UNDERSTANDING AGROFORESTRY Forest Farming The cultivation of specialty crops under existing forest canopies. BENEFITS Economic Ecological CHALLENGES INCREASED INCOME GENERATION: LOW IMPACT: Does not interfere LONG-TERM CROPS ARE AT RISK OF: Farming in the woods can be done significantly with the ecosystem without major disturbance and provide services forests already provide. Disease outbreaks and pests. additional income in forests typically INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT: Soil fertility loss. just managed for timber. Management of forest understory Crop loss due to poaching or weather. FLEXIBILITY IN MANAGEMENT: for production can displace invasive Intensive to minimal, depending on the species that often otherwise occupy this Shortage of processing facilities. product and desired market. area. MARKET ESTABLISHMENT is a time intensive and long-term process. COMPLEMENTS EXISTING PRODUCTION SYSTEMS: Uses DETAILED RECORD-KEEPING AND resources that would otherwise be MARKET RESEARCH is required for underutilized. selected products. © 2019 SAVANNA INSTITUTE | [email protected] PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE Frequently Asked Questions SITE SELECTION AND WHAT CROPS TO GROW? FINDING MARKETS? PREPARATION? A variety of non-timber forest Markets for non-timber forest Consider slope and aspect, tree products can be cultivated in the productss include direct to consumer, cover, soil quality, and understory understory of the forest. restaurants, to wholesale depending vegetation when selecting forest CULINARY: mushrooms on the product. farming site and preparing it for a (shitake, matsuki, oyster), ramps, Determine and familiarize yourself particular crop. gooseberry, currant with selected markets before selecting ORNAMENTAL: club fern, and planting product to determine FUNDING AND PLANNING spanish moss, shade-tolerant cut appropriate planting rate. ASSISTANCE? flowers and stems Connect with the local conservation MEDICINAL: ginseng, goldenseal, district and extension offices to elderberry learn about federal and state cost- share programs such EQIP, CRP, and CSP. These offices can also provide connections with regional consultants and technical service providers. The Savanna Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working This product was developed with support from the Sustainable to catalyze the development of and adoption of resilient, scalable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded agroforestry in the Midwest US. We work in collaboration with by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and farmers and scientists to develop perennial food and fodder crops Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or within multifunctional systems grounded in ecology and inspired by recommendations expressed within do not necessarily reflect the view the savanna biome. The Savanna Institute strategically enacts this of the SARE program or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is mission via research, education, and outreach. an equal opportunity employer. © 2019 SAVANNA INSTITUTE | [email protected].