The CSFS provides indoor and outdoor spaces such as agricultural fields, conservation forests, and classrooms for teaching activities at the UBC Farm and MacMillan 170A.

For information on research and teaching space booking fees and policies, please see Academic Space Use Guidelines. To book space contact our Site Coordinator.

The CSFS works with UBC students and instructors on collaborative community projects that enhance experiential learning and address critical food systems issues from a diversity of lenses (food security, sustainable food systems, health promotion, renewable energy, ecology, climate change, etc.).

Please contact a member of the Academic Programs team for more information on developing Community-Based Learning projects with CSFS.

Examples and Resources

For more information regarding CBEL projects, refer to the Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) website. For examples of Community Based Learning projects, see the SEEDS Sustainability Library. SEEDS Projects gives students and faculty the opportunity to partner with UBC operational staff in order to advance campus sustainability through impactful projects.

From applied animal biology to business entrepreneurship, the Farm is an important place of learning and practice for many classes.

To host your class, lab, or course activity at the UBC Farm, please visit our Field Trips and Course Collaboration Request page.

View a list of UBC classes that engage with CSFS and the UBC Farm.

Invite a CSFS expert to present a guest lecture to your class

Presentations are generally an hour long and held at the UBC Point Grey campus throughout the year. Our Academic team would be happy to work with you to tailor the guest lecture presentation to meet your course objectives and interests. For more on our CSFS experts check out our Associate Members on our People page.

To book an in-class presentations, please see our Tour and Class Lecture Request Form.. Find Academic Services fees here.

Immerse yourself in the landscape of a working farm and community engagement hub to learn about a wide range of sustainability topics. Tours are held on site throughout the year, are a minimum of one hour in length, and can be tailored according to your curricular objectives. To book a tour, please fill out our Tour and Class Lecture Request Form. View our Academic Services fees

Looking for non-university tours?

If you are an elementary or secondary school teacher find out about school field trips here. If you are a member of the general public find out about our community group tours here.

Just Food Educational Resource: Food Justice Learning Modules

The Just Food resource was born from a group of students’ desire to incorporate an equity lens into their learning, and to address the injustice they saw in their daily lives. It consists of learning modules on food systems and a facilitator’s guide. A diverse range of topics are covered, including agriculture, food studies, nutrition, and more.

Check out the student-led resource here.

Sustainable Food Systems on Campus

The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems created open educational resources that can be adapted to any discipline, by anyone at UBC or elsewhere. These case studies provide an experiential and place-based learning opportunity by exploring and understanding a food system asset at UBC.

Find teaching materials to engage your students with the campus food system.

Are you curious about local food systems initiatives?

Find a compilation of learning resources relating to topics such as Community Gardens, Civic Agency, Children's Programs, and more!

Start exploring local food assets and networks.

UBC Farm Forestry

About half of the UBC Farm is second-growth forest and it is a rich area for learning and research. The Faculty of Forestry is a partner with the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm, and offers instructors and students opportunities to teach and learn about cultivating forest stewardship.

Learn more

How students can get involved with the CSFS

The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems provides many for-credit and not-for-credit opportunities for students to get their hands dirty and learn about the food system.

Get information on internships, courses, volunteering, student groups, and more.

If you are interested in incorporating a UBC Farm volunteer opportunity in your learning activities, please contact ubcfarm.academic@ubc.ca.

Develop your understanding of the connections between food, health, society and the environment, and gain tools to solve complex food systems problems locally and globally, with the UBC Minor in Sustainable Food Systems.

Students completing the minor are immersed in experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities, involving several departments and faculties across UBC, as well as off- campus partners.

Program Requirements

This 18-credit minor is available to all Land and Food Science undergraduate students in their 2nd year or above.

Apply

Apply to the UBC Minor in Sustainable Food Systems before March 31, 2020. Questions? Please contact LFS Advising.