Determining the environmental benefits and socio-economical feasibility of a new type of riparian buffer

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The drainage of agricultural soils represents a major source of soil organic matter, pesticides and fertilizers to the extensive networks of ditches and streams characteristic of the Canadian arable lowlands. Protecting the ecological integrity of aquatic habitats and the quality of water resources represents a paramount challenge to which modern agriculture is currently faced. In this project, we intend to determine the ability of a green solution technique to efficiently reduce agricultural loadings to adjacent aquatic systems and to demonstrate that this technique can be profitable. Namely, we chose to test the biofiltration potential of narrow but dense riparian buffer strips (RBS) planted with fast growing willow clones, which are cut down every three years to generate bioenergy feedstock. Along with the collaboration of our socioeconomic partners, we established during the spring of 2009 on the North Shore of the St Lawrence River two sets of experimental RBS planted with the willow clone S. miyabeana SX64 with densities of either 15.000 or 30.000 stems/ha. From 2011 to 2013, our farmers partners will plant maize and soy in rotation in the experimental fields and apply their agro-chemicals as they normally do. For comparison purposes, each experimental display includes cultivated soils without RBS and with traditional RBS composed of trees of mixed species. In order to determine the efficiency of the experimental willow RBS to intercept agricultural loadings to aquatic systems, we will be sampling soils with a corer at a certain distance from the banks as well as dissolved and particulate fluxes with lysimeters and surface collectors. We will use particular integrative proxies to further our understanding of the dynamics and environmental impacts of agricultural diffuse pollution i.e. terrigenous biomarkers and cyanobacterial bioessays. In the short term, our project will contribute to demonstrate the sustainability of the proposed green solution technique as well as the conditions for its large scale social acceptance. In the long term, the collaboration with our research partners extended to regional, provincial and federal stakeholders will contribute to publicize and popularize a new option for an integrated management of cereal farming.