15 2Nature, food, and water
diverse farming communities and economies. Apriorityis to encourage the pro-
duction of different crops within a landscape, and eventually different types of
cropland landscapes.
[F3]Most regions have several separate agricultural landscapes of a type(Figure6.8).
This provides stability for that agricultural type in the event of a spreading
pest or disease. The farm support system is likely to be strong. Also stability is
provided for the particular group of farmland species present.
[F4]Both kinds of stability, several cropland types and several landscapes of a type, are
present in over a quarter of the regions(Figure6.8).
This is the optimum arrangement providing flexibility and stability for long-
term agriculture. It also is optimum for sustaining a high diversity of farmland
species.Proximity of cropland landscapes to city center
[F5]Acropland landscape <20 km from city center is present in over half of the
regions, while the nearest cropland landscape is >45 km distant in an eighth of the cases
(Figure6.9).
Anearby cropland landscape, especially for market-gardening can provide
convenient food products for the city with low transport cost. It also provides
open vistas and clean air, and if valued by society and urban planners, can help
prevent outward urbanization. However, it is particularly susceptible to existing
human impacts as well as future outward development. Downwind of the city
and industrial areas, the cropland landscape is subject to air pollution, and if
near the city’s main airport, it is subject to aircraft noise.
The somewhat more distant cropland landscapes largely escape these neg-
ative effects. More distant croplands can serve for market-gardening with only
slightly higher transport cost. And they are easier to maintain and more likely to
persist.
[F6]If the nearest cropland landscape were degraded or destroyed, another such landscape
is <45 km from city center in 80 % of the regions; however, local food products would have
to betransported >65 km in a fifth of the regions(Figure6.9).
The proximity of at least two cropland landscapes provides flexibility and
stability for market-gardening. Also farmland species should remain relatively
near the metro area. The more distant landscape adds transportation costs, and
increases the likelihood of a strip-development corridor across the region, which
reduces regional connectivity for wildlife movement and walkers.