Maximum Sustainable Yield Sustainable Agriculture Design Project

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTION Maximum Sustainable Yield is an urban agriculture project in which students will investigate and apply principles of ecology and sustainable agriculture to develop and carry out a plan for growing the maximum amount of food throughout the winter season within a 3x4 garden plot in the San Rafael High School Garden. Students will work in groups to design a planting, growing, monitoring and harvesting plan. They will evaluate the results as they carry out the plan and reflect on the possible applications of what they have learned to the world at large. The final project will be presented during the Spring Semester in the form of a paper and an oral presentation with visual aids. The design challenge is to grow the maximize amount of food within the given time and space while also maximizing on the sustainability criteria outlined in the rubric below. The criteria were developed to reflect the fact that effective sustainable agriculture simultaneously meets environmental, economic and social objectives. Sustainability Background Design, Discussion Reflections Total Criterion Research Implementation of Results and Future Points and Context and Monitoring and Implications Possible Conclusions
1 Effective use of water conservation techniques. Effective management and monitoring of soil, nutrients and use of soil amendment. Positive contribution to biodiversity including but not limited to, pest management plan. Effective management of monetary and human resources. Maximizing food yield measured in mass and nutrient density. Positive contribution to long term sustainability of the garden within the SRHS community. TOTAL POINTS

25 25

25 25

25 25

25 25

100 100

25

25

25

25

100

25

25

25

25

100

25

25

25

25

100

25

25

25

25

100

600

Students will be graded on how well their plan actually meets the outlined criteria, and on the quality of their explanations, justifications and reflections on each of their design choices. Each criterion will be scored on a scale of 1 - 100. The final score earned out of a total of 600 possible points for each team will be split evenly between all students on the team according to the teams decision.

PROJECT PHASES

The four phases of the project will be presented in the form of a paper as well as an oral presentation with visual aids. 1. Background Research and Environmental/Historical Context a. Outline Due Monday Nov. 18th b. Paper Due: Tuesday Nove. 26th 2. Action Plan Design, Implementation and Monitoring 3. Analysis and Discussion of Process and Results 4. Reflections and Future Implications

Phase 1- Background Research and Environmental/Historical Context

Criterion 1: Effective use of water conservation techniques
Background Research Topic: Water resources, water conservation, agricultural uses of water and their environmental effects. Fresh water is one of our most vital and limited natural resources. The use of fresh water for agricultural purposes has had a profound impact on natural and economic systems. In fact, according to your text book, irrigation of crops accounts for about 70% of the worlds water use. After reading chapters 8, 12 and 13 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on the importance of water conservation emphasizing the impact of agricultural uses of water. Possible topics to include in your paper: 1. Overview of global fresh water sources and usage. 2. Causes and effects of the water shortage problem. 3. Competition for water rights farmers vs. urban areas. 4. Freshwater resources in the United States. a. The role of the Reclamation Act of 1902 in promoting irrigation and water development projects in the west. b. Land and Water Conservation fund of 1964 c. Water Conservation Act of 2009 5. Freshwater resources in California. a. The California Water Project and the conflict over water in California. 6. Environmental Effects of agriculture use of water. a. Salinization b. Pesticide and herbicide runoff. c. Fertilizer runoff. d. Reduced water flow in streams and rivers due to the large amount of water diverted for agricultural use. e. Effects of dams on ecosystems. 7. Outline of solutions to limited water resources a. Analyzing advantages and disadvantages of selected solutions. b. Examples, case studies. 8. Importance of water conservation at the local level. Reflecting on how what you have learned relates to the Maximum Sustainable Yield Project. Action Plan: Work with your team to develop a planting plan that minimizes the need for excessive water use to grow food in your plot. In addition to the planting layout and timing, look into and apply other water saving techniques. Examples to investigate include mulching, choosing soil amendments that reduce water loss, such as biochar, watering techniques such as drip irrigation, using rain water for irrigation, monitoring, soil moisture and amount of rainfall and watering accordingly. estimate how much water you think your plot will require and how often you expect to water. Carefully measure and record the amount of water you actually use over the growing season.

Criterion 2: Effective management and monitoring of nutrients and use of soil amendment 2

Background Research Topic: Soil formation, structure, conservation and effects of agricultural techniques that conserve soil. Soil erosion due to agriculture is one the most pressing environmental concerns today. Recent developments in soil science and preservation are at the cutting edge of improving agricultural methods to both increase crop yields and minimize land degradation. After reading chapter 12 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on the importance of soil conservation emphasizing the impact of agricultural of soil. Possible topics to include in your paper: 1. Introduction to soil how it forms, how long it takes, soil horizon structure, different types of soil. Roles of soil in ecosystems and agricultural systems. 2. How topsoil is maintained in natural ecosystems. 3. Worldwide ecosystems most used for agriculture. 4. Causes of loss of topsoil 5. History of soil conservation in the U.S. a. the dust bowl b. the Soil Erosion Act 6. Current negative impacts of agricultural techniques on soil: desertification and salinization. 7. Soil conservation techniques a. Cover cropping b. Conservation tillage, no till and minimum till farming c. Wind breaks, alley cropping and agroforest 8. Restoring soil fertility a. Organic fertilizers: manure, compost b. Crop rotation, nitrogen fixers c. Perennial crops d. Understanding and preserving soil microorganisms 9. How can our food system better model the Four Principles of Sustainability outlined by your text book? Action Plan: Before planting, test soil in your plot for nitrogen, pH, phosphorous and potassium content and evaluate the soil composition. Develop a plan for maintaining soil quality throughout the growing season that makes used of some of the soil conservation techniques you read about in the research phase of the project. Your plan should clearly outline when you will collect data and what data you will collect. Some points to consider when developing your plan: What soil amendments will you use, if any and why? How often will you test soil nutrients? Will you participate with the other Criterion 2 students in your class to make compost or will you work with the Criterion 4 student in your group to get donations of soil amendments or raise money for them?

Criterion 3: Positive contribution to biodiversity -including pest management plan. Background Research Topic: Traditional pest management vs Integrated Pest Management. 3

Importance of biodiversity to agriculture. Effects of agriculture on biodiversity. After reading chapters 9, 10 and 12 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on the importance of conserving biodiversity emphasizing the impact of agriculture on biodiversity as well as the role of biodiversity in maintaining healthy agricultural systems. 1. The importance of biodiversity to agriculture, agricultural effects on biodiversity and strategies to preserve biodiversity. a. crop plant biodiversity b. pollinator biodiversity http://www.pollinator.org/nappc/pollinators.htm i. The global honey bee crisis - Causes of Colony collapse disorder 1. http://e360.yale.edu/feature/declining_bee_populations_pose_a_thre at_to_global_agriculture/2645/ 2. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/intheworks/honeybee.htm c. soil microbe biodiversity 2. Short history of agricultural pest control and its effects on biodiversity including a. changes in types and amounts of insecticides used. b. comparing agricultural use of insecticides to home usage and other uses. 3. pros and cons of chemical pesticides and herbicides a. Broad spectrum agents vs narrow spectrum agents b. pesticide/herbicide persistence c. The glyphosate Dilemma 4. The Federal Insecticide, herbicide and fungicide Act of 1947 and 1972 5. The effect of monocultures vs. polycultures on biodiversity. 6. pro and cons of biological control of pests 7. The Food quality protection act of 1996 8. Integrated Pest Management a. goals and methods b. pros and con c. success stories, best uses. 9. How can our food system better model the Four Principles of Sustainability outlined by your text book? Action Plan: Work with the criterion 5 student in your group to develop a planting plan that is conducive to both pest management and preservation of biodiversity. Develop a plan to identify and monitor any pests that may appear over the growing season. Develop a plan for the non-vegetable bed areas of the garden that includes increasing ecological biodiversity such as planning a pollinator garden. Engage your class in a citizen science program in which specific insects are tracked such as the Lost ladybug project, the butterfly project, bumblebee or other native bee project, the great sunflower project, the monarch project or the dragonfly project. All projects can be found on the Xerces Society websites, citizen science pagehttp://www.xerces.org/citizen-science/pollinator-citizen-science/ Criterion 4: Effective management of monetary and human resources. Background Topic: Economic Development For sustainable agriculture to be effective it must be both ecologically and economically sustainable. That means that the plan must ensure that both the human and financial resources are used 4

efficiently.After reading chapters 12 and 23 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on the environmental and human impact of the economic economic decisions concerning food production. 1. How can the economics of our food system better model the Four Principles of Sustainability outlined by your text book? 2. What is the role of government regulation in promoting sustainability? 3. The economics of food systems a. What factors affect global food prices? b. What factors affect local food prices? c. Comparing Industrial farming to smaller local farms d. What is the role of government policies? i. The Farm Bill Action Plan: Work with each of the members of your team to develop a budget for the cost of the growing plan for the entire season. Budget must include estimates of expected expenses and income. Track actual expenses and income. If food is to be given away calculate the approximate income that would have been obtained if the food were actually sold at the market. Work with each of your team members to consider the big picture of what will need to be done when and by whom ensuring that the plan can actually be reasonably carried out by your team members. Decide with the other criterion four students in your class what regulations are reasonable, fair and will best support and promote the goals of the project. For example, should students be able to invest their own money or resources into their project? Should the Criterion 4 people work as a collective to raise funds and seek donations for the class as a whole or should you work independently? To what extent should the science department subsidise the project? Criterion 5: Maximizing food yield measured in mass and nutrient density. Background Research Topic: Achieving Global Food Security After reading chapters 6 and 12 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on global food security over time emphasizing the impact on human populations and the environment. 1. Global History of agriculture. a. Traditional agriculture vs industrialized agriculture vs. sustainable agriculture. i. Compare yields and environmental impacts b. Changes in amount of food produces over the course of agricultural development. 2. Meeting the needs of the growing world population. What is food security? a. How have we done so far? What are the next steps? b. How is food produced? 3. The role of genetically engineered crops in producing greater crop yields. 4. The role of sustainable agriculture in solving the world food crisis. 5. How can our food systems better model the Four Principles of Sustainability outlined by your text book in respect to your research area? 5

Action Plan: Work with the other members of your team to lead the creation of a winter season planting plan for the 2x3 plot. (This is the one you will actually carry out this year.) Develop a planting plan for the warm season. (This one may be carried out if project results in a sustainable long term garden program.) Work with Criterion 6 person to decide where harvest will go and how and when it will be harvested. o Ideas: Collaborate with SRHS Friday food bank. o Cook and give away to students at lunch. (Salads are easy and good.) o Open an actual stand at a local farmers market and sell it for a profit. o Collaborate with homeless shelter/food bank. Work with the Criterion 3 person (biodiversity) in your group to select one perennial food source to add to a non- raised bed areas of the garden. o Where will it be planted and how will it be cared for over the years? Possibilities:Chayote, Kiwi, Fruit trees such as apples, oranges, pears or plums, herbs, an herb garden. Criterion 6: Positive contribution to long term sustainability of the garden within the SRHS and greater Marin County community. Background Research Topic: The role of local efforts in solving the global food crisis and environmental problems. After reading chapters 12 and 22 follow up with addition research to write a six page expository paper on the role of local food systems in urban areas. 1. History and current prevalence of agriculture in Marin County. i. http://ucanr.edu/sites/Grown_in_Marin/What_Do_We_Grow_Today_489/Abo ut_Marin_Ag/Historical_Roots_of_Marin_Agriculture_874/ 2. Social and environmental impact of agriculture in Marin. a. Local agricultures effects on food security and environmental impact. b. The value of preserving local agriculture in Marin. 3. How can our food system better model the Four Principles of Sustainability outlined by your text book in respect to your research area? Action Plan: Decide, with your teams input, what you will do with the harvest. Create a website/blog to engage and inform the public about your project. Organize a garden leadership team to involve SRHS students on an ongoing basis. Outline the goals and structure of the organization including important roles to be filled and seasonal events. Consider what it would take to sustain the garden for the long term. Choose a time horizon - 5 maybe 10 years. Consider that club participation ebbs and flows year to year. Sustaining the garden requires a great deal of commitment and work and is most effective when it is integrated with an existing curriculum. Some possibilities are APES classes, PAL class, AVID class, Banyan program, health classes. Consider partnering with an established outside organization. For ideas, look into The Edible SchoolYard website, The Agriculture Institute of Marin, http://www.agriculturalinstitute.org/

U.C. Cooperative Extention Marin County http://cemarin.ucanr.edu/ and The Marin Community Foundation.

Introduction to Project From Miller/Spoolman Chapter 1 1. Describe how your plan balances the goals of both maximum sustainability and maximum yield. a. Discuss the natural capital employed over the course of your project include use of both natural resources and natural services. b. Discuss the amounts and sources of both renewable and non-renewable resources used. From Miller/Spoolman Chapter 2 1. Explain how your project is a model of a system. What is it modeling? What information have we used to design the model? What are the limits of the model? 2. Describe the input, throughput and output for one negative feedback loop within the system. Do the same for a positive feedback loop within the system. 3. Describe the key organic and inorganic nutrients in the system that will affect your results. For each explain how you will monitor and manage these nutrients.

From Miller/Spoolman Chapter 3 7

1. Describe the ecological community that exists in the garden ecosystem and explain how the planting and harvesting plans affects it over time. Use any of the following concepts a. Trophic levels b. Autotrophs/ producers Heterotrophs/consumers (all levels and types) Energy Flows and Nutrients Cycle c. Biomass d. Ecological Efficiency e. Pyramid of energy flow f. Gross Primary Productivity vs. Net Primary Productivity g. Cycles: Water, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulfur 2. Elaborate on one species in particular from your discussion for point 5 above. Choose a native animal or plant and describe how the garden plan will affect its population. Discuss the species niche requirements including the range of tolerance and limiting factors.Endemic or threatened

From Miller/Spoolman Chapter 4 Biological Diversity, Species diversity, Genetic diversity, Functional diversity Biological evolution: mutations, natural selection, differential reproductive success, adaptations Extinction, endemic species Indicator species, keystone species, foundation species
Miller/Spoolman Chapter 12 What is food security? Food production over human history. Industrialized agriculture Plantation agriculture Subsistence agriculture The green revolution The role of genetic engineering on agriculture Recent Changes in modern diet 1950s to present Environmental impact of food production Soil erosion Desertification Salinization and water logging Loss of biodiversity Agricultural pests, pesticides Integrated pest management Improving food security Reducing soil erosion Restoring soil fertility Moving down the food chain Organic agriculture

The Final Report 8

Data: Students must track and record the following over the course of their project: Water How much water did you use eac week and overall? What design elements d you use to attempt to reduce the amount o water used over the course of the project Was your use of water efficient? If yo believe so, support your assertion. If n what happened? Money: How much did the project cost each week and overall? What was your source of income? Was your use of money efficient? If you believe so, support your assertion. Did you generate any income throughout the project? If you had actually sold your produc at the farmers market how much money wou you have made? Or conversely, if you had grown these vegetables for your family how much would your family have saved? Nutrients N-P-K and pH testing monitoring and amending. Were the number and type of test you chose to do effective in supporting your goals of maximizing both sustainability and yield. Soil Amendments How did you decide what and when to amend. Justify your decisions? Analyze the environmental impact of your amendments Yield by Weight: How much of each crop b weight did you produce by April 1st? Yield by calories harvested. How much of each crop by calorie did you produce by Apr 1st? Biodiversity Index (before/during/after) Do you have any evidence to show that your plan had an impact on biodiversity? Discuss and justify your answer. Pests: Outline a pest management plan. How did you monitor and manage pest? Effect on neighboring plots Analysis of problems

Report Sections Introduction/Historical Information A brief history of agriculture Include these transitions: o Hunter Gatherer D Agricultural Revolution DGreen Revolution o Discuss the effects of changing agricultural practices on human lifestyle and population Compare and contrast costs and benefits of modern Ecological/Sustainable agricultural practices with the agricultural practices of the Green Revolution. o Emphasize costs/benefits to the environment in general and directly to the human population. Brief Agricultural History of Marin County o Historically and currently what has been grown in Marin? What about, the land use history of San Rafael High School are the immediate area? How does the community, local and small farm movement fit in? Question or questions that this design project will explore and inform. Possible Sources: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/transitions-in-agriculture/drivers-of -agricultural-transition http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_agriculture_20121207.pdf Rooftop gardening 3 min video http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/rooftop-farming-14837688 Background on each parameter tested/observed and Project Plan 1. What is the current state of soil and garden space in general? Include, soil composition, results of N,P ,K and pH tests. 2. Biodiversity observations pollinators, pests, beneficial insect, weeds. Investigate and diagram the food web that exists in the garden area in general. Document and quantify any observable signs of that food web directly in your assigned plot. 3. What are you going to grow? Will you start seeds indoors or in the garden? How will you space the seeds/seedlings. When will you plant each? When do you expect to harvest each crop? How much to you expect to harvest? Make a sketch of your plot. 4. Will you amend your soil and how? What is your rationale for your choice? 5. How much will the project cost and how will you fund it? 6. What is your plan for the harvest? Some things SRHS students have done with the harvest in 10

the past include making pasta salad with lots of veggies and doing a lunch time give away to promote healthy eating and the garden. Making baskets of veggies and selling them to teachers, parents and community members to raise money to maintain the garden, giving it away to local soup kitchen/homeless shelter. 7. Use your knowledge of the Four Principles of Sustainability to support your rationale for each decision. Monitoring Plan How often will you test the soil? How often do you expect to water and how much water will you apply each time? How will you monitor the grown and heath of your plants? Create data tables to record all expected test results and observations. Include a proposed watering schedule with amounts of water. Analyzing the Results 1. Analyze and reflect on the both the environmental and community impact of your project. Include in your discussion, water use, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, impact on biodiversity. Applying You Findings on a Greater Scale 1. The scale of your project was very small in terms of both time and space. Based in hat you learned what are your recommendations for a long term sustainability plan for the garden? 2. How would your agricultural plan work on a larger scale and longer time frame?

CrashCourse The Agricultural Revolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yocja_N5s1I http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/neolithic-agricultural-revolution-causes-and-implications. html

Sustainable Agriculture http://www.sare.org/ http://weedid.wisc.edu/ca/weedid.php http://sarep.ucdavis.edu/sarep/about/def http://asi.ucdavis.edu/sf/edumat/Parr_03_Compost.pdf http://weedid.wisc.edu/ca/weedid.php 11

California Nitrogen Assessment http://asi.ucdavis.edu/research/nitrogen

PROJECT GOALS
Learn, observe and apply the following ecology and environmental science concepts: The Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability Reliance on Solar Energy Nutrient Cycling Biodiversity Population Control

What was hayes Vally Farm and what happened to it? http://www.sfweekly.com/2013-06-19/restaurants/seeds-of-evolution-hayes-valley-farm-bee-farm-u rban-agriculture/

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