GIS technology will help farmers manage run-off using local, site-specific data

Multidisciplinary research led by Dr. Wanhong Yang, professor of Geography at the University of Guelph, and funded over many years by Food from Thought, Environment and Climate Change Canada, ALUS Canada, and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, is using computer models to identify "hot spots" where agriculture is impacting southern Ontario watersheds.

There is abundant regional data about the impact of agriculture on water quality, but until recently, farmers had little to no access to local, site-specific data that could inform practical decisions to reduce their operations’ environmental impact.

A key goal is to enable targeted conservation practices that make good business sense. 

The tool will allow users to compare the cost and environmental impact of different beneficial management practices using site-specific data that lets farmers develop concrete strategies to reduce their individual impacts and understand the financial effects of those decisions.

Read the case study on the Food from Thought website: GIS Technology Refines Management of Agricultural Impact in Lake Erie Basin