¢ Select tree species, forage species, and a management option that assure compatibility. Some
forage plants are more shade tolerant than others. For example, in the Southeast bahiagrass has proven to be
more shade tolerant than Dallisgrass or coastal bermudagrass. Nangeela subterrannean clover is more shade
tolerant than some other varieties available. Selection of forage plants as well as trees that are conducive to
silvopasture is important There appears to be a minor reduction in the digestibility of some forages growing in
shade. This does not seem to be significant enough to affect livestock production or gains. There is evidence of
increased palatability with some cool-season grasses.

Management
Options

Canopy closure reduces forage
production as timber stands
mature. In fact, in many eco-
systems, when canopy cover
exceeds 30 to 50 percent, for-
age production is curtailed to the
point where grazing domestic
livestock may not be economi-
cally feasible. One method of
dealing with fluctuating forage
production is through designed
thinning (removal or harvest of
some of the trees to maintain the
desired canopy and competition
level). Another method is
planting fewer trees initially,
which increases the period for
canopy closure and completion
to occur. Row arrangements
significantly impact space and
canopy closure, which affect
forage production. With proper
management, a silvopastoral
system can benefit the land-
owner, the land, and livestock all
at the same time.

Thinned to
ns

‘

ys
‘ 24 foot

Self pruning will occur on a 6- by 12-foot
planting arrangement, Periodic thinnings are
needed to maintain forage production
However, forage production will fluctuate with
tree density.

Timely thinnings of original 6- by 12-foot stand
to a final stand of 75 trees per acre ensures
more consistent forage production.

sa —t

40 foot >

Single rows are spaced 40 or more feet apart.
Pruning is required to produce quality trees.
Forage production is easier to maintain.

Trees are planted in closely spaced, 3-row sets
with wide spacing between sets. Outside rows
are “trainers” and help self prune inside rows,
Outside rows are removed for pulp; inside
rows are managed for higher quality saw logs.

National Sid Brantly, regional grazing lands coordinator, USDA-NRCS, Auburn, Alabama, assisted in the development of this
Agroforestry brochure.
Center

National Agroforestry Center, USDA Forest Servic
Service, East Campus-UNL, L

ncoln, Nebraska 685:

Rocky Mountain Station/USDA Natural Resources Conservation
)822. For a supply of brochure

contact Nancy Hammond, 402-

USD yA 437-5178 ext. 11, For more information on the Center, contact Jerry Bratton, 402-437-5178 ext. 24 or Bruce Wight,
ext. 36.
=—

Grazing Lands Technology Institute,
contact Dianne Johnson, (817) 334-5232 ext. 3620.

USDA-NRCS, P.O. Box 6567, Fort Worth, Texas 76115. For a supply of brochures

A partnership of the The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color,
Forest Service and national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply
Natural Resources to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information

Conservation Service (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call
1-800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.



What are “Working Trees”?

Working trees are trees used in conservation and production systems on farms and ranches. They have a job to do.
whether it’s increasing income, protecting natural resources, or making our lives a little more enjoyable. “Working Trees”
is a theme title designed to promote the science and practice of “agroforestry.” Agroforestry is a term that agriculturists
and foresters have defined to include most practices where trees and shrubs are intentionally integrated into agricultural
crop, forage, or livestock operations. Practices like windbreaks, riparian buffer strips, alley cropping, forest farming, and
silvopasture use the same land to produce both forest and agricultural products, while at the same time conserve natural
resources. Using working trees simply means planting the right trees, in the right place, at the right time, and in the right
design to get a specific job done

Silvopasture is the integration of trees with livestock operations. Silvopasture provides multiple benefits to landowners. If
managed properly, trees in a livestock operation can reduce stress on livestock, while at the same time maintain forage
production. Furthermore, by adding trees to forage systems, a landowner can receive additional income on the same
land from timber products, Christmas trees, nut/fruit crops, or commercial wildlife or recreational opportunities

What are Silvopastoral Systems?

Most people are accustomed to a single use of forest land or rangeland. Forest land and rangeland are basically used
to produce crops, forage range, livestock, or forest products. Silvopasture applies where livestock uses overlap with
forest production. Silvopasture has become an important tool to improve income opportunities on farms and
ranches in the Southeastern United States. The concept of silvopasture provides both forest production and forage



or livestock production simultaneously. The trees are ultimately managed for
high value sawlogs (intermediate harvesting may produce pulpwood or posts
and poles) and at the same time provide shade and shelter for livestock and
forage. Trees can be planted into current forage systems, or woodlands can
be thinned to accommodate additional growth of forage.

Benefits of Incorporating a
Silvopastoral System

Incorporating long-term timber production into pasture and livestock
management operations will provide for both an annual income and a
longer-term cash flow. Silvopasture can improve the overall economic
performance of a farm enterprise through diversification. The benefits
primarily involve those gained in forage production and timber production.

Forage production
Incorporating trees into an established forage production or grazing system

Rangeland

Ty
gronomic

Ee] Agroforestry
where agronomic uses overlap
with forest production

Production
forest

can maintain normal forage production while adding a long-term tree crop. In a study done by Cliff Lewis, USDA

Forest Service, pine trees were planted and bahiagrass was seeded the same

year. The trees were planted in spacings

of 10-feet by 48-feet and 16-feet by 30-feet. The site was cut for hay the first three years, and then grazed for three
years. At the end of six years, hay production averaged seven tons per acre (normal for the region) and beef gains
averaged 200 pounds per acre during spring and summer grazing periods. After six years the trees were 22 feet in
height and averaged 5.2 inches in diameter. This example demonstrates that increased timber growth can be realized

with the multiple benefits of silvopasture.

Timber production

Incorporating grazing or forage production into a forested area can
provide added cash flow to the enterprise and may increase wood
production as shown in the following example.

A research study done in South Central Georgia found slash pine
trees grown in both grazed and fertilized silvopastoral systems grew
more rapidly, both in height and diameter, than those planted in
ungrazed and nonfertilized native vegetation. In this study, trees
were planted on 12-foot by 12-foot spacings and 20-foot by 20-foot
spacings. The site was kept weed-free for three years. Bahiagrass,
Dallisgrass, and coastal bermudagrass were planted in year four, and
grazing commenced the fifth year. Trees in this design produced
about 30 percent more wood per acre than surrounding plantations
in native vegetation (see charts 1 and 2).

Silvopasture techniques can be convenient and effective. In some
parts of the country, a typical timber management cycle involves
site disturbance prior to replanting after a clearcut. This may be a
good opportunity to seed grasses or even legumes. In the Coastal
Plains region, a site-prepared area was seeded to pensacola
bahiagrass. A year later, longleaf pine was established on the same
site. The site was grazed year-long, and after nine years, there were
967 trees per acre. The longleaf pine trees that were grazed came
out of the “grass” stage sooner than those ungrazed, and they grew
significantly taller.

Chart 1-Tree height

—
rTy

Native  Agroforesty Native Agroforesty
vegetation system vegetation system

60

Ss &

Tree height in feet

Chart 2-Tree diameter

rly

Diameter at breast height in inches

Native  Agroforesty Native Agroforesty
vegetation system vegetation system



Other benefits

Silvopasture practices can:

.

Improve overall economic performance of a farm
enterprise through diversification

Maintain or increase tree growth

Improve cool-season grass production

Allow warm-season grass production with careful
canopy management

Provide shade for livestock

Produce pine straw for landscaping and mulch
Aid in erosion control

Increase wildlife populations

Improve water quality

Increase opportunities for recreation Tree spacing in silvopastoral systems provides for compatible forage
Enhance aesthetics and property values and forest production.

Planning considerations

Inventory your resource base. Begin planning with an inventory of existing resources. A local soil survey,
which is available from your USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office, can help you determine the
suitability of different sites for different forage plants and trees. Your silvopastoral system will only be successful
if you use plants adapted to your area.

Consider newer technologies. Electrically powered fences may be the only way to afford a conservation
grazing approach that matches livestock forage demand with forage production. Practical solar pumps may be
used to provide water to previously unusable locations.

Analyze the economic implications. Analyze the economic implications of pasture management,
improvements required, and potential return. Then plan a grazing system using a conservative stocking rate.
Intense grazing, overgrazing, and poor placement of supplemental troughs, water, or mineral feeders offer the
highest potential for unacceptable levels of tree damage. Overstocking or improperly managed grazing can
result in destruction of young pine seedlings. Consider a planting arrangement that would enhance self pruning,
such as multiple row plantings, or higher density plantings that would require more frequent thinning. Wide-
row, low-density planting increases limb retention and, depending upon species, decreases timber quality. For
example, trees with large retained branches produce lower quality saw logs for lumber. Pruning is one method
for assuring clear saw log production. A general guide
is to prune trees when they reach four to six inches in
diameter at breast height (dbh) and pruned to
approximately where the trunk is four inches in
diameter. Care should be taken to remove no more
than about 30 percent of the live crown at any one
time. (This is an accepted practice for wide spaced
silvopastoral systems in other parts of the world.)

Special considerations. To ensure an adequate
stand of quality trees, consider the natural range of
pests in your area. Cattle-induced injuries to lower
limbs of trees may provide opportunities for insect or
disease attacks. Stay in touch with others who have ,

had experience with successful, local silvopastoral Closed canopy forest eliminates understory and the potential for grazing
systems. domestic livestock.