The Contributions of Stewardship to Managing Agro-Ecosystem Environments

Abstract

Concerns about the management of agro-ecosystems in Ontario Canada have been precipitated by the increasing intensity of agriculture operations and concerns about its impact on the environment and human health. The management of agro-ecosystems for sus-tainability is particularly challenging due to their inherent features and the complex web of institutional arrangements in which they are set. This paper focuses on the concepts of regulation and stewardship. The conttibution of the environmental farm plan (EFP) program to environmental management in Ontario farms is specifically examined. The EFP program was initiated by farmers to minimize environmental impacts from farming practices; it is voluntary and founded upon the principles of stewardship. Results of a survey conducted with participants in the EFP program demonstrate that appreciable measures are being taken to manage environmental impacts from farming. The contributions of stewardship to managing agro-ecosystems are explored in the conclusion.