New Bolton Center Pioneers Agroforestry to Tackle Agricultural Environmental Challenges
Researchers at the New Bolton Center are pioneering agroforestry, a promising solution to tackle environmental challenges in agriculture. The project, part of the center's development as a living laboratory, involves integrating trees and shrubs with grazing livestock to create a 'working' riparian buffer along White Clay Creek.
Agroforestry, which combines agricultural crops or livestock with trees and shrubs, is gaining traction as a means to mitigate environmental issues in agriculture. The New Bolton Center campus in Pennsylvania is at the forefront of this, with a team implementing silvopasture – a type of agroforestry that integrates trees and shrubs with grazing livestock.
This summer, cows were introduced to the agroforestry system at the center, with rotational grazing. The team planted 250 trees along White Clay Creek to start a riparian buffer, which helps prevent erosion and absorb excess nutrients. This is particularly important in Pennsylvania, where over 8,000 miles of streams are impaired by agricultural activities. The cows, meanwhile, benefit from the shade and forage provided by the trees and shrubs.
The agroforestry project at the New Bolton Center is a testament to the potential of this practice in addressing environmental challenges in agriculture. By integrating trees and shrubs with livestock, the project not only enhances the natural environment but also provides benefits to the animals. As a key sector of the U.S. economy, generating over $1 trillion annually and supporting millions of jobs, agriculture stands to gain significantly from the widespread adoption of agroforestry practices.
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