A Framework for Site Assessment Guides for Urban Impacted Soils: A Vancouver Case Study

Urban Farm DB summary

This study develops a framework for a locally adapted site assessment guide (SAG) for urban agricultural sites in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where demand for urban agricultural land is largely met by reclaiming brownfields and land owned by schools, religious institutions, hospitals, and private residents, but where — as in many cities — no locally adapted SAG previously existed. The framework has five phases: (1) initial selection of properties and assessment approaches, (2) stakeholder feedback and revision, (3) further feedback and finalization, (4) guide distribution, and (5) ongoing updates and support. Development identified relevant site characteristics for Vancouver (soil properties, aspect, slope, sunshine) and produced a Vancouver soil map; distribution and promotion of the guide through local organizations began in 2010, with the effort ongoing at the time of writing.