Program & Speakers
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Detailed Program Below:
Day 1: Tuesday March 22: Choose one of several full-day site visits that get you out into
Ontario’s Greenbelt. Don’t miss this fun day exploring the possibilities in the Greenbelt
- Savour the offerings from the tender fruit and grape area in the Niagara Peninsula
- See the changes happening on farms using the muck soil and innovations of the Holland Marsh
- Experience a 15th century Iroquoian Village nestled in the Niagara Escarpment, and hike in part of the Cootes to Escarpment Park System
- Join in a Spirit Walk led by a member of the Alderville First Nation in the Rice Lake Grasslands, and learn about the geology and natural history of the area
- Learn about improving access to locally grown food at two leading Toronto community food security organizations
Evening Reception with Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Bartolucci and the Reel Greenbelt Youth Video Competition Awards showcasing finalists one-minute videos submitted by Ontario’s youth.
Day 2: Wednesday March 23
9:15 Keynote Speaker: Honourable Jim Bradley
10:30 Plenary: International Perspectives on Greenbelts and their Possibilities, Moderator: Peter Waine, UK
- Frankfurt Green Belt, Klaus Wichert, Frankfurt-RheinMain, Germany - Presentation (Text)
- Melbourne Green Wedges, John Ginivan, Victoria State Government, Australia - Presentation
- Sao Paulo Green Belt Biosphere Reserve, Rodrigo Victor, Forest Institute, Brazil - Presentation
12:30 Lunch and laughter with The Second City, one of the world’s leading sketch-based comedy ensembles.
14:00 Parallel Sessions
Sustaining Rural Vitality - Speakers from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Peri-Urban Regions Platform Europe (PURPLE)
Listen to their experiences and ideas for innovative forms of economic development, including how communities can take advantage of their unique greenbelt attributes and proximity to urban markets and transportation systems.Moderator: Annemiek Canjels
- Lenie Dwarshuis van de Beek, Europe's Peri-Urban Area's Challenges and Opportunities: The Experience of the PURPLE Network - Presentation
- Michael Florio, Using Traditional Competitive Advantage Analysis to Guide the Development of Action Plans to Grow the Creative Economy in a Community, and/or Region - Presentation
- Rob Hindle, Green Zone 2025: Unleashing the Potential of Rural Merseyside - Presentation
The Changing Landscape of Farming – Speakers from Australia and Canada
Hear about distinctive approaches farmers and partners are taking to stay viable, now and into the future.Moderator: John Burke
- Trevor Budge, Integrating Local Food Systems into Metropolitan and Regional Scale Planning to Deliver Economic, Social, and Environmental Benefits - Presentation
- Jamie Reaume, Making the Most of Geography: Putting the Greenbelt's Holland Marsh on the Map - Presentation
- Lori Stahlbrand, Local Sustainable Farming for Successful Greenbelts: The Local Food Plus Approach - Presentation
Incorporating the Economic Benefits of Greenbelts into Decision Making – Speakers from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Canada
Learn about using natural capital valuation to inform decision making about land use and development in and around Greenbelts. Moderator: Dr. Faisal Moola
- Dr. Wim Heijmans, Designing the Optimum Landscape - Presentation
- Mike Puddister and Tatiana Koveshnikova, The Value of Ecological Goods and Services in the Credit River Watershed: The Implications of Greenbelt Restoration - Presentation
- Dr. Will Williams, Natural Economy Northwest: The Socio-Economic Benefits of Investment in Green Infrastructure - Presentation
16:00 Plenary: International Perspectives on Greenbelts and their Possibilities, Moderator: Dr. Rick Smith
- Mazovia Region, Dr. Agata Cieszewska, Warsaw University, Poland - Presentation
- San Francisco Bay Area, Stephanie Reyes, Greenbelt Alliance, United States of America - Presentation
- Iron Curtain Green Belt and European Green Belt, Dr. Liana Geidezis, BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V., e.V. , Germany - Presentation
Harbourfront Evening: European Reception and Dinner.
Day 3: Thursday March 24
9:00 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ronald F. Williamson, Chief Archaeologist and Managing Partner, Archaeological Services Inc. will provide an overview of First Nations’ history in Ontario’s Greenbelt and identify applications and implications for future planning. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/OntarioGreenbelt#p/u/5/MsVJLpbq9L8
10:30 Parallel Sessions
Enhancing Ecosystems and Biodiversity – Speakers from Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada
Hear about on-the-ground strategies for enhancing ecological integrity and health.Moderator: Nicola Ross
- Cheryl de Boer, Reaching Nature Development, Water Management, and Biodiversity Goals in the Netherlands - Presentation
- Dr.Gail Krantzberg, Ensuring the Ecological Functioning of Ontario's Greenbelt - Presentation
- Paul Nolan, Green Infrastructure: Planning for the Liverpool City Region - Presentation
- Dr. Uwe Riecken, From Death Zone to Life Line: Implementing the German Green Belt - Presentation
Everyone’s Greenbelt: Reaching Out to Diverse Communities – Speakers from the United States and Canada
Learn about successful examples and other creative ways of engaging multicultural communities in farming in Greenbelts, engaging participants in recreational and tourism opportunities, and land stewardship. Moderator: Chandra Sharma
- Franz Hartmann, Promoting Locally Grown Ethno-Cultural Food - Presentation
- Peter Mitchell, Greenbelt Connections - Presentation
- Stephanie Reyes, Engaging Diverse Communities in Smart Growth Planning - Presentation
- Sri Sethuratanam, Supporting a New Generation of Farmers - Presentation
Greenbelts and Infrastructure Development - Speakers from Denmark, Germany, and Canada
Listen to different experiences in identifying alternatives to expansion and development of new infrastructure, as well as ways of minimizing negative impacts on the integrity of ecosystems. Moderator: Pat Boeckner
- Steve Peck, Facilitating Green Infrastructure Opportunities - Presentation
- Henrik Vejre, Slicing the Green Wedges: Infrastructure Projects of the Copenhagen Open Space - Presentation
- Klaus Wichert, Infrastructure and Frankfurt's Green Belt - Presentation (Text)
12:15 Lunch with Keynote Speaker: Margaret Atwood - YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/OntarioGreenbelt#p/u/6/wv7F1cJ5EZM
13:45 Parallel Sessions
Governing Greenbelts – Speakers from Germany, the United States, and Canada
Learn about collaborative Greenbelt implementation, and more integrated implementation and monitoring. Moderator: Dr. Mark Winfield
- Marcel Houtzager, Regional Governance and Integrated Planning in the Hague Region - Presentation
- Ken Kirkey, Developing Regional Consensus for Conservation and Smart Growth - Presentation
- Dr. Pamela Robinson, Governing Ontario's Greenbelt: Possibility Grows Here - Presentation
- Gabriel Schwaderer, Facilitating Trans Boundary Cooperation to Develop the Balkan Greenbelt - Presentation
Connecting People to Greenbelts – Speakers from Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Germany
Listen to examples of community champions and successful partnerships, and ways of going beyond awareness-raising to fostering high levels of citizen engagement. Moderator: Kirk Miller
- Dr. Uwe Riecken, Experiencing the Green Belt: Connecting Nature, People, and History - Presentation
- Rodrigo Victor, Engaging Disadvantaged Youth through Eco-training and Entrepreneurship in the Sao Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere Reserve - Presentation
- Pam Warhurst, Using Local Food to Engage People in Sustainability - Presentation
Improving Urban Food Access – Speakers from the United States, Australia, and Canada
Hear about interventions to ensure improved food access and longer term approaches to alleviating household food insecurity. Moderator: Nick Saul
- Debbie Field, From Field to Table: Increasing Connections Between Local Farmers and People in the City - Presentation
- Trevor Budge, Food for All: Building Capacity to Address Food Security - Presentation
- Nikki Henderson, Food, Justice and Community - No Presentation Avaliable
15:45 Plenary: Five Big Ideas for Greenbelts
Five experts will each present their big idea for the futures of greenbelts for a sustainable world.
- Moderator: Sandy Houston, President, Metcalf Foundation
- Dr. Michael Buxton, Associate Professor RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
- Dr. Agata Cieszewska, Warsaw University, Poland
- Dr. Robert Gibson, University of Waterloo, Canada
- Rob Hindle, Rural Innovation Inc., UK
- Pam Warhurst, Chair, Forestry Commission, Co-Founder, Incredible Edible Todmorden, and Chair, Pennine Prospects, UK
17:00 Closing