Derek Lynch

Education

• B.Sc. (Agr), Plant Science, McGill University, 1989
• M.Sc. (Agr), Plant Science, McGill University, 1992
• Ph.D., Land Resource Science, University of Guelph, 2002

What do I Research?

Through an agroecological approach to agronomy and soil science, my research examines how farming system and farming intensity influences productivity and the provision of ecosystem services.  My current research examines the dynamics of soil health, soil carbon pools and soil biota diversity and functioning as influenced by farming practices and systems.

• You can find a list of my publications on Google Scholar and ResearchGate
• From 2005-2015 I was Canada Research Chair in Organic Agriculture
• Dr. David Burton and I established the Atlantic Soil Health Lab
• I am founding member of the Centre for Sustainable Soil Management

What do I Teach?

• I teach the undergraduate courses: SOIL 2000 – Introduction to Soil Science; AGRN2000
• Organic Field Crop Management; ENVA2003 – Introduction to Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture; and Agroecology (in partnership with Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University)
• I teach a graduate module on Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Management
• I contributed to the development of a Certificate in Sustainable Soil Management
• I am cross-appointed to, and give lectures at, the Dalhousie College of Sustainability

How do I Serve?

I have been active over the last three decades in various societies, expert panels and committees that attempt to bring science to policies and programs relating to the sustainability of farming systems. I am currently, or have been, involved in the following groups:

• I am a member of the Canadian Society of Soil Science
• I am a member, and past president, of the Canadian Society of Agronomy
• I am a member of Regeneration Canada
• I am a member of CIRCASA which coordinates research on soil carbon sequestration in agriculture
• I was a member of the Climate Farming Advisory Committee for Equiterre
• I was a member of the CGSB Technical panel that developed the first Canadian national standard for certified organic agriculture referenced in federal regulations.

By engaging with the widest audience and range of stakeholders on these issues, I am strongly committed to contributing to the critical debates related to farming systems and agricultural sustainability, climate change and biodiversity. The following are some of my recent articles and presentations that provide a sense of the scope of my work.

• Adjusting the Intensity of Farming can help address Climate Change The Conversation, 2022
• Monitoring and Managing Soil Carbon in Agricultural Soils. Invited presentation at Net-Zero Atlantic Nature-based Solutions for Carbon Sequestration Workshop, 2022, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Soil is the Key to our Planets History (and Future) The Conversation, 2019
• Soil Carbon and Soil Health as Influenced by Farming Systems, Invited talk at Regeneration Canada symposium, Montreal 2017
• Cropping systems, soil carbon and soil health. Brief presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, Ottawa, 2022.
• Environmental benefits of organic production systems. EU-Canada Agriculture Dialogue Workshops: Organic Production, Canada. 2022.
• Advances in soil health. Invited presentation at first regional workshop of ‘4 per mille’ global initiative, 2020.
• How soil Carbon can tackle Climate Change. The Conversation. 2019
• Soil carbon and farming systems. Invited presentation at Horticulture Nova Scotia Congress, 2018.
• Soil carbon and soil health in farming systems. Invited presentation to the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Council of Leaders, 2017.
• The Science behind Organic Environmentalism, keynote at Organic Connections conference, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 2010