Silvopasture: Site and Management Considerations North Country Land - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture: Site and Management Considerations North Country Land Trust Webinar May 18, 2020

United States Department of Agriculture Outline • Definitions and characteristics • What silvopasture is not • Benefits • Silvopasture steps • Site and manager requirements • Conclusions & resources Beef cattle in an apple silvopasture on North Branch Farm in New York. Photo by Joe Orefice, Yale University

United States Department of Agriculture Definitions Silvopasture is an agroforestry practice that intentionally and sustainably produces trees (or shrubs), forage, and livestock in a single integrated system. NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 381: Establishment and/or management of desired trees and forages on the same land unit. Silvopasture research at black locust/black walnut silvopasture system at Virginia Tech’s Kentland Research Farm. Photo by John Munsell, Virginia Tech

United States Department of Agriculture Definitions: Two Paths to Silvopasture • Pasture to Silvopas pastu ture re: trees are deliberately introduced or enhanced to a forage production system • For orest to o Silvopas pastu ture re: forage crops are deliberately introduced or enhanced in a timber or tree crop production system Photo by Brett Chedzoy, Cornell Photo by Dusty Walter, University of Extension Missouri

United States Department of Agriculture Characteristics of Silvopasture Two definitive characteristics of silvopastures are: 1. Management of the livestock type, timing, and impact maintains forage and tree health and maintain rooting zones that stabilize soil in silvopastures. 2. Trees are actively cultivated in silvopasture systems and stem density is controlled to encourage forage and tree vigor. Long rest periods: in the northeast, often livestock are only in a silvopasture for a few days (1-7) over the course of a growing season.

United States Department of Agriculture What Silvopasture is Not • Single trees in pastures • Turning livestock into the woods • “Feedlots with trees” Why not? Problems with root compaction, girdling, soil degradation, parasite problems Three photos by Joe Orefice, Yale University Photo by Dusty Walter, University of Missouri

United States Department of Agriculture What Silvopasture is Not Silvopasture is not forest grazing, which often has the goal of supporting or restoring the native ecosystem. https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/assets/documents/agroforestrynotes/an46si09.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Benefits • Incentive to manage woodlands, especially on farms • Vegetation management: reducing invasive threats • Aesthetics: important to landowners • Management for forage can benefit trees • Can support high quality forage and diversify animal diets • Improve forage availability during the summer slump Photo by Adam Downing, Virginia Cooperative Extension

United States Department of Agriculture • Forages start growth earlier in spring, continue later in fall • Forage yields higher in heat of summer Resea earch & & grap aphic ic b by Dus usty Wal alter er, U , Univ niversit ity o of Mis issour uri Tradit ditio ional al Past sture Silv lvopasture re Forage Yield Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Benefits Reduced heat and cold stress results in: • Improved animal condition • Improved milk production • Improved breeding efficiency • Improved feed intake • Improved weight gain • Improved nutrient distribution

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Benefits Reduced heat stress: Shade is probably beneficial any time Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) is above 72, especially if livestock are grazing endophyte infected fescue

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Economic Benefits • Multiple use, multiple revenue • Short term and long term income sources • Ease of harvesting timber when the time comes • Risk management: unlike crops and livestock, the livestock and wood economic boom/bust cycles don’t Additional income can come from posts and poles. Photo by Brett Chedzoy, Cornell Extension coincide

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Challenges • Without proper management, risk of short-term and long-term environmental failure is high • Not easy • Not right for many sites • Requires highly skilled managers • Silvopasture systems change over time • Forest regeneration (some solutions: Dickinson College Farm Silvopasture Demonstration. Photo by Dan Dostie, NRCS long term livestock exclusion, linear Pennsylvania fencing of rows of trees) • May have considerations for tax and land use programs

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Steps Pasture to silvopasture 1. Gather a team of people with the right expertise 2. Assess the site 3. Select trees appropriate to site conditions 4. Make sure these trees also meet manager goals: produce a light shade, produce desired products (nuts, timber, syrup), high value, deeply rooted 5. Determine planting configuration: shade management, mowing, fencing, product growth and harvest 6. Weed control: mechanical, herbicide, mulch 7. Protect trees from grazing

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Steps Forest to silvopasture 1. Gather a team of people with the right expertise 2. Assess the site 3. Select the highest quality trees to remain as crop trees (thin for quality) 4. Modify stand density to allow adequate sunlight to reach the ground (thin for light) 5. Meet the germination requirements for target forage species and seed as needed 6. Manage the system to avoid negatively pressuring desirable plants and forage (weed control, protecting trees, etc.)

United States Department of Agriculture Site Requirements https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/d/5957/files/2015/03/Silvopasture-Site-Assessment-2017-2eceouq.pdf Photo by Joe Orefice, Yale University Photo by Dusty Walter, University of Missouri

United States Department of Agriculture Site Requirements • Si Site qu quality: site capable of growing agricultural crops and/or quality timber. • Acce ccess: Relatively easy to reach the location with materials, equipment and livestock. • Er Erosi sion conce cern rns: Site can tolerate managed grazing during heavy rainfalls with negligible long ‐ term impacts. • Ha Hazards: No significant risks such as deep gullies, flood ‐ prone streams, etc. • Terrain/” n/”fence-abli blity”: Site can be enclosed with secure fence with minimal clearing and excavation. • Wa Water: Potable water is readily available on location for livestock. • Size/shape ape/locat cation on: Area is adjacent to existing grazing operation, large enough to justify the investment in developing it, and the shape allows for efficient fencing.

United States Department of Agriculture Manager Requirements • Already comfortable practicing rotational grazing • Has the time/labor available to move animals often • Comfortable working with a system that changes over time • Willing to work without a recipe • Has a team: foresters need grazing knowledge and vice versa • Likes working with & learning from Jacob Marty, a sixth generation farmer, in Illinois others transitioned 250 acres of conventional grain production to rotational grazing. In 2016, a pilot silvopasture planting of 1,000 redbuds, apple, pear, chestnut, and other fruit and nut trees was created on 8 acres. Photo courtesy Jacob Marty.

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Examples • Introduce trees to a pasture • Introduce or enhance forage in a timber or tree crop system • Most people using silvopasture have some silvopasture pastures and some without trees: it’s not all or nothing • Different kinds of livestock: cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, etc. Photo by Joe Orefice, Yale Photo by Charlotte Clifford-Rathert, Lincoln University University Thanks to Joe Orefice for giving permission to share photos and examples from Photo Guide to Northeast United States Silvopasture : https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/d/5957/files/2015/03/Photo-Guide-to-NE-US-Silvopasture-2m9ggax.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Examples Hardwood Plantation Silvopasture: Black locust silvopasture Variable density oak and maple silvopasture converted with some black walnut, established from an open field about from a forest, irregular tree spacing with residual trees. 20 years ago. It was commercially thinned twice for black locust fence posts and rotationally grazed with beef cattle, and occasionally meat goats, for the past ten years. Photos by Joe Orefice, Yale University

United States Department of Agriculture Silvopasture Examples Field edge silvopasture: The overstory is comprised of eastern Use livestock to utilize fruit or nuts: This system uses white pine and the understory is a mixture of cool season grasses hazelnuts to provide shade and cover for poultry, as well as and sedges. When livestock are introduced, in this case dairy nuts for the poultry to eat. Photo by Reginaldo Haslett- goats and beef cattle, paddocks are created to include both open Marroquin, Main Street Project.. field and silvopasture. Photo by Joe Orefice, Yale University.