Silvopasture systems buffer against temperature and wind extremes, providing a favourable living environment for livestock
Silvopasture can play a vital role in reversing the negative trend of deforestation for pasture land. Photo: Author provided Silvopasture is an ancient and proven practice that harmoniously integrates trees, forage and livestock on the same land. By combining these elements, silvopasture brings numerous environmental advantages, including improved local climate resilience.
In light of the global deterioration of natural resources and forests, silvopasture systems offer a relevant solution to deforestation trends.
A study on deforestation drivers in seven South American countries found that more than 70 per cent of deforestation was driven by an increased demand for pasture. Livestock’s impact on land use is not only restricted to direct grazing land use but also through indirect land use for fodder crop production. As silvopasture systems combine trees and livestock on the same land, silvopasture can play a vital role in reversing the negative trend of deforestation for pasture land.
Moreover, the trees on silvopasture lands act as natural carbon sinks, sequestering significantly five-10 times more carbon then pastures without trees, all while maintaining or enhancing productivity.
Silvopasture practices currently cover a vast expanse of 550 million hectares worldwide, Project Drawdown estimated. Suppose adoption expands to around 750 million hectares, in that case, the carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 26-42 gigatonnes attributed to the high annual carbon sequestration rate of 2.74 metric tonnes of carbon per hectare per year in both the soil and biomass of silvopasture systems.
Silvopasture systems also regulate local climatic conditions, buffering against temperature and wind extremes, providing a favourable living environment for livestock. Moreover, the extensive root systems of trees within silvopasture plots contribute to nutrient cycling, improved soil stability and quality, while effectively combating erosion. Soil infiltration rates in silvopasture systems surpass those of open pastures, enhancing water storage potential.
A research study in Florida, United States delved into the microclimatic disparities between mature loblolly-pine silvopasture and open pasture systems. The study focused on air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity and solar radiation.
The study revealed that silvopasture systems fostered milder microclimatic conditions compared to their open-pasture counterparts. Further, the cattle utilised the silvopasture landscape more evenly as there was more shading throughout the plot, reducing heat stress during the warm-weather portions of the year.
Another study in southeastern Brazil quantified the microclimatic transformations within silvopasture systems compared to single-pasture systems. Including rows of native trees in silvopasture plots resulted in a 46 per cent reduction in wind speed, significantly improving the microclimate and animal comfort.
Observing a silvopasture plot in Indonesia over four years, researchers discovered substantial changes in microclimatic conditions. The air temperature range decreased from 28-40 to 22-39 degrees Celsius, while the air humidity range increased from 63-94 per cent to 77-89 per cent. Moreover, the soil organic matter exhibited an astonishing nearly 200 per cent increase by the third year, and soil nitrogen levels rose by almost 300 per cent by the fourth year.
These diverse research findings provide compelling evidence for the manifold benefits of silvopasture systems, including creating more favourable microclimates, improved animal welfare and significant soil quality enhancements.
As climate change impacts livestock directly through heat stress, resulting in increased mortality rates and indirectly through lower availability of feed and forages, transitioning to more silvopasture systems can be implemented as an answer to both these threats.
The local climate buffering capacities suggest that silvopasture may offer a ‘middle ground’ between intact secondary forests and managed open fields, retaining the climate benefits of forests while enabling the expansion of agricultural land.
Embracing the ancient practice of silvopasture thus holds the key to addressing the pressing challenges of land degradation and climate change. As our planet faces the deteriorating state of natural resources and forests, silvopasture emerges as a promising solution that not only reverses deforestation trends but also fosters resilient agricultural landscapes for the future.
By combining trees, forage, and livestock harmoniously on the same land, silvopasture offers a multifaceted approach that enhances local climate resilience, mitigates carbon emissions, and promotes sustainable land use. Through creating more favourable microclimates, improving animal welfare, and significantly enhancing soil quality, these systems foster resilient agricultural landscapes for the future.
Views expressed are the authors’ own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.
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