Agroforestry

Project Lead: Connor Youngerman, Tracey Testo

Give Trees a Chance

Agroforestry describes a wide range of practices that integrate trees, forests, and agricultural production. These systems can be adapted to almost any site and condition, and can help farmers produce new revenue while buffering their operations from the challenges of climate extremes.

In response to increasing interest in agroforestry over the years, Cornell has created an extension program work team and a number of tools and resources to help farmers turn forested and marginal lands into productive contributors to farm revenue, produce multiple crops from the same piece of land in a symbiotic way, all while increasing biodiversity and improving soil health.

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History of Agroforestry at Cornell

Cornell University faculty, Extension, and other staff have been leading agroforestry research and education efforts for 100 years!

Events

  • Feed Us with Trees: Humans as a Keystone Species

    Virtual Event

    As a girl, Elspeth Hay learned that we humans are a blight on the natural world. Her lived experience confirmed this story time and again—until the day she learned that…

  • Introduction to Syntropic Agroforestry

    CCE Orange County & Hudson Valley Farm Hub are proud to present a talk on Syntropic Agroforestry, delivered by the system's creator, Ernst Götsch. Syntropic Agroforestry is an agricultural system…

    $80

Collaborators

  • The Cornell Agroforestry Program Work Team (PWT) is co-chaired by:

    Graham Savio, gs695@cornell.edu, Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County

  • Connor Youngerman, czy2@cornell.edu, Cornell Small Farms Program

  • Tracey Testo, tet35@cornell.edu, Agroforestry Resource Center, Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia-Greene

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News and Updates

Study Measures Maple Syrup Production in a Changing Climate

By Anna Birn | October 8, 2019

A changing climate is expected to change the seasonality of crops, largely affecting farmers’ production patterns and yearly cycles. This impact on crops also includes maple syrup production, according to…

Managing Woodlands to Improve Wildlife Habitat

By Peter Smallidge | October 7, 2019

Manipulations of the trees can create new and varied habitats for wildlife. Most landowners own their land for a variety of reasons, though at any point in time one objective…

Specialty Mushroom Project Expands to Serve Diverse Urban and Rural Growers

By Steve Gabriel | October 7, 2019

Interest in specialty mushrooms (defined as any non-button variety) from both farmers and consumers is growing rapidly, with demand increasing by 4% annually in the U.S. Given the flexible scale…

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Cornell Agroforestry - Subscribe for Updates and Opportunities

This list-serve provides information and resources to connect small and mid-sized farmers to larger markets such as food hubs, grocery stores, restaurants, online marketplaces and cooperatives. Farmers, educators and prospective buyers are all welcome: