Agriculture is an integral aspect of survival for everyone on Earth. Unfortunately due largely to globalization, local farming in North America has been significantly reduced. Much of our food now comes from outside of Canada. This website and analysis asks the question:
Is there any room for farming left in the Lower Mainland?
As the map below shows, Agricultural land in the Lower Mainland has been gradually dropping over time. In fact, 20 square kilometers has been taken by housing development between 1996 and 2001. This size of land may not seem significant, but it is 10 times the size of Monaco, 38% of Bermuda, or 5 times the size of Stanley Park.
The threat of food and oil shortages has left us questioning our current way of life. Support for local farming is one of many ways we can help slow these shortages both by reducing the distance the food has to travel, and by supporting local business. Thus, it is of great importance that we try and increase the amount of agricultural land available to farm. This website aims to find land that could be used for just such a purpose.
In order to find such land, several factors had to be accounted for. These factors were:
- Soil Quality
- Current Land Use
- Access to Water
- Distance from Residential Areas
- Distance to Markets
- Slope
The methodology section will cover the specificities of these factors in more detail.
