Silvopasture
Silvopasture is the agroforestry practice that combines trees and/or shrubs with livestock. Silvopasture can be approached in two ways, each with their own benefits and challenges.
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By addition: Silvopasture by addition is planting trees into pasture. This can provide shade and fodder for livestock and add layers of value to the land, but establishing new trees in open ground can be costly and difficult.
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By subtraction: Silvopasture by subtraction involves selectively removing trees from an existing woodlot ("thinning") to establish enough light to grow forage under the canopy. This can improve the timber value of the lot and expand grazing area but should be done carefully and intentionally to prevent overgrazing.
Learn More About Silvopasture
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Silvopasture Systems |
This factsheet by Ohio Woodland Stewards provides recommendations for tree species and spacing for healthy forage production and timber stand improvement. Written May 2020 by Roger Williams. |
| OH Code 381 Draft Standards |
This is draft language of what Ohio's NRCS silvopasture incentive program may look like. Silvopasture (code 381) is new in Ohio and not offered in all states- contact your local NRCS office to learn about updated guidelines. |
| Trees for Graziers |
Trees for Graziers offers services in consultation, planning, funding acquisition, installation, and tree care for silvopasture projects. They also have a robust library of free resources on their website. |
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Highly recommended by practitioners, Greg Judy's YouTube channel has more than 6 years of videos covering various SP and farm management topics |
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| Overyielding in Temperate Silvopastures: a metanalysis |
Pent, 2020. This open access article provides detailed data describing how silvopasture systems can create higher yields of timber and non-timber forest products. |
| Six Key Principles for a Successful Silvopasture |
Written by Steve Gabriel for the Cornell Small Farms Program, this 2018 article is easy to understand and provides recommendations on species selection (both animals and trees), planting/thinning design, and rotational management. |
| Silvopasture (book) |
Steve Gabriel's 2018 book is popular among farmers establishing silvopasture in temperate regions. Gabriel owns Wellspring Forest Farm and previously worked as an extension specialist for Cornell's Small Farms Program. |
| The Overstory- Silvopasture: An Agroforestry Practice |
Published in the online journal The Overstory in 2007, this is an older resource but provides a succinct, plain-language summary of important considerations for anyone considering silvopasture. |