The Colony Regional Farm Sustainability Plan (COLSP) outlines a future where Colony Farm is a physical and virtual place for research, learning, and experimentation into the integration of sustainable food systems, wildlife, recreation and community. The concept of an on-site Academy for Sustainable Food Production is introduced as one of six academies that Metro Vancouver aspires to. These academies have research, demonstration, education and visitor services and further the ideas and principles of the Sustainable Region Initiative and Framework, including the target of more actively farmed land in the region. The Plan provides a physical arrangement and functional statements for the buildings, facilities, and infrastructure and outlines management regimes necessary to achieve Park and Academy goals. The Plan provides estimates of capital costs and establishes a priority program for Colony Farm.
SOURCE: http://www.hblanarc.ca/projects/project_details.asp?ProjectID=143, http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/parks_lscr/regionalparks/Pages/ColonyFarm.aspx
EDITOR’S NOTE: The balance between this natural wildlife preservation and agricultural landscape is an interesting strategy for a peri-urban park. Large-scale landscape management techniques provide a model for maintenance budget reduction of publicly-accessible space. Although located along in the urban periphery, bike paths from city center and electric buses facilitate access. The strength of this model is dependent upon its aim towards supporting research, education, biodiversity and sustainable land management techniques.