Open to: All – BCIA Registrants and Public Welcome! (A BCIA account is required to register)
Cover crops are more than an add-on; they are a powerful design tool for healthier soils, stronger crops, and more resilient farming systems. This two-part webinar series brings cover cropping to life by exploring how thoughtful species selection and management can improve nutrient cycling, soil structure, biodiversity, and long-term farm performance across British Columbia.
Led by Matthew Kyriakides, PAg., this series blends cutting-edge research with hands-on, BC-based experience to help participants confidently move from curiosity to practical application. Whether you’re just starting to explore cover crops or looking to refine existing practices, these sessions will provide the insight and inspiration needed to integrate cover cropping into real-world systems.
Part One: Cover Crops in BC - Why They Matter and How They Work
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The first webinar sets the stage by exploring the why behind cover cropping. Participants will discover how cover crops function within soil health and agricultural management frameworks, and how they can be strategically used to support productivity, ecological stewardship, and farm resilience.
You’ll learn how different functional groups of cover crops influence soil biology, nutrient dynamics, and system performance — and how these benefits play out under BC’s diverse climates and growing conditions. The session also highlights practical considerations, common challenges, and regionally relevant tools to help turn principles into practice.
This session is ideal for anyone looking to build a strong foundation and see cover crops as an opportunity rather than a complication.
Part Two: Cover Crop Management and Mix Design - From Strategy to Success
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The second webinar dives into the how. Building on the foundations of Part One, this session focuses on the management decisions that determine whether cover crops thrive or fail.
Participants will explore establishment and termination strategies, risk management considerations, and the trade-offs involved in different approaches. The session also unpacks the art and science of cover crop mix design from simple, targeted plantings to diverse multi-species blends, revealing how functional diversity can unlock synergistic benefits below and above ground.
With practical examples and planning tools, this session empowers participants to design cover crop systems that align with production goals, soil conditions, and operational realities.
Register separately HERE
About the Presenter
Matthew Kyriakides is a Professional Agrologist with practice areas including crop production, land management, and land reclamation. He has over a decade of experience in agriculture and forestry, and his work bridges community development, land-based education, food production, and ecosystem restoration. He is committed to collaborative land-care strategies that support food security, ecological stewardship, and the long-term economic viability of farming systems.
Matthew is a PhD Candidate with the Ecogastronomy Research Group at the University of Victoria. He holds a BSc in Global Resource Systems from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Earth and Environment from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, where he focused on biological soil quality and ecosystem restoration.
This event is supported by the Climate Agri-Solutions Fund (CAF). Funding for the CAF has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund. CAF is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. To learn more, visit www.bccaf.ca
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