Three-day Coordinated Distributed Experimental Network (CDEN) Research Design Workshop

Three-day Coordinated Distributed Experimental Network (CDEN) Research Design Workshop

June 12-14, 2018 at the UBC Farm

The Cluster hosted its first CDEN Research Design Workshop at UBC Farm, with local and global researchers. The goal of the workshop was to establish the CDEN experimental design and develop collaborative and transformative action research – moving from applied and fundamental research questions in agroecosystem research to action. The workshop included discussions on replicated experiments on crucial areas such as nutrient management, biodiversity and food security. See workshop discussion notes here.

The research included characterizing the level of diversification across farm systems over time, and space to explore socio-ecological outcomes, and investigating the barriers to diversification across scales. In addition, investigating diversified systems and trade-offs between ecosystem services including biodiversity, soil health, labour, profit, food and nutrition security, cultural values.

The workshop laid the foundation for an experimental network of diversified farming systems research and developed research on thematic areas:

  • Methodological Standards and Protocols
  • Diversification Transitions
  • Experimental Campus Farm Network
  • Observational Agroecology and Big Data

The Cluster is continuing the development of these research areas and collaboration.