No abstract

No abstract

This study sought to shed light on the political and organizational dynamics favoring the deployment of agroforestry in temperate environments. Development paths of agroforestry practices in Québec (Canada) and France were analyzed regarding five different issues: political status and recognition, regulation and financing, knowledge acquisition, knowledge transfer and training, development actors and implementation in the field. Scientific studies and results continue to accumulate concerning temperate agroforestry and its environmental benefits. Political recognition of the field appears to be stronger in France (and the EU), which makes state financial aid conditional upon the adoption of the practices. In Québec, only the Ministry of Agriculture provides limited support. It financially assists research at a moderate level, as well as the installation and maintenance of trees by participating farmers to perform specific functions, i.e., erosion control, water quality, and biodiversity. A large number of actors are active in France, where efforts are being made to improve consultation and to reduce redundancy. Stakeholders in Québec are linked to the broader agri-environment field and act partially through agroforestry, according to varying degrees of competency, creating a disparity between regions. Recognition at the highest level, i.e., training for councillors and advisors, greater flexibility in obtaining assistance, inclusion of a greater diversity of systems, and a structure that ensures promotion and consultation, would favour the further development of agroforestry in the industrialized nations of the temperate zone.

RésuméAu Québec (Canada), il n' existe aucune politique globale encadrant la pratique de l'agroforesterie. Paradoxalement, les instruments de politiques publiques ayant un impact sur le déploiement des pratiques agroforestières à l' échelle du territoire sont nombreux. Enchâssés dans un environnement politique et règlementaire à la fois flou, complexe et changeant, ils sont souvent mal connus des forestiers, des agriculteurs et des intervenants qui les accompagnent. Cet article propose un état des lieux de l'influence des instruments de politiques publiques sur les haies brise-vent, les bandes riveraines arborées, les systèmes agrosylvicoles, les systèmes à arbres fruitiers et à noix, les systèmes sylvopastoraux et les cultures en boisé. L' étude exhaustive des politiques a permis de recenser neuf instruments appuyant directement ou indirectement l'implantation de ces systèmes, leur entretien et la récolte de leurs produits et six instruments limitant le déploiement de l'agroforesterie. L'analyse des conséquences de l'implantation d'arbres en champ et de cultures agricoles en boisé sur l' octroi des aides agricoles et forestières a pour sa part révélé que ces conséquences sont relativement mineures. Globalement, l' environnement politique et règlementaire s'avère mal adapté aux particularités des systèmes agroforestiers. Des ajustements aux programmes actuels paraissent nécessaires afin de rendre l' environnement politique plus favorable au développement de ces systèmes. Mots-clés:politiques, agroforesterie, haies brise-vent, bandes riveraines, systèmes agrosylvicoles, systèmes sylvopastoraux, cultures en boisé. AbstRActIn Quebec (Canada), there is no comprehensive policy governing the practice of agroforestry. Paradoxically, public policy instruments that impact on the deployment of agroforestry practices in the field are many. Embedded in a political and regulatory environment that is both vague, complex and changing, they are often poorly known to foresters, farmers and stakeholders. This paper offers an overview of the influence of public policy instruments on windbreaks, wooded buffer strips, agroforestry systems, fruit and nut tree systems, silvopastoral systems and crops under woody cover. The comprehensive policy review of has identified nine instruments that foster either directly or indirectly the implementation of these systems, their maintenance and harvesting of their products and six instruments limiting the deployment of agroforestry. The analysis of the consequences of introducing trees in a crop field and field crops in woodland on the provision of agricultural and forestry subsidies has revealed that these consequences are relatively minor. Overall, the political and regulatory environment proves unsuited to the particularities of agroforestry systems. Adjustments to current programs appear necessary in order to render the political environment more conducive to the development of these systems.

This qualitative study examines the social support of parents of children with ASD living in Québec, Canada. Eighteen parents described their social support experiences before and after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results of this study indicate that parents recall many unhelpful support experiences after their child’s first signs of ASD. The results also suggest that the parents’ support needs greatly outweigh the support they perceive from family and friends. To our knowledge, this study is the first to recognise that receiving adequate social support requires significant involvement from parents who find themselves having to compensate for the lack of knowledge about autism in the general population. The results of this study put forth the active role that parents play in the reshaping of their support relationships and highlight the changes that occur in these relationships over time. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.