Throughout the South, urbanization and development have diminished viable farmland. Now, some innovative researchers and farmers are exploring silvopasture—the integration of grazing livestock on forested land—to improve the economic performance and ecological benefits of grazed forests.
Dr. John Quinn and a team of pork farmers and researchers at Furman University received a Southern SARE Research and Education grant to restore second-growth forests in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia by replacing invasive species with fast-growing forage mixtures. Their research found that implementing sustainable grazing practices on restored forest land can help producers lower production costs, improve soil quality and reduce pasture recovery periods.
The research partnership is enhancing the environmental and economic sustainability of Southern farming systems by advancing research-based silvopasture systems. These systems can transform second-growth forests with low ecological value into productive forage sources that improve environmental quality.
A recent evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016 and 2019 found that addressing farmers' needs within the context of a complex ecosystem was key to the project's success.
“It’s a forest, it’s pasture, maybe there’s a five-acre row crop or vegetable,” says Quinn. “It’s a complex system. This grant really helped me understand that system, ask questions and understand the challenges farmers were facing.”
Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-LS16-273 for more information on this project.
Improving Silvopasture Systems in the South is part of a series of 23 case studies produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. For more information visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts.
For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.
View Related SARE Grant: Improving Silvopasture Systems in the South: Identification of Suitable Forage Crops and Enhancement of Environmental Quality in Upland Forests (LS16-273)