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Trees and agricultural land do mix. Retired agroforestry specialist Gary Bank goes into the different ways agricultural producers can use trees and shrubs to increase biodiversity and boost yields.
Highlights:
2:42 – Do shelterbelts take land out of production and lead to a decrease in yield? No! Yield can increase by 10-30% even when the land used for the trees is included.
5:57 – What physical benefits can tree systems have? Reduced wind speed means an increased temperature for crops that enjoy warmer temperatures. They act as a snow catch, helping to reduce sublimation.
12:49 – Within 1-2 times the height of tree lines yield can decrease due to competition, but beyond this, out to 10-20 times the height of the tree line, yield will increase.
14:06 – ALUS Canada helps producers reforest and plant windbreaks, among other services. AWES assists in finding grants for tree planting and with woodlot and riparian management.
20:46 – Silvopasture vs Alley Cropping. Silvopasture is timely rotational grazing through trees that prevents damage to the forest. Alley Cropping is growing a crop between rows of trees.
Useful Links:
ALUS Canada – https://alus.ca
Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Services – https://www.awes-ab.ca
Silvopasture – https://www.aftaweb.org/about/what-is-agroforestry/silvopasture.html
Download our three-part Farming with Biodiversity series and learn how biodiversity helps with productivity, pest management and enduring floods and droughts. Develop the skills and tools necessary to help wildlife thrive on your land without sacrificing financial gains or productivity. Discover how the benefits of biodiversity also apply to diversifying the annuals you plant and the livestock you raise.
