CHARACTERIZATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL TERRITORY REPORT BY Pierre Duchesne, Land Use Planner, MRC de Pontiac Denis Y. Charlebois, Research Professional, UQO Submitted to the Mayors’ Council on January 22, 2013 Vinton Plain, Mmunicipality of Litchfield Photo by Dominique Ratté, Summer 2005 Characterization of the Agricultural Territory TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................... 8 LIST OF MAPS ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 13 PREAMBLE ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 1 MANDATE ...................................................................................................................................... 19 1.1 CONTEXT AND APPROACH .......................................................................................................................... 19 1.1.1 Context ............................................................................................................................................. 19 1.1.2 Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 19 1.1.3 Approach and Methodology ............................................................................................................ 20 1.1.4 Report Structure .............................................................................................................................. 24 1.1.5 Definition of the Zone Studied ......................................................................................................... 25 1.1.6 Definitions of Agricultural Activities and of Agriculture .................................................................. 25 1.2 WORK PLAN ................................................................................................................................................. 26 1.2.1 Steps ................................................................................................................................................. 26 1.2.2 Work Schedule ................................................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 2 OVERVIEW OF THE TERRITORY ..................................................................................................... 29 2.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 29 2.1.1 Location and Area ............................................................................................................................. 29 2.1.2 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................... 29 2.1.3 Municipal Organization .................................................................................................................... 32 2.1.4 Population ......................................................................................................................................... 33 2.2 BIOPHYSICAL FEATURES .............................................................................................................................. 35 2.2.1 Topography ....................................................................................................................................... 35 2.2.1 Landscape Units and Bioclimatic Domains ...................................................................................... 36 2.2.3 Climate ............................................................................................................................................. 40 2.2.4 Hydrography and Wetlands ............................................................................................................. 42 2.2.5 Geology ............................................................................................................................................. 43 2.2.6 Pedology .......................................................................................................................................... 43 2.2.7 Forest Cover ..................................................................................................................................... 48 2.2.8 Maple Stands ................................................................................................................................... 50 2.2.9 Wildlife Habitats ............................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter 3 POTENTIALITIES AND CONSTRAINTS FOR AGRICULTURE ............................................................ 51 3.1 DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN INVENTORIES AND INDICATORS .................................................................... 51 2 Characterization of the Agricultural Territory 3.2 DATA SOURCES ............................................................................................................................................ 52 3.2.1 Canada Land Inventory .................................................................................................................... 52 3.2.2 Sugar Bush Operations ..................................................................................................................... 52 3.2.3 Aquatic Environments and Wetlands .............................................................................................. 53 3.3 CHOSEN INVENTORIES ............................................................................................................................... 57 3.3.1 Factors Related to Agriculture (A1) ................................................................................................. 58 3.3.2 Factors Not Related to Agriculture (A2) ........................................................................................... 61 Chapter 4 GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................................................ 68 4.1 TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................................................... 68 4.1.1 Agricultural Zoning ........................................................................................................................... 68 4.1.2 Land Reserves ................................................................................................................................... 81 4.1.3 Specific Land Rights .......................................................................................................................... 81 4.1.4 Government Directions .................................................................................................................... 82 4.1.5 Overall Development Directions ....................................................................................................... 86 4.1.6 . Major Land Use Allocations .............................................................................................................. 91 4.1.7 Interim Control ................................................................................................................................. 94 4.2 LAND OWNERSHIP ...................................................................................................................................... 96 4.2.1 Types and Trends of Land Ownership ............................................................................................... 96 4.2.2 Land Values ...................................................................................................................................... 97 4.2.3 Agricultural Properties and Leased Land ......................................................................................... 97 Chapter 5 LAND USE ....................................................................................................................................... 98 5.1 OVERVIEW OF THE TERRITORY AND AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES ............................................................... 98 5.1.1 Agricultural and Agroforestry Sectors .............................................................................................. 98 5.1.2 Tourism, Cottages and Agritourism ............................................................................................... 105 5.2 GENERAL LAND USE ................................................................................................................................. 108 5.2.1 Land Use Types .............................................................................................................................