Since the rise of intensive agriculture and the green revolution, biodiversity around the world has been lost or threatened due to unsustainable farming practices. In contrast, sustainable agroforestry emphasizes managing crops in a way that supports the natural plant, animal and insect biodiversity of an area. By protecting this natural diversity of life, farmers are able to leverage natural solutions like pollinators and pest predators to enrich and protect their crops. 

One of our partners, based in Guatemala, took advantage of this natural relationship by planting saplings on farms near coffee and cacao plants, which will help keep the soil and trees fertilized and free from pests.

Conversely, when agroforestry crops are planted thoughtfully and rotated regularly within the forest-farm interface, they can nourish and enrich the surrounding area, which helps native types of tree species grow stronger and more resilient.

The presence of trees in or near livestock grazing areas benefits the animals by  shading them from the sun, cooling temperatures in the surrounding microclimate, protecting them from wind and rain events, and more.

Trees also help reduce the animals’ stress by making them feel more at ease in their environment. While livestock was often considered a part of historic forest farming practices, animals are becoming less common in the agroforestry field. But when managed thoughtfully, they can play an important role in a mutually beneficial integrated agroforestry system. 

In addition to providing unique habitat for specialized species, riparian areas absorb and filter sediment and debris that would otherwise make their way into waterways. When they are lost, water quality and quantity is reduced, habitat is degraded, native specialist species can be lost, soil stability is reduced, and more. 

In other words, in a healthy watershed, riparian zones are an essential piece of the puzzle — and their loss or degradation could have serious implications downstream. 

When trees and shrubs are planted along rivers and streams to form a riparian forest buffer, they can help stabilize riverbanks and prevent soil erosion, filter farm runoff and improve water quality, shade and slow flowing water, foster a better moisture balance in the area, and more.

As any herbalist or forager will tell you, foods and herbs that are sustainably wildcrafted within their natural environment provide superior nutrition and medicine over their conventionally cultivated counterparts. However over harvesting is a prevalent issue in this space.

Forest farming is one way to enjoy the benefits of wild foods in a more managed way that is respectful of the ecosystem. This method involves cultivating specialty crops including fruits, nuts, mushrooms, ginseng and other medicinal herbs, woody florals, maple syrup and more under the protection of a forest canopy. To provide optimal growing conditions, forest farmers will carefully modify the existing canopy to provide optimal shade levels while retaining biodiversity and ecosystem benefits. 

The forest serves as a complex natural environment for edible, floral, or medicinal crops to grow and thrive, while soil erosion and other degradation is prevented and trees can mature.

Agroforestry practices often focus on balancing the preservation of natural forests while also cultivating a productive agriculture system. At a time when conventional industrial agriculture is a top cause of deforestation around the world, sustainable agroforestry offers a powerful one-two punch of feeding communities and protecting the environment from further degradation. 

More than that, agroforestry has the potential to regenerate soil and ground water supplies, prevent droughts, provide financial value for farmers over the long term, and so much more. When integrated in a thoughtful way, it can change lives for the better by enabling communities to live more harmoniously within the environments they call home, improving access to critical resources for all. 

When a forest is properly managed through natural cycles of conservation, harvesting, and replenishment, the result is a win-win for both people and the planet.