University-Community Partnerships as a Pathway to Rural Development: Benefits of an Ontario Land Use Planning Project

摘要: A growing body of research has demonstrated that rural communities can achieve highly positive outcomes when they engage in local planning and development through the use 'bottom-up' place-based' strategies. However, many lack capacity to do so for reasons such as a shortage financial resources, an absence residents who understand how initiate carry out projects, or even social cohesion prevents community from working together. At same time, university-based researchers have increasingly been called upon with outside academy order both demonstrate practical relevance their activities provide students hands-on experience might help them secure employment after graduating. Thus, there is excellent opportunity universities partner address respective needs. This article documents one initiative, five-year project where author total seventeen Brock University Geography worked Township South Algonquin create its first ever land plan. Among other benefits, this initiative provided much-needed set formal policies municipality, rich data faculty member, career-oriented students. Keywords: development; university-community partnerships; service learning; action research;