MLA Students Contribute to Community Urban Microfarm Development

Master of Landscape Architecture students Emily French, Tim O’Brien and Elena Christy have been working as Graduate Research Assistants this summer on Project Soil (Shared Opportunities on Institutional Lands), a feasibility study that explores the potential of on-site food production at public healthcare and educational institutions. In Ontario, several institutions are already producing food on their properties as a way to generate revenue; supply nutritious fresh food for consumption (by staff, patients, students, etc.); provide therapeutic benefits; and build social enterprises.

The project is headed by Dr. Phil Mount (Wilfrid Laurier University / My Sustainable Canada). His team includes community partners at Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital, Homewood Health Centre, Food School Farm – Centre Wellington District High School, and GreenWerks. His research team consists of Irena Knezevic (Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at Wilfrid Laurier), Brendan Wylie-Toal (My Sustainable Canada), Linda Varangu (Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care), Alison Blay-Palmer (Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at Laurier), and Karen Landman (University of Guelph - Landscape Architecture).

Emily is working with the team at the Homewood Health Centre, Tim is working with the Food School Farm, and Elena is working with the KW Habitation project.

Elena's project in featured in The Record.