Agroforestry Notes (USDA-NAC)

Silvopasture Water and Fencing Systems for Cattle

Sid Brantly — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:03:36 PDT

Silvopasture is an agroforestry system that combines grazing livestock with growing trees for a timber product. Creating small, fenced paddocks and rotating cattle builds in "recovery periods" for the forage and protects the soil and trees. In a silvopastoral system, grazing recovery periods can only be achieved when well-designed livestock water supplies and cross fences are used. Fortunately, technological advances in livestock water system design and fence materials have helped to create a feasible working environment where rotating livestock from one silvopasture paddock to another can be both convenient and affordable. However, some special considerations must be given to water and fencing in a silvopasture system.

Silvopasture and Eastern Wild Turkey

Jim Robinson — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:59:15 PDT

Trees and livestock account for much of the income production on lands throughout the southern United States. Today many landowners are combining these two operations into one system called silvopasture, where both timber and livestock are produced on the same field.

While economic gain is most often the primary goal of a silvopasture system, wildlife habitat enhancement is commonly seen as an added benefit. This Agroforestry Note discusses the habitat requirements of Eastern wild turkey with respect to management considerations for the production of timber and livestock forage within silvopasture systems.

Silvopasture systems typically are laid out by either planting widely spaced rows of trees (usually pines) onto an open pasture or by heavy thinning of a forest to allow sufficient light to reach the ground so that a livestock forage system can be established. See Agroforestry Notes 18 and 22. Minor modification can be made to greatly improve the value of a silvopasture system for wild turkey, while still retaining most of the timber and forage production potential.

Converting A Pasture to A Silvopasture in the Pacific Northwest

Steven H. Sharrow et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:55:58 PDT

Forestry and livestock production are mainstays of the natural resource-based economies of many rural communities in the western United States and Canada. Regenerating mixed conifer forests may produce considerable amounts of ground vegetation that is suitable as livestock feed, while open-canopied pine forests in more arid conditions produce forage throughout their lives. Not surprisingly, there is a strong tradition of livestock grazing within western forests. Silvopasture, the combination of forest management and improved forage species, is a more intensive, controlled application of this traditional use. It is most often implemented to increase profitability, reduce risk, and augment environmental benefits from land management.

Windbreaks: An Agroforestry Practice

Bruce Wright et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:51:44 PDT

Purpose of Note:

• Introduce the concept of windbreaks and their benefits

• Describe different applications of windbreaks

• Discuss basic design and planning considerations

Planning Biotechnical Streambank Protection

Gary W. Wells — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:48:31 PDT

This note is designed to help planners determine the appropriateness of biotechnical alternatives for streambank stabilization. Biotechnical approaches utilize plants as the primary structural components to provide an alternative or complement to concrete, rock and other materials. Even though various biotechnical techniques have been developed to utilize the ability of plants to stabilize slopes, there are situations where these techniques are not an appropriate choice.

Biotechnical Streambank Protection: The use of plants to stabilize streambanks

Gary W. Wells — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:46:18 PDT

Biotechnical streambank protection utilizes living plant materials to reinforce soil and stabilize slopes. Plants can be used as the primary structural component or in combination with inert materials like rock, concrete, and steel to help stabilize streambanks. Many terms have been used to describe the engineering use of plant materials for slope stabilization (Figure 1). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uses the term Soil Bioengineering to describe the use of living plant material for soil reinforcement, hydraulic drains, barriers to earth movement, and hydraulic pumps or wicks. The underlying concept for all terms is the use of plants to reduce the erosive forces of water and increase soil's resistance to those erosive forces.

Biotechnical stabilization is not a new concept. Documented examples of its use date back to the Romans. There are numerous references from the 1930s that advocated biotechnical designs. The NRCS (previously the Soil Conservation Service) utilized extensive biotechnical techniques on the Winooski River Watershed project in Vermont that has been well documented since its installation in 1938. After World War II these techniques seemed to have lost favor to the hard engineering approaches that rely heavily on rock, concrete, and steel. However, the growing concern for more ecologically beneficial solutions has renewed interest in biotechnical approaches.

De sistemas Pastoriles a Silvopastoriles

James L. Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:43:05 PDT

Existe el potencial para diversificar la operación pastoril y mejorar los beneficios económicos y ambientales en muchas áreas a través de la conversión de pastoreo a silvopastoreo. Silvopastoreo es la integración de árboles y ganado junto con forraje. Estudios han demostrado que bajo una buena administración es posible la producción de pastos y de madera de alta calidad.

From A Pasture to A Silvopasture System

James L. Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:40:53 PDT

There is potential to diversify a grazing operation and improve economic or environmental benefits on many acres through conversion of pasture to silvopasture. Silvopasture is the integration of trees with livestock grazing and forage operations. Research has demonstrated that, if managed properly, forage production can be maintained while producing high value timber.

Planning and Design Considerations for Hybrid Poplar Timberbelts

Scott J. Josiah et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:37:40 PDT

The demand for wood products and wood fiber has led to the development of a production system based on fast growing trees known as Short Rotation Woody Crops (SRWCs). Traditionally, SRWCs are grown in large, intensively managed blocks, but the technology may also be used on agricultural lands in integrated applications such as timberbelts. Timberbelts are multiple row windbreaks that are planted with commercially valuable trees to produce wood products. Trees such as hybrid poplar (typically cottonwood and to a lesser extent aspen), hybrid willow, hybrid pine, paulownia, etc., are particularly suited for use in timberbelts because of their rapid growth, expanding array of marketable products, growing demand for alternative sources of wood fiber, and generation of earlier investment returns.

Timberbelts can improve net farm income, sequester carbon, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve water quality. They serve as windbreaks to reduce soil erosion, increase crop yields and improve public safety through enhanced snow management. Other benefits include diversifying farming systems and agricultural landscapes, improving soil quality, reducing the input and transport of agricultural chemicals and fertilizers, and improving local air quality. Because of their multi-purpose objective including protecting adjacent crops from the wind and producing wood products, timberbelts are an agroforestry practice that is also a profit center for the farm. Trees can reach between 50 to 80 feet in height at age 10, depending on site conditions, irrigation, and management. Rotation age can range from 10 to 20 years. Producing a direct income from these windbreaks diversifies sources of farm revenue and reduces overall financial risk.

Figure 1 illustrates the timberbelt concept. In this example, an evergreen row is placed on the windward side of each timberbelt for year-round protection. All poplar rows could be harvested at the end of the rotation (7 to 12 years), or some rows could be left for crop protection until the harvested rows regrow and are of sufficient height to provide effective wind reduction. For maximum wind protection, timberbelts should be spaced across the field at 10 to 15 times the height of the timberbelt at the age it is to be harvested. Specific spacings between timberbelts should be at even multiples of the width of the largest agricultural implements (e.g., sprayers).

Waterbreaks: Managed Trees for the Floodplain

Douglas C. Wallace et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:31:28 PDT

Historically, many of the natural woody ecosystems that were once present in floodplains across the country have been highly altered or removed. Land clearing has resulted in the loss of woody vegetation, even in areas adjacent to streams and rivers. With these alterations, came extensive flood management commitments to compensate for the loss of naturally functioning floodplains and for the protection of towns, roads, and agricultural fields. However, even with the best available flood management techniques, when rivers decide to flood - they will, often with devastating consequences. Strictly from a social and an economic standpoint, allowing the floodplain to revert to a completely natural state would be a radical and largely unpopular action. Nonetheless, creating a floodplain system that accommodates, rather than controls flooding, and still maintains its economic and biological attributes, has been shown to be an acceptable alternative. A key to this is reestablishing trees in carefully planned and managed waterbreaks.

De un Bosque de Pino hacia un Sistema Silvopastoril

Terry Clason et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:26:17 PDT

Los sistemas agroforestales ofrecen el potencial a los usuarios de tierras de analizar las posibilidades de generar ingresos por venta de diferentes bienes o artículos, producidos en un mismo predio de terreno, a la misma vez que se obtienen beneficios ambientales. Los sistemas silvopastoriles, son sistemas agroforestales. Éstos sitemas se componen de árboles, forrajes y ganado. Un sistema silvopastoril puede desarrollarse a partir de un predio en pastos o de un bosque al que se le incorporan forrajes. El bosque deberá ser manejado de manera que permita la entrada de luz solar para el crecimiento del forraje.

From Pine Forest to A Silvopasture System

Terry Clason et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:23:07 PDT

Agroforestry systems hold the potential for land users to realize diverse income-generating possibilities from the same acreage, as well as meet environmental goals. Silvopasture systems are agroforestry systems that incorporate the production of forage and/or livestock with the growing of trees for a timber product. The silvopasture system can be developed from a pasture system with the trees incorporated into the open fields or it can be developed from a forest plantation with the forage incorporated into the plantation following a thinning to reduce tree canopy.

Wastewater Management Using Hybrid Poplar

Gary A. Kuhn — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:20:58 PDT

Hybrid poplars are rapidly growing trees that are well suited to use agricultural, industrial, and community wastewater. They are being used as an alternative to expensive wastewater treatment systems, and methods which apply wastewater to annual crops or pasture. The trees serve a dual purpose as a nutrient sink for wastewater use and as a means to produce a short-rotation harvested wood product which helps offset the cost of installation and maintenance.

Planning tree wastewater use systems requires both agroforestry and engineering expertise. Omission of either in the planning process can lead to disappointing results and reduced benefits. This Agroforestry Note outlines and discusses the major planning and engineering considerations for a short rotation woody crop (SRWC) wastewater application system.

Forest Production of Goldenseal

Jeanine M. Davis — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:18:50 PDT

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) is a valued medicinal herb which has been collected from hardwood forests in eastern North America for hundreds of years. The historical range for goldenseal is north into Canada, south to Alabama, and west to Kansas. Overharvesting of goldenseal has caused serious reductions in populations reported in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and eastern Kentucky. In 1997, goldenseal was listed on Appendix II of the Convention for International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty monitoring trade in threatened and endangered species. Designed to protect the species, this listing imposed controls on goldenseal trade. This has not stopped people from collecting it, however, and populations continue to decrease. Due to this, the cultivation of Goldenseal has proven to be profitable.

Economics and Marketing of Ginseng

Robert L. Beyfuss — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:16:42 PDT

It is extremely important to learn about the economic potential of the various types of ginseng and how to market the product prior to growing it. Raising ginseng is something that a patient person who enjoys growing things can find interesting and potentially profitable but, it requires hard work, at least a small capital investment, and it certainly is not a sure thing. This Agroforestry Note will familiarize readers with some economic considerations and marketing tips. For specific information about growing ginseng refer to AF Note Forest Farming -3, American Ginseng Production in Woodlots.

American Ginseng Production in Woodlots

Robert L. Beyfuss — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:13:31 PDT

For the past 3,000 years or more the roots of a perennial plant called ginseng have been an important component of traditional Chinese medicine. The roots of wild American ginseng have been harvested, dried, and exported from the United States and Canada to China, since the mid 1700’s. Today, American ginseng is also a very important part of traditional Chinese medicine. It is used as an “adaptogen” that allows the body to adjust to various types of stress. It is not used as a specific cure or remedy for any particular ailment but as a component of many medicinal herbal combinations that help people deal with the aging process and related disorders.

Presently there are dozens of over-the-counter herbal remedies, available in local drug stores, which contain ginseng or ginseng extracts. Ginseng has become one of the most popular herbs of the 1990’s as Americans and Europeans seek alternatives to prescription drugs. Unfortunately many of the ginseng products available in local stores do not contain any American ginseng. Usually they contain extracts of either Asian ginseng, which is widely cultivated in China and Korea, or so-called “Siberian ginseng” which is a related plant, but not a true species of ginseng. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, as long ago as 1858 the U.S. exported more then 350,000 pounds of dried wild ginseng roots. American ginseng has been cultivated in the U.S. since the late 1800’s, primarily in the northeast, southeast and the midwest.

Farming Exotic Mushrooms in the Forest

Deborah B. Hill — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:09:23 PDT

One income opportunity derived from forest farming is the production of exotic mushrooms. Many of these edible mushrooms, such as shiitake (Lentinula edodes), maitake (Grifola frondosa), lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus, and oyster (Pleurotus spp. feed on the cellulose and lignin in wood. Although a significant volume of these mushrooms is produced under artificial conditions on a substance of sawdust, grains and other supplements, production on logs results in firmer texture and more flavor.

Production of high-value mushrooms on small diameter logs of almost any hardwood species enables a private forest landowner to utilize forest thinning residue. In the past ten years or so, markets for shiitake mushrooms have remained stable, with wholesale prices for top quality mushrooms ranging from $4 to $12 per pound, depending on supply and demand.

Alley Cropping: An Agroforestry Practice

Sandra Hodge et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:59:16 PDT

Alley cropping is an agroforestry practice intended to place trees within agricultural cropland systems. The purpose is to enhance or add income diversity (both long and short range), reduce wind and water erosion, improve crop production, improve utilization of nutrients, improve wildlife habitat or aesthetics, and/or convert cropland to forest. The practice is especially attractive to landowners wishing to add economic stability to their farming system while protecting soil from erosion, water from contamination, and improving wildlife habitat.

Establishment and Cultural Guidelines for Using Hybrid Tree Species in Agroforestry Plantings

Gary A. Kuhn et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:54:10 PDT

Hybrid poplars (and willows) are well-suited for agroforestry applications in many parts of the United States (See AFN-10). Their convenient propagation and fast growth allow them to establish and provide conservation benefits more quickly. This note provides general establishment and cultural guidelines to consider when using hybrid poplar cuttings for agroforestry plantings.

Opportunities for Growing Short-Rotation Woody Crops in Agroforestry Practices

Gary A. Kuhn et al. — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:49:01 PDT

Technologies are readily available for growing hybrid poplars and willows in block plantings as short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) for fuel and fiber. SRWC species and technologies can also be incorporated into agricultural systems as agroforestry practices. Examples are windbreaks, living snowfences, “timberbelts”, riparian buffer strips, and wastewater treatment plantings. Fast growth, convenient propagation (see AF Note - 11), and compatibility with conventional farming methods make SRWC suitable for use in agroforestry practices to provide multiple benefits such as solid wood and wood fiber products, water quality improvement, crop and soil protection, wildlife habitat, and buffers for agricultural/community interfaces.