Sustain Niagara: Supporting Innovation in Agricultural Land Management

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The growing fields of remote sensing, real-time wi-fi sensor networks, GIS, high performance computing and augmented reality (AR)/Human Computer Interface design (HCI) offer an opportunity to expand Niagara Colleges participation in local industry by providing technology and expertise to help manage land use. The Colleges new Land Use Technology (LUT) center is studying and using these technologies to build solutions for land use managers. The facility will expand its current abilities and expertise to help local industries collect and correlate data and turn it into useful land management information. Much of the expertise and technology housed in the Land Use Technology group was developed during the Niagara College CCI pilot project, working with planning engineers and local vineyard owners. Recent experience with new partners and environmental organizations has shown that the technologies have a wide application to both urban and rural land management, including greenhouse operations, tender fruit, horticulture, and waste and water management. The common thread that these operations share is a need to make the best use of available land both from an economical optimization standpoint and from a land stewardship point of view. New knowledge, tools and techniques will be shared and transferred through multi-disciplinary student and faculty teams from Niagara College and its academic partners, working hand in hand with industry partners, and linked strategically to sector groups and economic development organizations.