Agricultural land and community in British Columbia : UBC research farm and Oyster River community : towards an agri-culture

The Oyster River Research project begins by exploring the meaning of agriculture, the definition, the history, the cultural context of agri-culture, as well as the role of agriculture in our present day. An overview of the Agricultural Census 1992 is given to outline the Agricultural Industry past and present within Canada, and the major issues and constraints with regards to Agriculture in British Columbia are identified. Elements of farmland conservation, BC's ALR, as well as case studies and precedents regarding farmland conservation strategies are also discussed. From this research exploration, an understanding of the role and scope of UBC, the Oyster River Farm, and the surrounding community, locally and regionally is met, and programs capable of linking these issues are developed. These programs, in conjunction with the overall farm and community site design, exhibit the most beneficial means of defining and developing the relationship of UBC, the farm, and the community, while maintaining the integrity of agricultural land and the practice of farming for local food security. Ultimately, this design thesis offers a solution that attempts to serve UBC, the Oyster River Farm and the local / regional community in a manner most sensitive socially, ecologically, and economically to issues presently facing the Research Farm and the larger community of the Comox-Strathcona Regional District.Applied Science, Faculty ofArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofGraduat