TITLE:
Integration of Agriculture and Wildlife Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Westham Island, British Columbia, Canada
AUTHORS:
Yuan Zhang, Julie E. Wilson, Les M. Lavkulich
KEYWORDS:
Ecosystem Services, Agriculture, Land Use Change, Wildlife Habitat
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.8 No.5,
May
27,
2017
ABSTRACT: There is concern regarding the loss of ecosystem
goods and services as a result of land use changes such as the expansion and
intensification of agricultural activities. Assessments of these interactions
require innovative analyses that combine qualitative and quantitative economic
analyses. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment framework was applied to a
peri-urban region in British Columbia, Canada to assess the effects of the
integration of agricultural programs and the maintenance of waterfowl habitat
located on the Pacific Flyway. The Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust, a
non-governmental organization, has implemented several activities to enhance
ecosystem goods and services by cooperative programs among the agricultural
community and wildlife interests. The successful collaborative framework has
resulted in enhanced soil quality, increased biodiversity, and the maintenance
of valuable agriculture and waterfowl habitat.