Project Number: 6227-21660-002-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Sep 04, 2003
End Date: Sep 03, 2008

Objective:
The impact of agroforestry on biological diversity and wildlife populations will be determined in field trials. Varying in scope from a field to large landscapes. Economic analyses will be performed to determine potential returns from various agroforestry practices both at farm and regional scales.

Approach:
Experiments on the effects of tree spacing and orientation on forage production in hardwood and pine stands will be conducted to determine configurations for maximum forage and wood production. Forage species and varieties that persist under shade will be identified. Black walnut, chestnut, and pecan genotypes will be evaluated for nut and wood production. Management practices to optimize gourmet mushroom and other specialty crops in forest farming practices will be evaluated. Ability of trees and buffers to reduce off-site environmental impacts will be assessed in field experiments to determine impact of trees on run-off and subsurface water quality and volume.