Agroforestry in the Northeast

Tree Crops -- Ecosystem Management --Whole-systems Regeneration

Huge Thanks to Kat Anderson; Dave Jacke; Ethan Roland; and Jon Young.

What is Agroforestry?

Agroforestry is land use integrating trees and/or tree crops with other types of agriculture.

--Agroforestry is older than annual agriculture.

--Agroforestry can be multifunctional, overyielding ecosystem management.

Characteristics of AF

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

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

(i.e., an orchard with grass understory is not AF.)

The Roots – Indigenous AF Worldwide

Tropical AF – Ubiquitous, Invisible to the West

• 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

Tending the Wild Across North America

• 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.

• Analagous 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.

Cork Oak Savanna

Paradigm Shifts

• Not just harvesting crops or wild foods – managing the (complex and changing) ecosystems that support those species in abundance.

• Native land use patterns result in heritage ecosystems.

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

References on Indigenous AF

• Tending the Wild – M. Kat Anderson• It Will Live Forever – Julia Parker & Beverly Ortiz• 1491 – Charles Mann• Changes in the Land – William Cronon• Enduring Seeds – Gary Paul Nabhan• The Voice of the Dawn – Frederick Matthew

Wiseman• …and ultimately, the elders themselves.

Coppice: Traditional European Agroforestry

The Coppice Cycle

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 the heck does all this mean in the Northeast US???

Northeast US Forest Characteristics

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

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

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

• Near-complete fire suppression.• And…

A 10,000+ Year History of Agroforestry in the Northeast

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 Agroforestry Elements

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

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

Ecosystems

1. Enhance Existing Farm Systems & Solve Problems with Agroforestry Elements

– Windbreaks

– Riparian Buffers

– Hedgerows

2. Implement Commercially Proven AF Crop Systems

• Alley Cropping

• Forest Farming

• Silvopasture

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

• A few 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-part controlled experiment with biochar and mycoculture in an AF crop system.

4. Manage Existing Landscapes as Heritage Ecosystems

• Shifting baselines – long-term declines in biodiversity & ecological health are invisible in the short term. Look to traditional land use for appropriate baselines of health and diversity.

• Many keystone species are gone or highly restricted. Design for apex predators.

• Heritage ecosystems require management and commitment on the part of an entire community. Invest in and heal family and neighbor relationships. Ensure that the children are connected with the land.

• Ancestral diets were many times more diverse than our current diet. Renew a wide diversity of heritage foods. Celebrate and share them with seasonal festivals.

We are the ultimate keystone species – the future of the earth’s living systems literally rests in our hands.