BREAKOUT SESSION: Case Studies in Publicly Engaged Agroecology Research
Delaney, Sara Bello, Ali Ring, Alaina Scearce, Alex
Delaney, Sara
Bello, Ali
Ring, Alaina
Scearce, Alex
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Abstract
The Agroecology Lab at the University of Maine is an interdisciplinary group of faculty, post-docs, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, and affiliated cooperators. They are committed to conducting research and outreach that serves communities, with a special focus on the intersection between natural resource use (agriculture and forestry), human dimensions of natural resource use, and complex challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and environmental contamination. In this session, researchers at the lab presented various case studies of their research projects using photography and short descriptions, specifically highlighting the successes and challenges in achieving participation. Projects included: 1) partnerships with commercial growers in Maine investigating the effects of changing precipitation on wild blueberries, 2) a long-term interview-based study of the impacts of a climate adaptation educational fellowship program for northeast farmers and agricultural advisors 3) field trials inspired by farmer feedback which are testing new approaches to inter-seeding in order to make cover-cropping more accessible in the northeast 4) an investigation of PFAS contamination and crop uptake on Maine farms, and exploration of how this may be mitigated through farm management practices 5) and the establishment of an agroforestry research and demonstration site focused on alley cropping in the Northeast. Panelists used a story-telling approach to present their findings and concluded with stakeholder if applicable, depending on the current phase of each project. Attendees were then given time to discuss ideas for how participatory elements could be more fully integrated in these projects, with a goal of sparking ideas for future research initiatives.
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Date
2024-09-16