Silvopasture
Silvopasture (silva is forest in Latin) is the practice of integrating trees, forage, and the grazing of domesticated animals in a mutually beneficial way.
Silvopasture systems which integrate trees and other woody plants along with crops, forage and livestock are a highly sustainable strategy that has huge adaptive capacity, besides its mitigation potential.
[3][4][5][6] Silvopasture systems influence microclimatic conditions, offering advantages over open pastures and a suitable ‘middle ground’ solution compared to forests in the context of climate change adaptation.
By retaining partial tree cover, silvopastures create a more moderated environment that helps mitigate temperature extremes and optimize soil conditions.
This offers less stressful conditions for the grazers as compared to the open pastures improving its feed and water intake, reproductive health, milk yields, fitness, and longevity.
[3] The integration of trees in silvopastures provide shade, which reduces the intensity of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) compared to open pastures, while still allowing more light than dense forests.
[4][5] Silvopastures moderate soil moisture levels, with trees contributing to better water retention in some seasons through shading, less wind and reduced evaporation.
[4][5] These microclimatic adaptations—cooler temperatures, moderated light levels, and improved soil moisture—enhance the resilience of silvopastures to climate stressors such as heatwaves and droughts,[4][5] which in turn leads to a more robust agricultural system.
In contrast, open pastures without tree cover tend to emit more greenhouse gases due to higher soil exposure and less climate buffering.
[5][4] Studies show that carbon uptake (negative emissions) is lowest in open pastures, intermediate in silvopastures, and highest in reference forests.
While silvopastures show more balanced nitrogen levels, open pastures can increase nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.
[5][7] Incorporating a mix of native tree species in silvopastures not only boosts economic viability but also increases biodiversity, ensuring the success and productivity of the system.
Shade-tolerant grasses like bahiagrass, bermudagrass, tall fescue, orchardgrass, and ryegrass, along with legumes such as subterranean clover and Sericea lespedeza, are commonly used in silvopastures.
[4][5][7] While silvopasture has great potential for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable agriculture, it requires proper planning, financial support, and technical knowledge.
Some of the most common challenges and barriers to silvopasture adoption include policy and regulatory hurdles, land tenure, lack of knowledge and awareness, economic constraint and cultural change.
[8] A primary barrier to wider adoption of silvopasture systems is the limited knowledge and awareness among farmers and landowners of alternative agroforestry practices.
[12] Choosing the wrong tree species could result in slower growth, provide poor shade distribution, and leave toxic effects on livestock.
Training initiatives, demonstration farms, and knowledge-sharing networks could help bridge the gap, ensuring that farmers can confidently implement silvopasture systems in a way that maximizes productivity while mitigating risks.
[16][17] While price fluctuations affect all agricultural systems, diversified revenue streams in silvopastures—such as timber, livestock, and forage—can provide greater resilience against market volatility.
[7] Additionally, zoning regulations may classify silvopasture land as agricultural or forestry, which can ultimately restrict eligibility for subsidies or land-use incentives.
The Dalkeith Old Wood, belonging to the Duke of Buccleuch, cattle grazing beneath ancient oak, is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)[25] (ASSI).
The legal protection of some species (e.g. red-cockaded woodpecker) that can be found in this habitat means that landowners may be able to add financial compensation as a further source of income.
