFRA)
Website portal with resources & map of network
Print media including Woodlander & other publications
Develop an accredited agroforestry training program
Collaborate on research

Capacity and infrastructure:

Establish agroforestry point-person each in region (within each OWA chapter or other local group
Grants, funding, partnerships
Capital investments
Develop land access relationships

Capacity and Infrastructure

Knowledge Sharing

Agroforestry Sites

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Example

SARFIP/seed processing facility

Storytelling around integrating conservation and production

Afforestation of marginal lands

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Time for Questions

(Please write questions in the chat and we will do our best to answer them or raise your hand and we will take a few verbal questions)

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Roundtable of Suggestions for the aims (ie. What other work should we be doing?)

(Please write suggestions in the chat or raise your hand and we’ll take a few verbal suggestions.)

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4. How will this work? How would you like to participate? - Mary

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You can give and receive to the network

Receive: Attend these monthly meetings, read materials, attend events
Give: Volunteer to work with small working groups

no more than 7 per group is best
to get something done (ie. host an event, launch an agroforestry trial, help find grant money, help get social platform set up etc.)
Erica will help coordinate these working groups until they are self-functioning

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Help Wanted! Please let us know if you can get involved (let us now now or email erica.dixon@ontariowoodlot.com)

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Working Group Aims	Current Group Members
Organize monthly steward circle meetings (ie. 2-3 campfire-style info sessions and 1 more formal touch-base meetings such this one before the end of the year), and support working groups with decentralized governance tools as needed	Mary Simpson, Erica Dixon, Paula LaPierre, Drake Larsen - currently forming
Organize and manage listserv, facebook group, google email group	Olyvia Foster, Erica Dixon, Drake Larson, others?
Support web page development and help collect links to all relevant information relating to agroforestry for webpage (ie podcasts, factsheets, handbooks, webpages, research etc)	Erica Dixon, others?
Organize and or host 2-3 in-person events before end of year	Val Steinman, Dean Assinewe, others?
Help with grant applications and share funding opportunities	Erica Dixon, others?
Help advise on agroforestry implementations (ie. agroforestry advisory group)	Elliott Groen, Erica Dixon, Naresh Thevasthasan, others?

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Roundtable to suggest any action items we missed? (Please write questions in the chat and we will do our best to answer them or raise your hand and we will take a few verbal questions)

Note: These working groups will be available on the webpage

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5. Next Meeting

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Next meeting Date

Scheduled for Aug 30th 6pm - a fun info session. Mark your calendars.

If you have suggestions these meetings, please email erica.dixon@ontariowoodlot.com who will bring them to the working group.

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6. Closing Remarks

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Summary

Thank you for attending
Calls to action:

Continue to attend events and engage (See OWA events calendar & google group)
Help build the network by volunteering to join a working group
Reach out to Elliott and Erica to co-design an agroforestry trial on your site or site you’re stewarding

Contacts:

erica.dixon@ontariowoodlot.com - Erica Dixon, Agroforestry Coordinator

elliott.groen@ontariowoodlot.com - Elliott Groen,Sustainable Forestry Coordinator