Silvopasture research revealing surprising benefits

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

We’ve all heard of a win-win situation, but an old practice that is new to Saskatchewan has the potential to be a win-win-win-win for the province.

Initial research data is expected soon from two silvopasture pilot projects at Foam Lake and Pleasantdale.

Simply put, silvopasture is the practice of growing trees in a pasture. It sounds straight-forward, but research is required to determine the practice’s potential in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Forest Centre is providing funding for the project, and has worked with the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) on the initiative.

The initial attraction to the practice of silvopasture was the ability to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere while producing forest products. The downside was presumed to be a reduction in the forage crop on a pasture due to the competition from the trees.

Phil Leduc, Senior Manager, Research and Development, with PAMI said the pilot projects are about determining the potential benefits of the silvopasture practice, which include carbon sequestration, wood production (for either pulp and paper or lumber) and improved grass and livestock production.

Leduc said there is still a vast amount of research that needs to be done to determine the advantages and the best practices, but the potential exists for four distinct benefits: to reduce greenhouse gases, to create a wood product, to improve forage quality and to improve livestock production as a result of the improved forage.

Initial results from the Pleasantdale and Foam Lake projects are expected this year. At present, the data being collected is more focused on the trees than the forage. The trees are still young, and it will take a number of years before they will affect the forage.

“At this point, we’re just getting started to look at the issue,” said Leduc. “I think there’s going to be research done for quite a number of years to really examine this, because it has never been looked at. We’ve never really looked at what trees might grow well and won’t be damaged by livestock, and we haven’t really looked at whether there is significant benefit to having trees in a pasture – until now.”

For more information, contact:
Phil Leduc, P. Eng., Senior Manager – Research and Development
Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
Phone: (306) 682-5033
Fax: (306) 682-5080

Website: www.pami.ca