tree crops & agroforestry - young farmers 09

Tree Crops and AgroforestryWhole-systems Regeneration Through Perennial Agriculture

Connor Stedman – Gaia Northeast

Thanks to: M. Kat Anderson, Dave Jacke, Ethan Roland, Jon Young

What is Agroforestry?Agroforestry (AF) is land use integrating trees

and/or tree crops with other types of agriculture.

The three I’s:– Intentional– Intensive– Interconnected

The “Rule of 3”: An AF system must have at least 3 “layers” or managed functional elements.

The Roots – Indigenous AF Worldwide

Tropical Agroforestry


• Read 1491 by Charles Mann. Current Amazonian rainforest diversity is a result of thousands of years of native agroforestry.


• Read 1491 by Charles Mann. Current Amazonian rainforest diversity is a result of thousands of years of native agroforestry.

• Hawai’ian Ahupua’a – whole-watershed management from mountain to sea, cared for by extended family networks.

Temperate & Mediterranean Agroforestry

(Wherever acorns are found.)

Balanoculture

Cork Oak Savanna

Tending the Wild Across North America


• M. Kat Anderson spent 17 years interviewing native elders from around California.



• Their stories illustrate whole-ecosystem caretaking based on agroforestry and managing wild plant and animal populations for harvest.



• Their stories illustrate whole-ecosystem caretaking based on agroforestry and managing wild plant and animal populations for harvest.

• Analogous patterns are found in the history (and sometimes present day) of every inhabited ecosystem in North America.

Soaproot – Chlorogalum spp.• A “wild” plant physiologically adapted to human harvestingand use.

Some Paradigm Shifts

• Don’t just plant and harvest crops – manage and participate in the ecosystems that support staple crops in abundance.



• Traditional land use patterns have resulted in heritage ecosystems, with humans as keystone species within those ecosystems.



• Traditional land use patterns have resulted in heritage ecosystems, with humans as keystone species within those ecosystems.

• With regenerative land use practices, human economic activities increase ecosystem health.

References on Indigenous Agroforestry

• Tending the Wild – M. Kat Anderson• Enduring Seeds – Gary Paul Nabhan• The Voice of the Dawn – Frederick Matthew

Wiseman• It Will Live Forever – Julia Parker & Beverly

Ortiz• 1491 – Charles Mann• Changes in the Land – William Cronon

Coppice: Traditional European Agroforestry

The Coppice Cycle

Billhook

Coppice Products: Unlimited Potential

• Baskets – Furniture – Buildings – Tools – FUEL• …..and more!

Coppice and Standard

• Understory: coppice• Overstory: mast trees.• Other yields: wild plant & fungus food & medicine, wild game, silvopasture…

Whole Ecosystem Management

So….

What does all this mean in the Northeast US?

Northeast US Forest Characteristics

• Temperate forest ecosystem; 40+ inches of rain distributed evenly through the year.



• Rainfall exceeding evaporation + heavy winter snowfalls = high levels of spring mineral leaching from topsoil.




• Most forests are under 100 years old. Old-growth very rare and extremely fragmented.





• Coastal & intervale prairies and savannas almost completely gone – huge loss of diverse early-succession habitats.






• 200+ years of near-complete fire suppression.






• 200+ years of near-complete fire suppression.• A 10,000+ Year History of Agroforestry

Tree Crop Characteristics for AF in the Northeast

• Climate-appropriate



• High Yielding & High Quality




• Disease Resistant





• Historic or present-day use as staple crop






• Same, Analogous, or Closely Related Plants Found in Local Ecosystems






• Same, Analogous, or Closely Related Plants Found in Local Ecosystems

--Fun and Exciting – Motivational Species!--

Top Tree Crops: Small Fruits

• Currants & Gooseberries (Ribes spp.)


• Currants & Gooseberries (Ribes spp.)• Raspberries & Blackberries (Rubus spp.)


• Currants & Gooseberries (Ribes spp.)• Raspberries & Blackberries (Rubus spp.)• Bush Cherries (Prunus spp.)

Top Tree Crops: Mid-Sized Fruits

• Juneberries (Amalanchier spp.)


• Juneberries (Amalanchier spp.)• Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)


• Juneberries (Amalanchier spp.)• Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)• Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta)

Top Tree Crops: Orchard Fruits

• Pear (Pyrus spp.)


• Pear (Pyrus spp.)• Persimmon (Diospyrus spp.)


• Pear (Pyrus spp.)• Persimmon (Diospyrus spp.)• Mulberry (Morus spp.)

Top Tree Crops: Nut Trees

• Hazel/Filbert (Corylus spp.)


• Hazel/Filbert (Corylus spp.)• Chestnut (Castenaea spp.)


• Hazel/Filbert (Corylus spp.)• Chestnut (Castenaea spp.)• Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Top Tree Crops: Timber/Coppice

• Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)


• Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)• Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)


• Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)• Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)• Hazel/Filbert (Corylus spp.)

Some Tree Crop Resources• Tree Crops - J. Russell Smith• Edible Forest Gardens - Dave Jacke & Eric

Toensmeier• Uncommon Fruits - Lee Reich• A Guide to Nut Tree Culture in North America –

Dennis W. Fulbright, ed.• Northern Nut Growers Association –

nutgrowing.org• The Woodland Way – Ben Law• Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual – Bill

Mollison

Why Implement AF Now?• Overyielding Polycultures• Perennial Staple Crops• Carbon Sequestration• Erosion Control & Soil Fertility Renewal• Sustainable, Local, Carbon-Neutral Fuel• Habitat Regeneration• Productive Use of Marginal/Degraded Land• Enhancement of Existing Farm Systems

= BIOREGION REPAIR

4 Strategies for AF Implementation

• 1. Enhance Existing Farm Systems & Solve Problems with Tree Crops

• 2. Implement Proven AF Tree Crop Systems• 3. Trial, Research, and Develop Commercially

Unproven AF Tree Crop Systems• 4. Manage Existing Landscapes as Heritage

Ecosystems

1. Enhance Existing Farm Systems & Solve Problems with Tree Crops

– Windbreaks

– Riparian Buffers

– Hedgerows

2. Implement Commercially Proven Tree Crop Systems

• Alley Cropping

• Forest Farming

• Silvopasture

3. Trial, Research, and Develop Commercially Unproven Tree Crop Systems & Techniques


• Ideas:– Fruit/nut orchard with diverse perennial crop understory


• Ideas:– Fruit/nut orchard with diverse perennial crop understory– Prescribed fire management in nut tree-based AF

systems


• Ideas:– Fruit/nut orchard with diverse perennial crop understory– Prescribed fire management in nut tree-based AF systems– Trial uncommon fruits for small commercial markets

within AF systems, such as:• Juneberry• American Persimmon• Pawpaw• Jujube• Honeyberry• Hardy Kiwi

4. Manage Existing Landscapes as Heritage Ecosystems

Contact Info

[email protected]

Gaia Northeast B.Sc. and M.Sc. Degree Programs Start February 2011

www.gaianortheast.orgwww.gaiauniversity.org

http://www.gaianortheast.org/

http://www.gaiauniversity.org/

tree crops & agroforestry - young farmers 09

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