2025 Provincial Workshop

Delivered in partnership with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, ACARN’s 2025 annual workshop was Lab to Land: Advancing water and soil research for agricultural resilience. Since 2017, ACARN has hosted these interdisciplinary knowledge-exchange events that showcase BC-based climate action research and programs supporting agricultural resilience. Constructive dialogue between producers, researchers, government staff, and agricultural professionals is a key outcome.

Sessions explored current agricultural climate change research and projects from across the province, including keynote sessions on Indigenous partnered initiatives. We heard from those working on the ground and learned about the research and programs emerging to advance agricultural research and support BC farmers. Key topics included:

💧Water – Collaborative Approaches to Drought Resilience

🌱Soil – Supporting Ecological and Community Resilience

Workshop Proceedings

“I learned that there are lots of ongoing research initiatives in the province that are accessible to farmers or farmer-led.”

“Forwards and onwards to decolonization of the land and settler agriculture.”

“My key takeaway: good science requires good community building practices whether with farmers, indigenous communities, researchers, policy makers, etc.”

“I wish I had more time to dial in!”

“I appreciated the relevant holistic research that integrates TEK with western science for watershed stewardship and food security”

“I realized I want to learn more about ET and plant relationships. There is a weather station <2 km from my farm; data and ET online! It will complement my existing on-farm data.“

Water – Collaborative Approaches to Drought Resilience

With increasing droughts and climate variability affecting British Columbia’s agriculture, water security and sustainable management have become critical priorities. Efforts are underway to support producers, Indigenous communities, and conservationists through initiatives like Beaver Dam Analogues, Water Sustainability Plans, and the expansion of BC AgriWeather. By fostering collaboration between government agencies, local communities, and Indigenous groups, these projects aim to protect natural resources, mitigate climate impacts, and secure the future of agriculture in BC.

🎥 Watch workshop sessions

Towards adaptive agricultural water management: Indigenous-led co-governance in the Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) Watershed

Resources

Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) Watershed Plan: https://www.koksilahwater.ca/

Exceptionally low summer flows in the Koksilah River, combined with increasing water demands, threaten the watershed’s health, including fish survival, Cowichan Tribes’ rights, farmers’ livelihoods, and residents’ well-being. Current drought response actions have helped the ecosystem but create socio-economic uncertainty for farmers.

In this session, we learned about how Cowichan Tribes and the Province of BC are working with local communities to develop a Water Sustainability Plan (WSP). This plan aims to create adaptive management policies to prevent water conflicts and protect ecosystem health, and serve as a model for other watersheds in BC.

Natasha Overduin, Joint Executive Director, Xwulqw’selu Watershed Planning Team

Natasha Overduin is a facilitator with Compass Resource Management, specializing in planning and decision-making for natural resource management. She currently serves as Executive Director for the Xwulqw’selu (Koksilah) Water Sustainability Plan, collaborating with Cowichan Tribes and the Government of BC to lead this groundbreaking initiative—the first of its kind in the province. Natasha is driven by a passion for helping groups achieve better outcomes: for the land, the water, and their relationships. She lives in Nanaimo.

Addressing drought through on-farm research and extension 

Resources

Towards water security for agriculture in BC: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is addressing increasing droughts and water scarcity through extension, education, funding, and cross-agency collaboration.

Lisa Levesque, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Lisa Levesque leads the Water & Sustainability team in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food which is focused on promoting sustainable water, riparian and biodiversity management practices within the agriculture sector. With a passion for finding collaborative solutions to complex, interdisciplinary problems, Lisa has worked on a variety of conservation- and natural-resource focused programs, policies and initiatives in multiple provincial government agencies since 2006. Lisa holds a B.Sc in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph and an M.Sc in Interdisciplinary Science from the University of Victoria.

Expansion of provincial weather monitoring network for agriculture: The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food is expanding weather monitoring and launching BC AgriWeather to help producers navigate climate variability.

Andy Nadler, Peak HydroMet Solutions 

Andrew Nadler is a Professional Agrologist and Agricultural Meteorologist who has worked with weather, climate, and water monitoring networks both in Western Canada and internationally. In his role as owner of Peak HydroMet Solutions, he collaborates closely with various organizations and farms in BC, helping them enhance their sustainability and resilience through the application of new technologies and innovative solutions. Andy holds a master’s degree in Soil Science (Agrometeorology) from the University of Manitoba and a BSc in Geography.

Regenerating watercourses on ranches: Beaver Dam Analogues in the Nechako Valley: Ranchers, conservationists, and researchers are trialing Beaver Dam Analogues to combat drought, flooding, and wildfire by restoring streams, improving water regulation, and supporting aquifer health.

Wayne Salewski, Nechako Environment and Water Stewardship Society

Wayne Salewski comes from an agricultural background and was proudly the first Range Officer on the Ranger station in Vanderhoof. He is the current Chair of both the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Center and the Nechako Environment and Water Stewardship Society and has been recognized National by Earth Day Canada as a Hometown Hero and Provincially by DFO. Fraser Basin Council and School District 91 for his work. Wayne was also nominated for a King Charles 111 Coronation medal for his contributions to Conservation.

Towards an evapotranspiration monitoring network & connections across water research areas 

Resources

Plant Water Relations Lab: pwr.landfood.ubc.ca

Figuring out how to irrigate efficiently is a complex research question that involves understanding real-time interactions between plant needs, soil moisture, and climatic conditions.

This discussion session helped connect the participants with researchers at the forefront of investigating what’s happening at the plant level, and how evapotranspiration data could inform management.

Dr. Thorsten Knipfer, University of British Columbia

Dr. Thorsten Knipfer is a Professor in the Applied Biology and Plant Science program at UBC (Vancouver). He leads the Plant-Water Relations lab at UBC, where his research focuses on understanding how drought affects woody perennial crops. Using a mix of new and traditional methods, he studies how water stress and recovery impact plant performance. His work aims to identify drought-resistant crop varieties and develop sustainable water-saving practices.

Soil – Building Ecological and Community Resilience

This workshop day brought together farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals to explore community approaches to soil health, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture. Sessions covered soil processes in ancestral forest gardens, on-farm soil biology testing, and collaborative projects trialing regenerative practices. Discussions highlighted the importance of soil health in climate adaptation and considerations for using of soil biology testing in management decisions.

🎥 Watch workshop sessions

Restoring Indigenous forest gardens: The influence of ancestral stewardship on soil processes 

Resources

SoilRes3 Lab: soilres3.landfood.ubc.ca

For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest planted and actively stewarded food forests, which have been aptly named “forest gardens”. These agroecosystems are made up of beaked hazelnut, pacific crabapple, and a variety of berries, roots, and medicinal species. Participants of this session learned about ancestral stewardship practices, the beneficial impact on soil processes and properties, and the work being done to revitalize these multifunctional ecosystems. 

Dr. JT Cornelis, Alyssa Robinson, Kristen Pundyk, Jack Edgar, SoilRes3 Lab, UBC

The SoilRes3 Lab at UBC focuses on studying the interactions between soil processes and the cycling of essential elements in terrestrial ecosystems, especially as they respond to both natural changes and human impacts. Rooted in soil-plant feedback, Dr. JT Cornelis’ team explores the intricate soil, land and people relationships in diverse eco-cultural contexts, striving to enhance ecosystem resilience. Through respect and reciprocity in relationships with Indigenous communities, his team is committed to decolonizing the discipline of soil science to inform the reintroduction of Indigenous practices, thereby supporting the effort of the land to maintain stable homeostasis.

Jack Edgar and Kristen Pundyk work towards the revitalization of Indigenous soil amendments while Alyssa Robinson investigates how ancestral Indigenous forest garden practices influence soil processes and properties.

Panel: Farmer-led soil research projects for climate adaptation and mitigation

Resources

Soil health is a key priority, but best practices vary by farm. This session featured four projects collaborating with farmers to test and measure management practices, highlighting their role in climate adaptation and user-driven solutions.

The BC Living Lab

Jesse MacDonald, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Jesse MacDonald is a biologist with 16 years experience with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, and is currently Summerland’s Knowledge and Technology Transfer Officer. His peer-reviewed publications span across the disciplines of fungal pathology, virology, entomology, and physiology in horticultural commodities. He sits on a number of industry research and extension committees and leadership groups, and is the current president for the Professional Pest Management Association of BC and the Canadian Phytopathological Society BC chapter. His roles also include science coordinator for the Peace Region Living Lab and BC Living Lab, within the Government of Canada’s flagship Agricultural Climate Solutions program.

The On-Farm Demonstration Research Program

Marjo Dessureault, E.S. Cropconsult

Marjolaine Dessureault is a Professional Agrologist located in Pemberton, British Columbia. Her work focuses on delivering Integrated Pest Management (IPM), research, and environmental assessment services to farmers. She is the Research Director at E.S. Cropconsult Ltd., and through this work, helps clients design research that will be meaningful to them and to the agricultural industry.

The Soil Health Assessment Pilot

Dieter Geesing, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Dr. Dieter Geesing (P.Ag., RPBio.) is the Soil Management Specialist for the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the soils instructor for the agricultural department at the University of the Fraser Valley. Dieter has worked in and around soils and in the organic waste industry for over 30 years. Soils-related projects have ranged from lab work to field work in forest, urban, and agricultural soils. He has designed growing media for the horticulture industry, created erosion and sediment plans for construction sites, and designed and implemented water and fertility management plans in and outside Canada.

Salish Regenerative Farm Society 

Peter Doig

Peter Doig is co-Princial and Senior Professional Agrologist at Upland Agricultural Consulting. With over 20 years of experience in industrial biochemistry, microbiology, crop production, and bio-products development, Peter has managed teams of scientists, engineers, and farmers, and collaborated with finance teams. Passionate about systems-based thinking and project management, he supports agri-tech start-ups, co-founding Rubicon Organics and contributing to Salish Soils and Origin Organic Farms. He has written organic cultivation standards, including for cannabis with the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA). He holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph and an MSc in BioResource Engineering from UBC.

Evaluating on-farm soil biology testing

As we build a deeper understanding of the importance of soil health for climate resilience, researchers are pushing boundaries to better understand the role of microbes and soil biology in agriculture.

In this session, we learned about how on-farm soil biology testing is rolling out in BC research, and held a Q&A about the expectations we can have for soil biological amendments to influence soil biological health at various timescales.

Miranda Hart, University of British Columbia Okanagan

Dr. Miranda Hart is a Professor in Biology at UBC Okanagan. Her research is focused on microbial ecology of soil microbes and the role and applications of microbes in sustainable agriculture, viticulture, and ecological restoration. In addition to her research, she acts as Editor in Chief of Current Research in Microbial Science, as Director of the Plant Growth Facility at UBCO, and is Co-Director of the Wine Research Center.

Funding Acknowledgement

Funding for this event has been provided by the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food through CleanBC.