The Agriculture Water and Waste group addresses the future challenges to sustainability such as climate change and resources availability on Lopez Island. We explore the implications of such challenges for the agricultural system, water supply, and waste management. We hope to identify strategies for moving towards more sustainable systems while reducing vulnerability on the islands. Some strategies we are exploring include:
- Increasing crop diversity
- Sustainable cultivation practices
- Â Ensuring water security
- Â Encouraging reduce, reuse, and recycle practices
- Composting to minimize waste and improve soil quality
Hello, Your project sounds interesting. Long term sustainability is important to many here on Lopez.
Demand for more diverse crops will facilitate increase crop diversity. If you are here for the Farmers’ Market this Summer you will see a range of produce not available at your typical grocery store. Farmers constantly explore the viability and popularity of various crops.
An on island food processing facility to add value to the abundant crops (veg., fruit, and meat) could increase the demand for and the variety of crops, as well as extend the market for Lopez Island products beyond seasonal abundance and to other markets.
You may notice many remnants of old orchards on Lopez. The San Juan Islands were once the main fruit production region of Washington State because they are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and their unique soil conditions, among other reasons. Some of these fruit trees are 60-70 years old, some even older. These old trees survive despite absolute neglect for decades and indicate perennial agriculture can succeed here. These (usually) standard size trees are compatible with other agricultural production. You will often see animals grazing among them.
The diversity of species capable of being grown in San Juan county has been explored extensively. For example, the Bullock Farm on Orcas Island is a genetic archive without a regional parallel. The Bullock brothers, who are advocates and teachers of Permaculture with decades of experience and experimentation, have established potentially useful plants from diverse climates around the world that provide genetic resources for a range of possible climatic variation. The Bullocks are just one family among others similarly engaged.
As luck would have it for you, waste management and recycling are pretty hot topics at this time as the Lopez Island community tries to gain political and economic control of these operations. You’ll get to visit our Take It Or Leave It where Neil Hanson and others have created a wonderful example of community resource recycling. Sadly, waste is not likely to be reduced until everyone stops buying so much single use stuff.
We welcome you to Lopez and look forward to hearing your ideas,
Looking forward to seeing you next week!
Faith