Agroforestry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image:Faidherbia albida.JPG Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry technologies to create more integrated, diverse, productive, profitable, healthy and sustainable land-use systems. -National Agroforestry Center (NAC)
The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) made this definition in 1993: "Agroforestry is a collective name for land use systems and practices in which woody perennials are deliberately integrated with crops and/or animals on the same land management unit. The integration can be either in a spatial mixture or in a temporal sequence. There are normally both ecological and economic interactions between woody and non-woody components in agroforestry". It means that trees are intentionally used within agricultural systems. Knowledge, careful selection of species and good management of trees and crops are needed to maximize the production and positive effects of trees and to minimise negative competitive effects on crops.
Contents |
[edit] Alley cropping
Alley cropping or Intercropping is a strategy used by farmers to combat soil erosion. In this method, several crops are planted together in strips or alleys between trees and shrubs. This design provides shade (reducing water loss from evaporation), ensures retention of soil moisture, and can also produce fruit, fuelwood, or trimmings to be made into mulch.
[edit] Energy and Ethanol Production
The state of New York is researching extracting Hemicellulose from northern hardwood chips to make 5 carbon sugars and then ferment those into ethanol. They argue that the energy balance versus corn for ethanol production is much better. They estimate the energy balance of corn is 1.6 - 1.67 units of energy out for every unit of energy in, whereas northern hardwoods will give 14 - 18 units of energy out for 1 unit of energy in. They propose using willow trees. They estimate 1.2 million acres (4,900 km²) of land in New York is useful for this purpose. A 6 inch sprig can grow to 30 feet tall and 2.5" - 3" in diameter in 3 years, and they plan to establish a 3 year harvest cycle. They hope to have this "in play" in 2-3 years. This is called the Salix project or the Willow Biomass Project.
The State of Michigan has a biomass energy program.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- The Springer Journal, "Agroforesty Systems" (ISSN 1572-9680) [1]
[edit] External links
- The Green Belt Movement
- Vi-Skogen
- World Agroforestry Centre
- Silvoarable Agroforestry for Europe
- Agroforestry Research Trust
- Plants For A Future
- Agroforestry parklands in sub-Saharan Africa
- Willow Biomass Project
- Salix Project
- NPR Science Fridays Podcast - Conservation and Renewable Energy in New York State
- Michigan Biomass Energy Program
- Nut tree agroforestry 1 2 3de:Agroforstwirtschaft
