Project Lead: Erica Frenay
Silvopasture is the thoughtful integration of trees, forage, and livestock in a managed system that provides shade and sometimes feed for animals, improves soil health, and enhances farm biodiversity. In addition to offering climate resilience, silvopasture can support carbon sequestration efforts while diversifying farm income through harvested products like fruit, nuts, timber, or honey.
This practice is common in regions where farmers seek to transition from traditional pastureland to mixed-use systems.
Silvopasture Program Work Team (PWT) Co-Chairs:
- Erica Frenay, Director of Distance Learning and Climate Resilience, ejf5@cornell.edu
- Brett Chedzoy, Extension Forester Cooperative Extension Schuyler County, bjc226@cornell.edu
Silvopasture Presentations
Webinar Recordings from Monthly Silvopasture Program Work Team Meetings The Silvopasture Program Work Team (PWT) is a loose network of educators, researchers, and technical service providers with a shared interest…
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Thinning Forests and Adding Livestock
Forested land can be strategically thinned to allow forage growth in the understory that can be grazed by cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, or pigs. This approach allows for dual-income sources…
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Planting Trees into Pasture
Planted silvopasture systems can be as diverse as your imagination permits. Depending on your goals, you can simply add shade to protect livestock and forages from heat stress, or you…
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Silvopasture Benefits
While many critical research questions remain, the existing body of scientific literature is clear on the myriad benefits of systems that thoughtfully integrate livestock with forage and woody perennials. Animal…
Read MoreGeneral Silvopasture Resources
- Silvopasturing in the Northeast is a publication by Peter Smallidge and Brett Chedzoy that outlines the basic principles and approaches to the practice of thinning forests for silvopasture.
- Photo Guide to Northeastern United States Silvopasture by Joe Orifice offers a nice array of examples from active farms demonstrating the wide range of possibilities for silvopasture systems.
- The Investment Case for Silvopasture by Trees for Graziers - why planting trees into pasture makes economic sense
- Silvopasture.ning.com - networking with practitioners
- The Silvopasture Program Work Team (PWT) is a loose network of educators and farm service providers who meet regularly to share information and plan workshops on silvopasture around NYS. If you’re interested in joining, reach out to Erica Frenay
