Establishment of Silvopasture Demonstration Area Using Native Grasses

Timberland and pastureland often are managed as mutually exclusive land uses in the southern United States. Both have positive and negative economic and environmental attributes. Silvopasture is the combination of both systems on the same acreage, capturing the positive attributes of both systems. Timber is produced, generating substantial, infrequent, revenue, and providing soil health, wildlife, water quality and other environmental benefits, while producing forage for livestock or hay production, which generates annual revenue for the producer. Silvopasture has been extensively researched and tested in the southern US and found to provide greater benefits to the producer than either timber or forage production alone. No operational-scale demonstration area exists in Texas to inform producers of the benefits of adopting the proposed practices. This project will provide demonstration areas of silvopasture practices, with the incorporation of native grasses for forage production. The impact of this project will be in the form of providing a demonstration area for use in workshops, field days, and educational opportunities for producers, students and others in the Western Gulf region, which will aid in the transfer of agroforestry science and technologies to producers and encourage adapting the practices. Soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat will be enhanced, as well as substantial opportunities for research presented. Both Agency and Secretary's priorities will be addressed by this project in the form of demonstrating agroforestry science and technology to producers, land managers, students and other, as well as providing opportunities for research and conservation benefits.