The Benefits of Silvopastures: What are silvopastures, and how do they benefit our farmland and waterways?

If you’ve been paying attention to our social media lately, you’ve probably read the phrase “silvopasture.” Silvopasture integrates trees, livestock, and pastures to improve animal health, soil health, biodiversity, and more. But how does it work?
Silvopasture: A Short History
Years ago, it was common for farmers to allow their livestock to graze in the wooded areas of their farms. However, due to a lack of management, farmers began to see the degradation of soil health, regeneration, and tree health on their property. Soon, farmers moved their animals to grassland pastures, as we often see today.
However, recent studies show numerous benefits to allowing cattle to graze near trees and shrubs. So, how can farmers participate in silvopasture practices without negatively impacting the health of their land?
Modern-Day Silvopasture
Today, there are experts who specialize in silvopasture integration to help farmers determine which areas of their land would work best for silvopasture. In Lancaster County, we often connect our farmers to Trees for Graziers, an agroforestry business with vast experience in silvopasture projects.
How do they know if silvopasture will work on a farm? Silvopasture practices require balance: the land can’t be too wet or dry. Other factors also play a significant role, such as animal type, soil type, and the amount of land. Farmers with more space to rotate their animals in and out of a silvopasture are likelier to have healthier land, as the pasture will have time to rest and recover from animal use.
The Benefits of Silvopasture
If silvopastures take up so much work and space, why are farmers doing it? Silvopasture integration has numerous benefits, such as improved water quality, healthier livestock, and increased biodiversity. To better understand these benefits, we sat down with Austin Unruh, founder and CEO of Trees for Graziers, to give us a run-down.
1. Silvopastures contribute to water quality and soil health.
As part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, we’re on a mission to restore our streams and streambanks. Silvopasture is one way farmers can do their part to improve their land’s water quality and soil health. Open pastures that do not integrate trees are more likely to produce soil erosion and stormwater runoff. Adding trees to pastures also provides the soil with a layer of protection from pounding rain, improving water quality. “It’s holding water where it should be,” explains Austin.
Plus, trees sequester carbon above ground, depositing it back into the soil and improving soil health.
2. Silvopastures also benefit livestock in numerous ways.
Trees help protect livestock from harsh weather conditions. “This is often the driving factor for farmers,” notes Austin. Many animals in pastures suffer from heat stress in the summer months, lowering production rates, negatively affecting weight gain, and decreasing conception rates. When farmers add trees to the mix, livestock have shade to protect themselves from heat stress. During the winter months, these trees can also provide windbreak for livestock. Trees can also offer additional livestock food, providing diet diversity and contributing to a happy and healthy farm.
3. Silvopastures create biodiversity.
“When you look at a pasture, you might notice that there’s no structure to it. There’s no place for nesting for birds and other animals.” Austin explains that trees add structure to our landscapes, allowing birds and insects to make homes and creating healthy ecosystems.
Plus, this integration allows the land to support a unique mix of animals: grassland animals, woodland animals, and animals that require a mix of both.
“We don’t have many landscapes where trees and pastures are mixed together like that, so it can spur a lot of biological diversity,” he notes.
Biological diversity has many benefits: increased carbon sequestration, disease resistance, and more. Our local farmers want their land to be as healthy as possible, and many are excited about the potential of silvopasture projects. We all want the same thing: a healthy Lancaster County.
Integrating native vegetation into pastures can significantly benefit our farmland and, in turn, our communities. At LFT, we work hard to connect our farmers with the right resources to complete these silvopasture projects so that everyone can benefit from healthy farm practices. We want to thank Trees for Graziers for their partnership with us and for giving farmers the opportunity to improve their farmland.
If you’re interested in helping us with these projects, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming tree plantings at LFT! We often partner with Trees for Graziers to help farmers with the planting process, and you can help us do that!
We hope to see you!
References:
- https://extension.psu.edu/silvopasture-could-work-on-your-farm#:~:text=Silvopasture%20is%20the%20integration%20of,Download%20Save%20for%20later%20Print
- https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2018/06/six-key-principles-for-a-successful-silvopasture
- https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southeast/topic/silvopasture
- https://aspennature.org/blog/is-silvopasture-the-answer
- https://www.alltech.com/planet-of-plenty/stories/blog/grazing-good-silvopasture-and-carbon-emissions#:~:text=Enter%20silvopasture.,silvopasture%20systems%20come%20into%20play?
- https://earth.org/benefits-of-biodiversity