Local Food & Climate Change

What's on my mind these days, and a suitable topic for 2009 Blog Action Day on climate change, is local food production and how municipalities might help to make it easier for residents to produce food themselves and to buy locally-produced food.

The March 2009 issue of Municipal World ("Canada's municipal magazine since 1891") had an article talking about "foodshed strategy." It provides inspiring examples of ways that municipal governments and other organizations are finding ways to "shorten food chains and build community capacity."

A foodshed strategy, according to the article, includes three basic elements that depend on local resources and experiences:

- direct-marketing venues

- processes that connect producers and consumers

- avenues to develop greater access and security to food

There are aspects of these elements already in place in small ways in our region, and although we haven't completely lost our connection between food production and consumption in this area, we increasingly rely on food that comes from a great distance. Transporting food is a contributor to climate change; it also makes us vulnerable to disruptions in supply.

As a small step in this direction, since Peace River is currently reviewing its Animal Control Bylaw, I asked a local food advocate to do a presentation to inform Council (October 19, 5:30) about whether small scale poultry production Peace River might fit. It will be interesting to see how residents respond to this idea and to the more general idea of increasing local food production capacity.

There are visionary people in the region already working in practical ways on food issues. Municipal governments can provide support and leadership through appropriate bylaws, programs and other initiatives that could lead to a Peace regional foodshed strategy. The Town of Peace River is in the midst of developing a municipal sustainability plan; a foodshed strategy would fit in nicely. I'm looking forward to more discussion, but more importantly, action in this direction.

Watching the River

Peace River has received its annual river freeze-up advisory. It's a little earlier than last year due to the unseasonably cold weather.

The ice front is advancing quite quickly and could be within the Town limits as early as this weekend, so Town staff are on river watch and preparations are being made for freeze-up.

When the river freezes, the level goes up (think about what happens when you put ice cubes in a glass of water), so this is a time when we all watch things carefully. What we hope for is that the cold weather continues long enough for the ice cover to be well-established and that we don't get a rapid warm snap until the ice front is well past the Town. With those conditions, the problems associated with a second ice consolidation are less.

River observations are available on the Alberta Environment website. When you click on the map link and hover the mouse over each star, you'll see photos of the river at that location from the last flight (which was on December 18th). Interesting stuff for river watchers.

River Breakup Advisory: Town of Peace River

Alberta Environment issued a River Breakup Advisory today for the Town of Peace River. Yesterday, the ice front was approximately 68 km upstream from the town and it is expected to come through within the next 7 days. The full advisory is available at: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/water/ws/advisories/080319.pdf

Not to alarm anyone, but it's always good to be ready for anything at this time of year. For information on emergency preparedness, you can download the Annual Spring Break-Up Contingency Plan Information Brochure from the Town's website: http://tiny.cc/5Pap5