Tree Crops & Agroforestry - Young Farmers 09

Tree Crops and Agroforestry Whole-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 harvesting
and 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

Climate-appropriate
High Yielding & High Quality

Climate-appropriate
Disease Resistant

Climate-appropriate
Disease Resistant
Historic or present-day use as staple crop

Climate-appropriate
Disease Resistant
Same, Analogous, or Closely Related Plants Found in Local Ecosystems

Climate-appropriate
Disease Resistant
Same, Analogous, or Closely Related Plants Found in Local Ecosystems
--Fun and Exciting – Motivational Species!--

Top Tree Crops: Small Fruits
Currants & Gooseberries ( Ribes spp. )

Raspberries & Blackberries ( Rubus spp.)

Raspberries & Blackberries ( Rubus spp.)
Bush Cherries ( Prunus spp. )

Top Tree Crops: Mid-Sized Fruits
Juneberries ( Amalanchier spp.)

Pawpaw ( Asimina triloba )

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. )

Chestnut ( Castenaea spp. )

Chestnut ( Castenaea spp. )
Black Walnut ( Juglans nigra )

Top Tree Crops: Timber/Coppice
Black Locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia )

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:
Prescribed fire management in nut tree-based AF systems

Ideas:
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_address]
turkeytail.wordpress.com
Gaia Northeast
B.Sc. and M.Sc. Degree Programs Start February 2011
www.gaianortheast.org
www.gaiauniversity.org

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Tree Crops & Agroforestry - Young Farmers 09

by Connor Stedman on Dec 09, 2009

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Tree Crops & Agroforestry - Young Farmers 09 — Presentation Transcript