Working cultural landscapes: US initiatives and strategies for their sustainability

Brenda BarrettNora Mitchell

World Rural Landscapes International Symposium in Milan5 November 2014

This presentation briefly reviews:

(1) Current trends in U.S. agriculture

(2) Recognizing and conserving heritage values

(3) Promising case studies for working landscape conservation

(4) Opportunities for the World Rural Landscape Approach

US Farmland as Percent of Land Area, by County 2012

INSERT PHOTO OF SMALL FAMILY FARM AND LARGE INDUSTRIAL FARM?

Percentage of Farms and Acreageby Farm Size

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Farms less than 500acres

Farms more than500 acres

Column 1 Percentage of Number of Farms by SizeColumn 2 Percentage of Acreage of Farms by Size

Crops from farmland in 2012

• Corn, soybeans, barley, hay sorghum grown on 2/3 US farmland - are used primarily for animal feed

• Some additional corn is used for ethanol production – eight times as much is produced today, compared with 2000

• A small portion of farmland is used to grow food

Recognizing heritage value of agricultural landscapes

• General lack of recognition of the heritage values of agricultural landscapes – especially with government agencies involved in agricultural policies and programs

• Agricultural landscapes are not currently well represented in the US listings of places with historic and cultural value

US NPS has developed an evaluation process with evaluation criteria for agricultural landscapes

Initiatives and StrategiesFamily Farms

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• Historic small farms and rural villages

• From 19th century commerce by river and canal

• Decline in agriculture

Revitalize historic farmsFamily Farms

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• New nonprofit organization in partnership

• Attract sustainable farming

• Markets for local products

• Educational programs

State-wide food policy and food systemsFamily Farms

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• Connect directly with communities

• State-wide food policy and food systems

• Enhance economic vitality of regional agriculture

programs

Initiatives and StrategiesFamily Farms

State of Vermont

• Rural landscape shaped in 18th and 19th centuries

• Today is sense of place for Vermonters

• Foundation for vibrant tourism economy

Initiatives and StrategiesFamily Farms

State of Vermont

• Demonstrated public support for working landscape

• Developed a vision for the future of Vermont based on participatory process and research

Family FarmsState of Vermont

• State policies and programs to support working landscape

• Joined other New England states in regional food policy – 50 by 60

Intensive Agriculture

Increased crop yield through mechanized equipment, chemical inputs, genetic modification, and shift to

patterns of intensive tillage

Characterized by concentration and consolidationof land use.

Majority of farm acres in the US are inintensive also known as industrial use

Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area

Initiatives and StrategiesSilos and Smokestacks

37 counties in Northeastern Iowa20,000 Square MilesPrimarily corn and soybean cropping

Designated a National Heritage Area

Interprets: Science and technology of agriculture and farm to factory, including the role and history of agribusiness

Grazing Land

Primarily beef cattle ranching over 367,000,000 acres

In the western USgrazing occurs on both

public and private lands

Grant Kohrs National Historic Site

Heritage Initiatives Gant Kohrs National Historic Site

Located in Northwestern Montana interpretsranching cattle in the period prior 1885

Today manage 100 head of cattle on 1,600 acres(once was 10 million acre empire)

Strategies: Programs on sustainable grazing and animal stewardship – help conserve continuity of use of the landscape.

Specialty Cropping

Defined in the US as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits,

horticulture, and nursery crops

The fruits and vegetables that the nation puts on the table

At risk as 91% of US fruit and 78% of vegetables are in urban influenced areas

Adams County Fruit Belt

Heritage AgricultureSouth Mountain Fruitbelt

• Located in Mid- Atlantic State of Pennsylvania

• 20,000 acres of apple and stone fruit orchards

• Close to rapidly urbanizing metropolitan areas

• Strategies: Young farmers network, local branding, heritage surveys, tours, signage and heritage festivals

Heritage Foods

• Blueberry Barrens

• Cranberry Bogs

• Chiles

• Wild Rice

Future Initiatives and StrategiesHeritage Foods

Organic and Heirloom Markets

Farms try new ways to market food

A small but growing number of farms and ranches are finding new ways to market their products and connect to their communities.

oDirect sales to consumers – 6.9% of farms

oDirect sales to retailers – 2.3% of farms

oValue-added products – 4.5% of farms

oAgritourism – 1.4% of farms

Farmers Markets

Major Trends: Challenges & Opportunities

• Intensification and consolidation of farmland

• Cropland under development pressure or repurposed for energy and commodity production

• Aging work force

• Small scale effort for direct marketing

• Growing awareness of heritage value

• Interest in food quality and security