Understanding Land Use Issues in the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton Region

In 2010 the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton Regional Council identified two priorities for community-based research in their region: community engagement and land use planning. In early 2011 the Council initiated a research partnership with Dr. Kelly Vodden, Memorial University to investigate past experiences with community engagement in the region and innovative approaches to citizen and community engagement that might be undertaken in the future. In investigating community engagement a multi-year research agenda was envisioned, with the potential for applying lessons regarding community engagement in the initiation of a dialogue in the region on land use issues and planning for appropriate land use. The ultimate goal is to work towards regional land use plan, which “provides a broad level vision and goals for the allocation, management and use of land and resources, including renewable, non-renewable and water-based resources within a region” (http://www.emr.gov.yk.ca/lands/regional_land_use_planning.html). The project has been undertaken in two parts, the first between 2011 and 2012 and the second slated for 2012-2013.

The first phase of the project entailed a thorough scan and analysis of existing literature on land use issues within the province and a focus on those occurring in the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton Rural Secretariat region. The second phase to commence in July 2012 will focus on tying the identified issues of effective community engagement and land use planning together and will entail interviews with key stakeholders as well as community-based consultations. The first phase of the research produced a scoping document entitled A Scan of Land Use Issues in the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton Region which gives an overview of the land use issues present within the region and across numerous topics such as agriculture, forestry, mining, cottage and cabin development, aquaculture, competing waterfront usage, access to Crown Lands, tourism and recreation, and other.

For more information on this project visit www.cwlanduse.ca.

Research Team and Partners

Project Resources

 

Project Updates

This project was completed in 2013. To see the full list of updates, please click below:

Archived Updates
  • Research Team
    The research team includes: Dr. Kelly Vodden, Memorial University, Grenfell Campus, Environmental Policy Institute Janelle Skeard, MA Candidate, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Geography Raïsa Mirza, MA Candidate, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Geography Linda Brett, Regional Partnership Planner, Rural Secretariat – Executive Council Ryan Gibson, PhD. Candidate, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of…
  • Tourism and Recreation
    Background/overview Participation in outdoor recreational activities has been growing in Canada since the 1960s, largely due to demographic and economic trends, with documented social, health and even spiritual benefits. This trend has also been observed in the Newfoundland context. Popular recreational activities in Newfoundland include hunting and fishing, ATV use and snowmobiling, boating, berry picking,…
  • Access to Crown Lands
    Background/overview Approximately 88% of Newfoundland and Labrador are Crown lands, which in turn are often leased out or tenured to commercial interests. The dominance of Crowns lands in the province makes the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador a critical player in land use planning and management. Land-use related issues Municipalities have listed the on-going inaccessibility…
  • Competing Waterfront Usage
    Background/overview Municipalities in the region are experiencing conflicts and differing points of view surrounding the development of waterfront areas. Different stakeholder groups including tourism, recreation, residential and commercial interests must be balanced when creating zoning regulations and long-term land-use plans. With water resources becoming more utilized by a growing range of users, increased conflict can…
  • Aquaculture
    Background/overview The Coast of Bays area of the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton is currently fostering economic growth through aquaculture activities. The Bay d’Espoir area grows and harvests steelhead trout and Atlantic salmon, but blue mussels are also grown at several other sites in the province. These activities, while taking place in…
  • Cottage/Cabin Development
    Background/overview Cabins are considered an important social and recreational asset for many Newfoundlanders and provide an important economic stimulus in rural Newfoundland. The hunting and fishing opportunities available in the Grand Falls-Windsor – Baie Verte – Harbour Breton region provide a complementary environment for cabin and cottage development. However, as a permanent fixture on the…
  • Mining
    Background/overview Mining-related activities in the region have a long history and have been widespread geographically. One of the best-known examples of mining in the region comes from Buchans, a small town that was established in the 1950s specifically for the mining of iron ore. However, this is certainly not the oldest example of mining from…
  • Agriculture
    Background/overview Agriculture has always had a presence in the central region of the province. Traditionally grown crops often include potatoes, carrots, turnip and cabbage; however, the sector has become more diversified in recent years with the introduction of different fruit and other commodities. According to a report by the Department of Natural Resources, in the…