6 Reasons Why the Practice of Silvopasture Will Help Save Modern Farming
Author: Steve Gabriel | Published: August 4, 2018
Adapted from “Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem “(Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018) by Steve Gabriel. All rights reserved.
In addition to the range of benefits silvopasture offers to individual farms, this practice also brings a number of promising benefits to the larger society and global community. These can provide good incentives for government, industry and society to better support and encourage silvopasture as a practice.
1. Wildlife habitat and forest restoration
Farming itself is largely responsible for the fragmented chunks of forest and hedgerows we see littering the rural landscape today. Silvopasture can erase the stark line that is so often drawn between field and forest. Lands lack structural diversity, which is critical for birds and migrating animals. Ideally, we need grasslands, shrublands and deep forests to support the widest range of species. The inclusion of silvopasture into the farm landscape can greatly enhance the structural diversity of vegetation, which in turn supports a greater diversity of wildlife.