AWES Introduction. AWES Members. Part 1: Background to Agroforestry on the Prairies. Presentation Outline

Transcription

1 Alley Cropping and Silvopasture: Agroforestry Systems for the Prairies AWES Mission: To increase the awareness of the economic, social and environmental values of agroforestry and woodlots in the agricultural landscape Luke Wonneck ab.ca AWES Introduction Non profit society began as the Woodlot Extension Program in 2000, renamed AWES in 2010 Provide extension and planting services to land managers (e.g. farmers, acreage owners, land trusts, various levels of government, industry) Rely on grants and fee for service contracts for funding AWES Members Presentation Outline Part 1: Background to Agroforestry on the Prairies Part 2: How to Establish an Alley Cropping or Silvopasture System Part 1: Background to Agroforestry on the Prairies Agroforestry the integration of trees into farming 1

2 Dominion Experimental Farm, Brandon MB, 1905 Indian Head Shelterbelt Centre, established 1901 (picture taken in 2008) Southwestern Manitoba in 1873: Dry and almost treeless Shelterbelts trees and shrubs planted as a barrier to reduce windspeed Why reduce windspeed? Reduced soil erosion Snow trapping 2

3 Improved micro climate In tillage systems, yield gains consistently outweigh competition losses (Cleugh, 1997) average temperature rela ve humidity wind stress Kort, 1988; Kowalchuk and de Jong, 1995 Shelter for livestock and farmyards Other potential benefits of shelterbelts Improved water quality and quantity Habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife 3

4 Giving up 8% of productive land (rapeseed, wheat, and field bean rotation) to habitat increased overall yields over 6 years (Pywell et al., 2015) Nutrient cycling Nitrogen can travel 20m+ from nitrogen fixing shrubs (Issah et al. 2015)! Silver buffaloberry Canada buffaloberry Seabuckthorn Wolf willow Green alder Caragana Forage/browse for livestock Historically, agroforestry (i.e. shelterbelts) on the prairies was about planting trees/shrubs to benefit production of agronomic crops or livestock Livestock/crops Alley cropping and silvopasture involve planting trees/shrubs to benefit production of agronomic crops or livestock and produce a marketable product in their own right Reduced soil erosion Snow trapping Improved microclimate Shelter Beneficial insect/bird habitat Nutrient cycling ++ Social and environmental benefits 4

5 Livestock/crops Livestock/crops Timber Biomass Fruit/nuts Mushrooms Medicinals Syrup Reduced soil erosion Snow trapping Improved microclimate Shelter Beneficial insect/bird habitat Nutrient cycling ++ Social and environmental benefits Reduced soil erosion Snow trapping Improved microclimate Shelter Beneficial insect/bird habitat Nutrient cycling ++ Social and environmental benefits Timber and biomass production Fruit or nut production Harvesting willow for biomass, Guelph, ON Silvopasture with hybrid poplar, Murdoch Lake, AB Alley cropping with seabuckthorn and silver buffaloberry in Brandon MB Fruit or nut production Native species Silver buffaloberry Raspberry Fruit or nut production Non native species Seabuckthorn Black walnut Currant Gooseberry Hazelnut Cranberry Apple Haskap Sour cherry Korean pine Chokecherry Saskatoon Strawberry Blueberry Oak Cherry plum Pear Cherry plum 5

6 Other tree based products Part 2: How to Establish an Alley Cropping/Silvopasture System Manitoba maple syrup Oyster mushrooms Goal Setting Site Assessment Design Site Preparation Planting Maintenance Harvest Goal setting: Figuring out what you want Goal setting: Figuring out what you want Site Assessment: Figuring out what the land wants Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds 6

7 Prevailing winds Spring Summer Prevailing winds Fall Winter Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds Topography Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds Topography Water Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds Topography Water Existing vegetation Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds Topography Water Existing vegetation Soil texture, compaction, salinity 7

8 Site Assessment Checklist Prevailing winds Topography Water Existing vegetation Soil texture, compaction, salinity Equipment and labour A good design is a compromise between what you want and what your land wants A good design is a compromise between what you want and what your land wants Key questions: What do I plant? Where do I plant? What do I plant? Characteristics of select trees and shrubs for alley cropping/silvopasture systems in AB Traits Moisture Exposure Forage value* Soil texture (N nitrogen fixer, St Products (F fruit/nut, Height Width tolerance (F full sun, P (G good, F Name (C clay, L salt tolerant, Su S syrup, W wood (m) (m) (D dry, A average, partial shade, fair, P poor, T loam, S sand) suckering, P native products, T timber) M moist, W wet) S shade) toxic) pollinator food) Manitoba maple C, L, S D, A, M F, P P St S, W Saskatoon C, L, S A, M F, P G Su, P F, W White birch C, L, S D, A, M F, P F S, W Beaked hazelnut C, L, S A, M F, P F Su F Seabuckthorn C, L, S D, A F P N, St, Su F Haskap C, L, S A, M F, P P F White spruce C, L, S A, M F, P, S P W, T Lodgepole pine L, S D, A F P W, T Hybrid poplar C, L, S D, A, M F F W Chokecherry C, L, S D, A, M F, P F/T Su, P F Wild black currant C, L, S M F, P, S P P F Factors to consider: Wind/sun exposure Soils Moisture Existing vegetation Ease of maintenance Where do I plant? Wild gooseberry C, L, S M F, P P P F Wild raspberry C, L, S A, M F P Su, F P Willow C, L, S M, W F G P W Silver buffaloberry C, L, S D, A F P N, St, Su, P F Velvetleaf blueberry L, S M P, P Su, P F F, S High bush cranberry C, L, A, M F, P, S P P F S 8

9 Design to minimize negative interactions Reducing light competition Increase row spacing Use shorter, less dense species Choose shade tolerant alleyway crops Choose species that need light at different times of the season (e.g. winter annuals) Reducing root competition Choose deep rooted tree species (e.g. pine, oak) Root pruning? Design to maximize positive interactions (tree crop) Distances of potential services provided by a row of silver buffaloberry with height (H) = 4.5m: Use a GIS program or aerial photo to calculate distances Windspeed reduction (35 80% of open windspeed at 15H or 70m) Pollination services (median foraging distance of native pollinators at 150m) Nitrogen fixation (supplying 8 20% of alleyway crop N needs at 20m) 0m 20m 40m 60m 80m 100m 120m 140m 160m Design to maximize positive interactions (tree crop) Distances of potential services provided by a row of silver buffaloberry with height (H) = 4.5m: Windspeed reduction (35 80% of open windspeed at 15H or 70m) Pollination services (median foraging distance of native pollinators at 150m) Nitrogen fixation (supplying 8 20% of alleyway crop N needs at 20m) 0m 20m 40m 60m 80m 100m 120m 140m 160m 54 9

10 Design to maximize positive interactions (crop tree) Part 2: How to Establish an Alley Cropping/Silvopasture System Manure for fertility Crops as mulch N fixing crops for fertility Crops as beneficial insect habitat Goal Setting Site Assessment Design Site Preparation Planting Maintenance Harvest Site preparation is done to Importance of site preparation Reduce competition for light, nutrients, water, space Alleviate soil compaction Siberian Larch 2008 Choke Cherry 2008 Photo credit: T. Bozic Tilling and plastic mulch application is most common form of site preparation Biodegradable mulch alternatives Pulp or hemp mats Straw Wood chips Grass clippings 10

11 Planting Maintenance Weed control Watering in drought Browse control Replanting as needed Harvesting Important to consider early on large scale harvesting equipment may be rare for certain tree/shrub products If livestock are your harvesters Control timing: Restrict access in spring (until mid June) Leave appropriate rest periods (typically browse only one time per season) Control intensity: Leave adequate forage in reserve (typically only take 25% of available forage) Photo credit: Kayben Farms Example alley cropping system planted in June 2017 in Vermilion River County, AB Conclusion Alley cropping and silvopasture are agroforestry systems where the crops/livestock and trees/shrubs mutually benefit each other and provide marketable products Developing a system requires a lot of background thought about what you want and what your land can produce There are plenty of opportunities to be creative here: e.g. silvo pasturecropping? 11

12 Additional Resources AWES has factsheets on planting, mulching, forest grazing, and Eco Buffers check them out on our website: ab.ca/publications.html AAFC website has information on shelterbelt design and species: andinnovation/agriculturalpractices/agroforestry/shelterbelt planning andestablishment/?id= Center for Agroforestry in Missouri has a number of references on alley cropping and silvopasture: Questions? Luke Wonneck l.wonneck@awes ab.ca Spacing Recommendations 1m (3 ) 1m (3 ) 1m (3 ) 1m (3 ) 1m (3 ) 5m (15 ) 2.5m (8 ) 2.5m (8 ) 2.5m (8 ) 6m (20 ) 3.5m (12 ) 3.5m (12 ) 12