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Welcome to Association of Temperate Agroforestry! Cultiver l'agroforesterie tempérée en Amérique du Nord Mission & Vision NAAC Agroforestry Community Regions & Scope AFTA 's Mission & Vision Agroforestry systems are an integral part of agricultural and forested landscapes in temperate North America. Agroforestry systems support ecological regeneration, improve climate regulation, and increase the viability of farms and communities. AFTA's mission is to grow and support a diverse and dynamic agroforestry community who works to create conditions for greater adoption and continuation of agroforestry systems in temperate North America. About AFTA AFTA Email List AFTA's Service Regions & Scope AFTA’s geographic focus is temperate North America. However, we value learning from, and exchanging with, agroforestry practitioners from other regions. We welcome individuals and organizations from outside of temperate North America to our membership, events, and other programs. Canada United States Mexico The Agroforestry Community AFTA welcomes anyone interested in agroforestry to participate. In order to form a broad-based agroforestry constituency, we are growing a diverse agroforestry community of farmers, land stewards, educators, technical assistance providers, researchers, community organizers, policy makers, and value chain contributors. Sign up for our Newsletter Become an AFTA Member 19th NAAC 19th North American Agroforestry Conference The Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA) convenes the North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC) biennially to bring together an inter-regional and international community of agroforestry professionals, and to enrich our understanding of research and development outcomes within temperate agroforestry systems. AFTA Members receive a $50 discount for Conference Registration. Learn more about NAAC 2025 Become an AFTA Member

About the Association for Temperate Agroforestry Who We Are What We Do Strategic Plan Contact Us Who We Are The mission of AFTA is to promote the wider adoption of agroforestry by landowners in temperate regions of North America. Formed in 1991, the Association for Temperate Agroforestry Inc. (AFTA) is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization based at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry at Columbia. AFTA pursues its mission through activities such as networking, information exchange, public education, and policy development with members in the US, Mexico, Canada and beyond. Our intended audience includes university researchers, educators and extensionists, private farm and forestry groups, public policy makers, and private landowners. AFTA has received financial support through dues and contributions from its members and the public, sponsorships from public agencies and private corporations, contracts with USDA, and foundation grants, notably the Allen and Josephine Green Foundation. AFTA is primarily a voluntary organization. Many individuals from universities, public agencies, private organizations and businesses donate their time and agroforestry-related expertise to help AFTA conduct its educational programs. The affairs of AFTA are overseen by a voluntary Board of Directors elected by its members. What We Do AFTA's educational programs are aimed at facilitating the exchange of scientific and practical information about temperate agroforestry, primarily in North America. Our major programs include: North American Agroforestry Conference : Since 1989, we have co-sponsored the biennial North American Agroforestry Conference series - a major scientific forum for those involved in agroforestry research, extension and application in the US, Canada and overseas. The Temperate Agroforester: Our quarterly newsletter contains new, reports on research and demonstration trials, landowner success stories, conference reports, book reviews, links to information sources in print and online, and a calendar of agroforestry-related events across North America. Online Resources : Our aim is to serve the wider agroforestry community by creating an online resource for the public as well as AFTA members as a comprehensive source of news and information about agroforestry, including info on agroforestry practices, searchable databases of agroforestry education and research, and links to other information sources. Technical and Policy Publications : Our reports on agroforestry development and policy are available for online viewing. Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026 Contact Us Please note that the Association of Temperate Agroforestry is a volunteer run group, and it may take longer than normal to return email correspondence at this time. Thanks in advance for your patience. You may get in touch with us using this form, or email us directly at northamericanagroforestry@gmail.com . First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thank you for your message! Association for Temperate Agroforestry Board of Directors

North American Agroforestry Conference NAAC Location Submissions Exhibitors & Vendors Awards 19th North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC) July 23 – July 25, 2025 | Columbia, MO We look forward to welcoming you to NAAC very soon! Please note that Sponsorships are still open, and a handful of conference spots are still open. Please contact northamericanagroforestry@gmail.com for more details. See you there! AFTA Members receive a $50 discount for Conference Registration. The Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA) convenes the North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC) biennially to bring together an inter-regional and international community of agroforestry professionals, and to enrich our understanding of research and development outcomes within temperate agroforestry systems. Please visit the Center for Agroforestry’s dedicated 19th NAAC webpage to learn more, register and submit your abstract for presentation. Sign up for the AFTA newsletter to stay up to date about conference developments, registration, deadlines and more. 19th NAAC Registration Page AFTA Membership NAAC Scholarship Information We aim to make our conference accessible by offering scholarships to support participants on a financial needs basis. This year, we are offering a limited number of scholarships to help offset the cost of attending for those who may otherwise not be able to attend. Priority review given to early scholarship applications. Deadline for submission, May 30, 2025. If you have questions or need assistance completing the application, please contact Andria Caruthers at caruthersad@umsystem.edu . Download the application form below. NAAC Scholarship Form Conference Location This year, the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri will host the conference where AFTA originated more than 30 years ago. The Center for Agroforestry, established in 1998, is guided by a mission to support the long-term future of rural and urban working farms and forests through land stewardship strategies that achieve economic, environmental and social resilience. We host an agroforestry graduate degree program, natural resource professional training and outreach, technical assistance and land steward engagement, and three decades of tree crop research and development. Center for Agroforestry Website Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm – Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Creator: Kyle Spradley Copyright: © 2014 - Curators of the University of Missouri Abstract Submissions The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry and Association for Temperate Agroforestry invite abstract submissions for the 19th Biennial North American Agroforestry Conference. Abstract Submissions Exhibitors and Vendors Thank you for your interest in sponsoring the 2025 North American Agroforestry Conference, co-hosted by the Center for Agroforestry and the Association for Temperate Agroforestry at the University of Missouri in Columbia! Sponsor and Exhibitor Form 2025 Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA) Awards Nominate an outstanding member of our community for an AFTA award! AFTA recognizes outstanding achievements in agroforestry through four awards. The awards will be presented at the North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC) in Columbia, Missouri. Nominations, including self-nominations, are encouraged, and award winners will be honored during the event. The nomination form is below. The following awards are open for nominations: Outreach and Education Award (AFTA members only) Research Award (AFTA members only) Early Career Award (AFTA members only) Practitioner or Producer Award (AFTA member or non-AFTA member/organization) For award descriptions and overview of submission and review timelines, click here . Past awardees can be viewed here . Download AFTA Award Nomination Form

AFTA Website Terms of Use The Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA) website is a space to interact with one another by sharing knowledge, information, opportunities, and experiences related to and with the purpose of advancing agroforestry. The following terms and conditions govern all use of the AFTA websites and all content, communications, services and products available at or through the websites. By creating a member profile, regardless of the type of membership (see Membership, Payment and Renewal below), you agree to the terms below set for in this Agreement. The Agreement encompasses the terms presented in the Privacy Policy. Please read this Agreement carefully before accessing or using the member features of the AFTA Website. By accessing or using any part of the AFTA Website, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement. AFTA is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. AFTA Forum Member (Free) Anyone 18 years of age or older may create an AFTA Forum Member account. AFTA Forum Members have access to the AFTA Agroforestry Forum. Free Member accounts can: Subscribe to the Temperate Agroforestry newsletter Create and manage a Site Member profile account Read and post on Public Discussions Recieve forum post notifications (opt-out and change notification status is available in your membership profile - found below your name once signed in) AFTA Member (Paid) Anyone 18 years of age or older may create an AFTA Member account. To become an AFTA Member there is the option of purchasing a Student, Regular, Organization, or Lifetime Membership. All current AFTA Members can: Membership benefits: Create and manage a Member profile account (viewable to other paid AFTA members) Receive a $50 ticket discount to the North American Agroforestry Conference Nominate and serve on AFTA Board of Directors Nominate yourself or others for biennial AFTA Awards Subscribe to the Temperate Agroforestry Newsletter Submit articles to include in the Temperate Agroforestry Newsletter Website Benefits Read and post on Public and Members only discussions Read and post on AFTA Member only Forum posts More coming soon! Payment and Automatic Renewal Subscription plans allow access to exclusive AFTA Member benefits (listed above). Your AFTA Member Subscription will automatically renew on an annual basis from the day of purchase unless otherwise specified by cancellation below. Payment will not increase or be cancelled without notification. Refunds and Cancellations You may cancel your AFTA subscription at any time through your Account page. Once you cancel, your account will be immediately closed and you will no longer be billed. Your subscription will not automatically renew. AFTA does not offer prorated refunds for cancellations during the subscription period. If you cancel your subscription before the end of the current billing period, you will not receive a refund for any unused portion of the subscription. Member-Generated Content and Profile Information As an AFTA Member or AFTA Forum Member, you may have the ability to make information, data, graphics, sounds, videos, messages, profiles, and other materials and content available to other Members. Content includes but is not limited to all comments, suggestions, advice, and ideas, including those made or given on an existing or potential agroforestry site. Materials and content created or managed by Members presented at conferences or All Submissions are subject to the same licensing provisions contained herein. 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Severability These Terms will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law. If any provision of the Terms is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to law, the provision will be modified by the court and interpreted so as best to accomplish the objectives of the original provision to the fullest extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in effect. Governing Law; Venue These Terms constitute a binding agreement, and failure to comply with these Terms may result in legal action. This agreement, and any disputes arising out of or related hereto, shall be governed exclusively by the internal laws of the State of Missouri. The state and federal courts located in Boone County, Missouri shall have exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement. Information We Collect and How We Use It AFTA does not sell names or other personal information about our Website users and subscribers to mass marketers or any other entity, nor do we engage in exchanges of such information. We do not share donor information with other organizations. Online credit card [purchases and] donations are processed through a third party service provider and we do not retain, store, sell or share any of your credit card, payment-related, or other personal information. We require our third party service providers to comply with confidentiality requirements and to not use your personal information for marketing purposes without your consent. We reserve the right to use personal information to protect the security or integrity of our Website; to protect against a threat to personal safety or destruction of property; to protect against legal liability; or to cooperate with government officials or parties in litigation, or as otherwise required by law. 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AFTA Membership: Join AFTA to support growing agroforestry across North America Become an AFTA Member Every AFTA membership furthers our mission to support and grow agroforestry across North America. In addition to supporting the growth of agroforestry adoption and implementation in Canada, United States and Mexico, AFTA develops resources, expands networks, publishes articles in the long running Temperate Agroforester Newsletter , hosts the biannual North American Agroforestry Conference , and more. Members of AFTA receive: $50 discount on 19th NAAC Conference Registration COMING SOON: Full access to the members only area of the AFTA website Eligibility to join a committee, or be elected to the AFTA Board of Directors Other ways to support AFTA's Mission: Subscribe to our email list Share this website Donate to AFTA or become a member Talk to your local Extension and Technical Service Providers about Agroforestry Join us at the 19th North American Agroforestry Conference in Columbia, MO in July 2025 Follow us on Facebook Yearly and recurring memberships are available below. For any questions, please get in touch . AFTA Student Membership $US 15 15$US Tous les ans Recurring Membership Sélectionner Help support AFTA's mission to promote agroforestry $50 discount on NAAC conference registration COMING SOON: Full access to members only area AFTA Regular Membership $US 30 30$US Tous les ans Recurring Membership Sélectionner Help support AFTA's mission to promote agroforestry $50 discount on NAAC conference registration COMING SOON: Full access to members only area AFTA Lifetime Membership $US 450 450$US Lifetime Membership Sélectionner Lifetime Membership to AFTA Help support AFTA's mission to promote agroforestry COMING SOON: Full access to articles and members only area $50 discount on NAAC conference registration (LIFETIME) AFTA Organizational Sponsor $US 100 100$US Tous les ans Recurring Membership Sélectionner The AFTA Sponsor membership includes 2 regular memberships 2x $50 discount on NAAC conference registration Sponsor AFTA's mission to promote agroforestry COMING SOON: Full access to members only area

Forest Farming Forest farming is the intentional cultivation of edible medicinal and other specialty crops beneath an existing managed forest canopy. About Forest Farming Forest Farming Articles What is Forest Farming? Forest Farming Benefits More about Forest Farming What is Forest Farming? Forest farming is the intentional cultivation of edible, medicinal or decorative specialty crops beneath native or planted woodlands that are managed for both wood and understory crop production. It does not include the gathering of naturally-occurring plants from native forests, also known as wildcrafting. Forest farming can provide profitable opportunities for forest and woodland owners, nut growers, sugar maple growers, and herb growers. Trails between forest botanical beds. Image Credit Forest Farming Benefits Forests can sustainably produce more than just wood. Extra income and diversification. Cultivation of specialty crops in a forest setting provides new sources of annual or periodic income before, or instead of, timber harvests. High value products. A wide variety of plants can be grown in a forest to produce natural or processed (value-added) edible, herbal, medicinal, decorative and craft products. Ecologically responsible. The intensively-managed cultivation of forest plants that are endangered in the wild due to over-harvesting is the responsible alternative to wildcrafting. Young Black Walnut trees between rows of corn. Image credit. More about Forest Farming Variety of non-timber forest products can be grown: Suitable species. Shade-loving plants that are naturally adapted to grow under forest conditions are candidates for forest farming cultivation. Research cultivation methods. Gather information about the biological and cultural requirements of understory plants in your forest. If possible, talk to other growers in your area. Research propagation methods and find sources of seed or cuttings. Forest management aspects: Forest management plan. Any forest farming enterprises should be integrated within your forest management plan. Determine any needed actions such as thinning, and any potential conflicts with silvicultural practices, e.g., herbicide applications. Silvicultural benefits. Management of the forest canopy to provide optimum light levels for understory crops, e.g. by thinning and pruning, also improves tree growth and wood quality. Marketing non-timber products from your agroforest: Inventory. The first step is to identify native plants growing in your forest that may have economic value, and to assess the soil and climatic conditions of the site. The understory plant community changes as the forest grows and with silvicultural activities. Determine all the possible uses of the plants and products that can be made from them. Market survey. Visit both retail outlet and wholesale buyers in your area to learn what forest-grown products they buy, including those produced from plants growing in your forest or which could be cultivated there. Learn about the buyer’s specific requirements regarding quantities, sizes, seasons, prices, etc. Direct marketing. Retailing value-added products made from understory crops directly to buyers takes time but will give the best return to the landowner. Potential buyers include restaurants, ethnic markets, natural food stores and the public via the Internet. Wholesale. By harvesting and processing understory crops grown in your forest, they can be sold to wholesale buyers. Growers can benefit by forming marketing cooperatives to provide a larger, consistent supply of plant materials. Leasing. The simplest way to generate cash income may be to lease a portion of your forestland to others who will grow and harvest understory crops, although the return to the landowner will be less than other marketing methods. A clear lease contract is vital. Bloom and bud stalk of American ginseng. Photo by Catherine Bukowski. Forest Farming Articles Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici.

Riparian Buffers Riparian forest buffers are strips of trees, shrubs and grass planted between cropland or pasture and surface water courses. About Riparian Buffers Riparian Buffer Articles What is a Riparian Buffer? Riparian Buffer Benefits More about Riparian Buffers What is a Riparian Buffer? Riparian forest buffers are strips of trees, shrubs and grass planted between cropland or pasture and surface water courses. Buffers protect water quality, reduce erosion and flooding. Riparian forest buffers can provide beneficial opportunities for row crop farmers, ranchers, horticulturists, and dairy and livestock producers. Riparian buffer of native trees and vegetation along creek between agriculture fields. Image Credit Riparian Buffer Benefits Riparian forest buffers provide economic, social and environmental benefits Water quality. Buffers have been shown to reduce non-point source pollution by absorbing and filtering animal wastes, sediments, nutrients and pesticides from crop and rangelands. Erosion and flood control. Riparian buffers combined with bioengineering practices help stabilize streambanks, slow out-of-bank flood flows, and protect cropland from flooding. Extra Income. Multirow riparian buffers can be managed to allow the periodic harvest of timber or non-timber products while still maintaining buffering capacity. This helps offset the loss of productive crop or pasture land to buffers. Wildlife habitat. Riparian forest buffers provide shade, shelter and food for fish and aquatic organisms, as well as terrestrial wildlife. More about Riparian Buffers Design & Management: Riparian forest buffers are designed to fulfill different purposes How a riparian buffer functions, and the services it provides, depends on its length and width, the variety of plant species included, and how it is managed after establishment. The standard design for riparian buffers suggested by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service consists of three distinct zones (see diagram below). This standard is modified on a case by case basis to suit the goals of the individual landowner and the characteristics of the site. Whatever the design, careful monitoring and active management are required after establishment to keep buffers functioning as intended. Cross section of a three-zone riparian forest buffer (adapted from USDA NRCS Riparian Forest Buffer Conservation Practice Job Sheet 391) Cross section of a three-zone riparian forest buffer (adapted from USDA NRCS Riparian Forest Buffer Conservation Practice Job Sheet 391) Grow specialty nontimber crops in riparian areas A variety of potential agroforestry enterprises based on trees and shrubs planted in buffers have been suggested. These include special forest products such as botanical, medicinal, floral and edible products, Christmas trees, timber production, and wildlife recreation. In the three-zone model of a riparian forest buffer, the intermediate area (Zone 2) and the area next to the cropland (Zone 3) are more suitable than Zone 1 for active management and production of trees and shrubs for a variety of products. In the Pacific Northwest, for example, a variety of native plants could be cultivated for saleable products beneath the tree canopy in any zone of a riparian buffer, e.g., Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), Red elderberry (Sambucas racemosa), Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), and Salal (Gaultheria shallon). Christmas trees, such as Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) could be grown in Zone 2 on a 7-8 year rotation. Buffers protect water quality Riparian buffers consisting of a combination of trees, shrubs and grasses are proven effective in trapping and filtering sediments, nutrients and chemicals in runoff from cropland and pastures. Plants absorb nutrients and chemicals that would otherwise flow into adjacent waterways. In order to be effective for water quality protection, buffers need to be sufficiently wide to slow down overland flow velocity and allow adequate time for nutrient uptake and sediment trapping. Since nutrients and sediments accumulate within plant tissue and on the surface of herbaceous species, maintenance of filtering capacity requires either long term storage (in large trees) or periodic harvesting to stimulate new growth which has a greater capacity to absorb nutrients. Buffers reduce soil erosion Plants in riparian buffers help control soil erosion by stabilizing soil with their roots and acting as a physical barrier to reduce overland water flows. By slowing down the water, they promote infiltration and reduce channel flow and gully formation. Deep-rooted trees and shrubs stabilize stream banks and reduce erosion and sedimentation. Grasses The spreading fibrous roots of grass species bind soil to reduce erosion and their fine foliage at ground level traps sediment. Buffers improve habitat for fish and terrestrial wildlife Riparian buffers create habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Large trees adjacent to streams moderate stream temperatures through shading, and provide a source of large woody debris. Salmon, for example, need cool water temperatures and streambed gravel free of excess sediment for reproduction. Large fallen logs in streams catch and scour the gravel vital to salmonid reproduction and provide them places to hide from predators. Native trees and shrubs also provide terrestrial birds and animals with food, cover, nesting sites and travel corridors. Riparian Buffer Articles Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici.

Silvopasture Silvopasture is the intentional combination of trees, forage plants and livestock together as an integrated, intensively-managed system. About Silvopasture Silvopasture Articles What is Silvopasture? Silvopasture Benefits Silvopasture Enterprise Silvopasture Components What is Silvopasture? Silvopasture is the intentional combination of trees, forage plants and livestock together as an integrated, intensively-managed system. Silvopasture can provide profitable opportunities for softwood or hardwood timber growers, forest landowners, and livestock producers. Cattle grazing grass among new trees in protective tubes. Image Credit Silvopasture Benefits Silvopasture has several advantages over timber or pasture alone. Return on investment. By adding a livestock production component, silvopasture creates a stable source of cash flow prior to nut or timber harvest (e.g. pine, poplar or pecan) and diversifies the forestry enterprise. For livestock graziers, add a long-term timber while maintaining forage production provides more income than grazing alone. In some areas, pine straw harvest can also provide supplemental income. Silvicultural benefits. Nitrogen-fixing forage species, pasture fertilization and animal manure all help improve the soil and tree nutrition. Grazing controls competing brushy species and reduces fire hazard. Competition between trees is less at the wider spacings employed with silvopasture. The result is greater timber yield. Livestock benefits. Trees create a sheltered microclimate to protect animals from heat and cold. Shelter also improves forage quality and lengthens its growing season. The prunings of some trees can also be used as fodder, e.g. poplar. The result is better livestock growth. Wildlife. By creating a more biologically diverse system, wildlife habitat is also created. Silvopasture Enterprise Small Farms: Add trees to pasture Softwood trees are planted on existing pastures or range in widely-spaced single or double rows. This arrangement reduces shading and root competition while maintaining forage production over a longer portion of the timber rotation. Combine nut trees with grazing Legumes grown in the alleys between nut trees such as pecans and black walnut can provide high quality forage for livestock. Grazing can be used instead or in addition to mowing to manage the orchard floor to reduce erosion and improve wet-weather trafficability. Trees should be at least 10-12 feet tall before grazing starts. Some pesticides used in nut orchards may restrict grazing following application. Forest and Woodland: Add a grazing enterprise In native or planted forests, forage species can be sown under an existing tree plantation that has been thinned and pruned, and cattle or sheep introduced under a managed, rotational grazing system. Silvopasture succeeds when management practices for the trees, forage and livestock are compatible: Tree component. Choice of tree species is determined by the soil and climate of the site, as well as potential markets for wood products. Conifers are generally better suited than hardwoods to silvopastoral systems, but grazing is successful in pecan orchards. Spot or strip spraying around the trees during the first few years after planting will reduce competition from forage grasses and improve tree growth. Periodic thinning and pruning of the trees are important not only to improving wood quality, but also to providing more light for forage growth. Forage component. A variety of perennial warm or cool season grasses and legumes can be used in silvopastures. They tolerate shade and avoid competitio with the trees by growing in different seasons or rooting at different depths. Simple grass / legume mixes can be over-seeded with other species to extend the grazing period. By designing tree row spacing to accommodate haying equipment, forage can be mechanically harvested until the trees are tall enough not to be harmed by some livestock browsing or rubbing. Livestock component. Cattle and sheep are the most common animals used in silvopasture, although other species also have potential. Although cattle can more easily trample young trees or compact wet soils compared to sheep, they may be less likely to browse trees. Careful observation of herd behavior is necessary to detect and correct potential problems with browsing or rubbing of trees. Electric fencing or individual tree guards may be necessary to protect trees if animals are introduced when they are still small. Fencing is also used in rotational grazing methods to better control forage consumption. Silvopasture Components Silvopasture succeeds when management practices for the trees, forage and livestock are compatible: Tree component. Choice of tree species is determined by the soil and climate of the site, as well as potential markets for wood products. Conifers are generally better suited than hardwoods to silvopastoral systems, but grazing is successful in pecan orchards. Spot or strip spraying around the trees during the first few years after planting will reduce competition from forage grasses and improve tree growth. Periodic thinning and pruning of the trees are important not only to improving wood quality, but also to providing more light for forage growth. Forage component. A variety of perennial warm or cool season grasses and legumes can be used in silvopastures. They tolerate shade and avoid competitio with the trees by growing in different seasons or rooting at different depths. Simple grass / legume mixes can be over-seeded with other species to extend the grazing period. By designing tree row spacing to accommodate haying equipment, forage can be mechanically harvested until the trees are tall enough not to be harmed by some livestock browsing or rubbing. Livestock component. Cattle and sheep are the most common animals used in silvopasture, although other species also have potential. Although cattle can more easily trample young trees or compact wet soils compared to sheep, they may be less likely to browse trees. Careful observation of herd behavior is necessary to detect and correct potential problems with browsing or rubbing of trees. Electric fencing or individual tree guards may be necessary to protect trees if animals are introduced when they are still small. Fencing is also used in rotational grazing methods to better control forage consumption. Silvopasture Articles Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici.

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Alley Cropping The cultivation of food, forage or specialty crops between rows of trees. About Alley Cropping Alley Cropping Articles What is Alley Cropping? Alley Cropping Benefits Alley Cropping Enterprises What is Alley Cropping? Alley cropping is the cultivation of food, forage or specialty crops between rows of trees. It is a larger version of intercropping or companion planting conducted over a longer time scale. Alley cropping can provide profitable opportunities for row crop farmers, hardwood timber growers, nut growers and Christmas tree growers. Corn rows between Black walnut trees in a field. Image credit. Alley Cropping Benefits Alley cropping benefits both humans and the environment. Income diversification: Crop production during the years before nut trees come into bearing or hardwood timber is harvested creates cash flow and diversifies farm income, thereby improving the return on long-term investments in trees. Marginal land improvement: By planting rows of nut or timber trees on land where annual crop production is low due to erosion or other limitations, marginal croplands may be converted to higher value woodlands. Shelter: Rows of trees reduce wind speed, thereby controlling wind erosion. They also create sheltered microclimates that improves the yield and quality of crops growing in the alleys. Wildlife: Alley cropping increases the biodiversity of cropland which creates new habitat for wildlife. Young Black Walnut trees between rows of corn. Image credit. Alley Cropping Enterprises Hardwood timber or nut trees: Hardwoods such as black walnut or pecan may be combined with annual crops such as corn or soybeans. Forage crops can be cultivated between tree rows for harvest or livestock grazing, or shrubs palatable to livestock can be grown for fodder, e.g. tagasaste. Other possible alley crops also include specialty crops, e.g. herbal or medicinal, perennials such as conifers for Christmas trees, and even nursery stock, e.g. using the Pot-in-Pot system. Specialty crops and conventional field crops: Another alternative is to plant rows of perennial specialty crops within a field of tall field crops such as corn to diversify income while maintaining annual crop production. Cattle grazing among rows of young trees protected by tubes. Image Credit. Alley Cropping Articles Aucun post publié dans cette langue actuellement Dès que de nouveaux posts seront publiés, vous les verrez ici.

AFTA's Regions Canada United States Mexico AFTA's Countries and Regions Coming soon: Regional information, contacts, resources and more. AFTA’s geographic focus is temperate North America. However, we value learning from, and exchanging with, agroforestry practitioners from other regions. We welcome individuals and organizations from outside of temperate North America to our membership, events, and other programs. Are you a regional contact, partner or know of one? If so, please reach out to us at northamericanagroforestry@gmail.com . Canada Coming soon: Regional information, contacts, resources and more. United States Coming soon: Regional information, contacts, resources and more. Mexico Coming soon: Regional information, contacts, resources and more.

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