CJVI (University Cedar Hill Corner) Agriculture Proposal
From Common Energy UVic
This is a project of the Food Working Group
The CJVI lands on the south-east side of campus are an under-utilized campus resource. Once a family farm, this open field is currently used to store soil by the university, as an off-leash area for neighborhood dog-walkers, and by frisbee golfers. All that remains of the old farm is a small apple orchard. In keeping with the mission of moving UVic beyond "carbon neutral", the Food Working Group envisions the creation of an interdepartmentally-run garden on the site. Such a garden could serve as a powerful teaching tool not only on campus but in the wider Victoria community. It could be a place where students, faculty and staff, campus neighbors, school groups, and local farmers come together to learn from and teach each other about food systems, sustainable agriculture and sustainable business, health and nutrition, First Nations cultivation, and related topics. Easily available produce could increase the local food consumption on campus, thereby lowering the university's carbon footprint and improving the diets of students and staff. The garden as a social focal point could enhance campus/neighbor interactions and build a sense of community within campus. What we propose is a garden with three components- a vegetable plot which produces food for consumption on campus and in the community, a native plant area which explores First Nations food traditions (the products of which would also be available for consumption), and a community garden for small personal garden plots. As this idea is still in a "proposal" stage, our imaginations are the limit of what it could become! We believe the addition of a garden could be accomplished without compromising the interests of current CJVI lands users. The detailed proposal may be found here Media:CJVI_lands_proposal.pdf.
For more information on other campus agriculture initiatives, follow this link: http://www.newfarm.org/features/0104/studentfarms/directory.shtml
We are looking for individuals willing to help take on this massive project!!!
If you would like to get involved in proposal presentations, research, planning, garnering student/faculty/administration support, networking, etc. contact kkvale(at)uvic.ca
If you have suggestions on what form this proposal should take, general advice, etc. also contact kkvale(at)uvic.ca
[edit] Meetings Update
None at the moment
