AGROFORESTRYSYSTEMSOFHIGHNATURALANDCULTURALVALUEINEUROPE:CONSTRAINTS,CHALLENGESANDPROPOSALFORTHEFUTURE

Moreno G, Berg S, Burgess PJ, Camilli F, Crous-Duran J, Franca A, Hao H, Hartel T, Lind T, Mirck J, Palma J, Pantera A, Paula JA, Pisanelli A, Rolo V, Seddaiu G, Thenail C, Tsonkova P, Upson M, Valinger E, Varga A, Viaud V, Vityi A

SEMINATURALLANDSCAPES,butfarmed

HNVFARMS:Farmtypesandlandscapesvaluableforbiodiversity,

Theyaremanagedatlowintensityandthatretainssemi-naturalvegetaLon.

EUROPEANHNVAGROFORESTRYinclude:Woodpastures(grazed),MeadowswithscaMeredtrees,Bocageandother

mosaic-likefarmedlandscapes

MindmapofissuesraisedintheiniQaldiscussionofstakeholdergroupinU.K,thatillustratethemulQpleconstraintsandchallengesofEuropeanwoodpastures

COMPLEXSOCIO-ECONOMICandECOLOGICALCONTEXT

RaQonale

Althoughecologicalandsocioeconomical

contexts vary enormously among

regions, European agroforestry systems

shareacommonchallenges,

theloweconomicprofitability

becausetheyareusuallyrelegatedtoless

producQvelands.

LOSTOFTRADITIONALPRACTICES

Theyarecurrrentlythreatenedbyeither

*LandintensificaLon,whatcausesprogressivelostoftrees* ExtensificaLon/abandonment, what results is an excessivethickandlostoftheirpotenQalproducQve.

RaQonale

ScopeandWorkroute

Ten naQonal stakeholder groups (N=

parciQpants): farmers, NGOs, companies,

privateandpublictechnicalstaff,consumers,

researchersandpolicymakers.

Jointdiscussionand face-to-face interviews,with

semi-structurequesQonnaireswereheldin.

AparQcipatory researchprojectacrossEuropewasconductedto idenQfymainconstraints,keychallengesandpotenQal

innovaQonstoimprovetheresilienceandreinforcetheireconomicprofitabilityandprovisionofecosystemservices

OURDEHESASHAVEPROBLEMS

Highstockingrate–>Lackoftreeregeneration–

soildegradation

Unawarenessofecologicalservices

Noinnovationsinthelastdecades

Awholeimageofthedehesacomplexityismissing

Defficientuseofacorns

Wildlifecompetitionforforageresources

Abandonmentoftraditionaluses(fallow&stubble)

LivestockTBre-infestationbywildanimals

Lackofsolidsupportfordehesatreeregeneration

Ignoranceofdehesaandfarmers’needs

Sanitarycriteriaandadministrativerequirements

Lowpublicacknowledgmentofdehesavalues

Lackofanuniqueofficialdefinitionof

dehesa

Ecosystemservicesareunknown

Suddenoakmortality

AgrarianPolicy

Frequentchangesofregulations

Lackofefficientgreenaccountingsystemsformultipurposesystems

Individualismofbreeders

Animalhealthandwelfare

Noregionalornationalprogramsfordehesaconservation

Lackofspecificmeasuresforagroforestrysystems

Deficientassociations

Dehesaonlyrecentlyperceivedasaculturallegacy

Weakagriculturalextensionservices

Farmerassociationsrepresentpoorlytobreeders

Poorprofessionalizationoffarmers

Administrativeconstraints

Impoverishmentofpastureforexcessivegrazingpressure

Poorqualityofpastures.Lowproportionoflegumes

Noherding.Scarcelivestockmanagement

Excessofpermissionfortranshumance

Excessivedependenceofexternalfodderpurchase

Over-ageingoftreesandlackofregeneration

Lowprofit-earningcapacity

Difficultiesforgettingpermission:pruning…

Excessandslownessofbeaurocracy

Governance

Nofluidcommunicationsamongstakeholdersand

policymakers

Forageresources

Poorgovernance

Scarcecommunication

Treelayerconservation

Strongseasonalityonpastureavailability

Lackofadaptedfoddercrops

Figure2.FishboneorIshikawadiagramthatsummarizesmainconstraintsforSpanishdehesasidentifiedbystakeholders

TreeandAcornspest

OURDEHESASHAVEPROBLEMS

Highstockingrate–>Lackoftreeregeneration–

soildegradation

Unawarenessofecologicalservices

Noinnovationsinthelastdecades

Awholeimageofthedehesacomplexityismissing

Defficientuseofacorns

Wildlifecompetitionforforageresources

Abandonmentoftraditionaluses(fallow&stubble)

LivestockTBre-infestationbywildanimals

Lackofsolidsupportfordehesatreeregeneration

Ignoranceofdehesaandfarmers’needs

Sanitarycriteriaandadministrativerequirements

Lowpublicacknowledgmentofdehesavalues

Lackofanuniqueofficialdefinitionof

dehesa

Ecosystemservicesareunknown

Suddenoakmortality

AgrarianPolicy

Frequentchangesofregulations

Lackofefficientgreenaccountingsystemsformultipurposesystems

Individualismofbreeders

Animalhealthandwelfare

Noregionalornationalprogramsfordehesaconservation

Lackofspecificmeasuresforagroforestrysystems

Deficientassociations

Dehesaonlyrecentlyperceivedasaculturallegacy

Weakagriculturalextensionservices

Farmerassociationsrepresentpoorlytobreeders

Poorprofessionalizationoffarmers

Administrativeconstraints

Impoverishmentofpastureforexcessivegrazingpressure

Poorqualityofpastures.Lowproportionoflegumes

Noherding.Scarcelivestockmanagement

Excessofpermissionfortranshumance

Excessivedependenceofexternalfodderpurchase

Over-ageingoftreesandlackofregeneration

Lowprofit-earningcapacity

Difficultiesforgettingpermission:pruning…

Excessandslownessofbeaurocracy

Governance

Nofluidcommunicationsamongstakeholdersand

policymakers

Forageresources

Poorgovernance

Scarcecommunication

Treelayerconservation

Strongseasonalityonpastureavailability

Lackofadaptedfoddercrops

Figure2.FishboneorIshikawadiagramthatsummarizesmainconstraintsforSpanishdehesasidentifiedbystakeholders

TreeandAcornspest

Workroute

OPE

NDISCU

SSIONW

ITHSTA

KEHOLD

ERS

IDEN

TIFICA

TIONOFCO

NSTRAINTS

Workroute

QUESTIONNAIRES:EVALUATIONOFSERVICESANDDISSERVICESFOAGROFORESTRY

Workroute

QUESTIONNAIRES:PRIORITIZACIONOFPOTENTIALINNOVATIONS

Workroute

FACETOFACEDISCUSSION:AGREEMENTFORFIELDTESTOFINNOVATIONSPROPOSED

MainConcernsandChallenges

1.  LowprofitabilityofHNCVasakeyconstraintforthefuturesustainability.

2.  Newsystemdesignandmanagementfornewchallengesandsocio-economiccontext.

3.  ToreconcilegrazinglivestockwithtreelayerconservaQonandregeneraQon

4.  Moreefficientuseoflocalforageresourcestoincreasethefodderautonomyofthefarms.

5.  Costefficientherding,includingtechnologytoimprovetheefficiencyofherding.

6.  AnimalproducQonandLivestockhealthinextensivesemi-naturalsystems.

7.  ConservaQonofnon-producQvefeatures,veterantreesandtreespeciesdiversity.

8.  PublicacknowledgmentoftheculturalvalueandtheecosystemservicesprovidedbyHNCVagroforestry

9.  ExtensionwasseenascriQcalissuesinsoutherncountries.

10. MaladaptedpolicymeasuresforextensiveandmulQpurposeHNCVagroforestry.

Althoughmostof stakeholder groups acknowledged the importanceof ecosystems servicesprovidedbyHNCV agroforestry, they demandedmostly research focused to solve their dailymanagement problemsandtoincreasetheirpro>itability.

Bio-region

Country System Mainconcerns

Med

iterrane

an

Portugal Montado:grazedopenoakwoodlands PossiblenegaQveconsequencesofshrubencroachmentof

woodlandsoncorkyieldandquality

Spain Dehesa:grazedandintercroppedoak

woodlands

Lowprofitability,markedseasonalityoffodderresources

anddeficienttreeregeneraQon

Italy GrazedoakwoodlandsinSardinia Thelackofforageavailabilityandquality

Greece Grazedvaloniaoakwoodlands OakregeneraQonandpoorpastureunderstoryyield/

quality

Atlan

Lc

France BocageagroforestryinBriMany(hedgerows

integratedwithgrasslandandarableland)

Decreaseofhedgerowdensityandtheirreduced

importanceinfarmingmanagementandecologicalservices

UK Woodpastureandparkland Re-insQtuQngtreemanagement,balancingtheprevenQon

ofinfillingwithnaturalregeneraQon

ConL

nental

Romania Grazedwoodpasturesandgrasslandswith

ancientnon-producQvetreesin

Transylvania

ConservaQonofveterannon-producQvetreesandoftree

speciesdiversity.

Needofeconomicallyandsociallyviablestrategiesto

increasetreeregeneraQon

Germany Floodplainmeadowswithtreehedgerows Hedgerowsabandonment

Lackofinterestoffarmersfortrees

Pan-

onia

n

Hungary Grazedwoodpasturesandgrasslandswith

ancientnon-producQvetrees

Infillingofabandonedwood-pastures,andlackofpublic

awarenessoftheirnatureandculturalvalues

Boreal Sweden Woodpasturesandgrazedforestsdevoted

toreindeerhusbandry

AdaptaQonofforestoperaQonstoreindeerhusbandry

1.   Farmprofitability•  BrandingbeMerHNCVproducts:improvingknowledgeofcustomer

andtax-payerinterests.

•  ProductdiversificaQon. Surveys toassess thewillingness topayapremiumpriceforagroforestryproducts.

•  Qualityoftreeproducts..Systemdesignandmanagement•  DesignandmanagementofthesystemtonewmulQplepracQces:

developingmodularmodelsofhedgerowsystems

•  InnovaQvetreespecieswhichcanresistlivestock.•  Livestockmanagement:species,racesandstockingrates.

.TreeprotecLonandregeneraLon•  ProtecQngtrees:WiderangeofmethodsforprotecQngtreesfrom

livestock.

•  Lessbrowserlivestockraces•  Grazingcalendar

.Pasturequality•  Fodder crops: e.g. legume-rich pastures and winter forages

adaptedtoshade.

•  Adaptedsilvicuture:e.g.selecQonofforagetree/shrubspecies

.Grazingsystemsandcostefficientherding•  SelecQonofspecificlivestockbreeds•  HolisQcgrazing(intensivefast-rotaQonalgrazing)•  LocaQon of faciliQes (e.g. watering points, supplementary

fodder,salt)

•  GPScollartechnologyand”invisiblefencing”.AnimalproducLonandHealth•  Controlofaccesstowaterpointsandsupplementaryfood

•  Designofhedgerowstoimproveshelter

.NatureconservaLon•  Choiceoflivestockspeciesandbreed• Methodsforfirecontrol

•  Improvedunderstandingoftheeffectsonsoilcarbon

• MethodsofsoilprotecQon

.Extension•  Theuseofpilotfarms

•  EncouragementoflocalstateofficialsinextensionacQviQes

.Policyandgovernance•  Paymentforhistoricallandscapes

•  Newco-operaQvemodelsfordevelopingagroforestry

Thewayforward:InnovaQonsproposed

Innova&ons for HNV agroforestry: some examples

Systemdesign,renewal

AdaptaQonsofforestmanagementtopromotebeMercondiQonsforreindeerhusbandry:soilscarificaQon,

noplanQngwithLodgepolePine,moreandharderpre-commercialthinningandthinning,andforestswith

longerrotaQonperiodsinsomeareas

Three-dimensionsadapQvedesignandmanagementofhedgerowstopromoteecosystemservices(by

comparingdifferentbocagestructure:age,density,sizeofhedgerows)

Renewalofhedgerows,withvaluaQonofthepotenQalofharvestedbiomassanddifferentharvesQng

methodstofinancenewtreeprotecQon

Innova&ons for HNV agroforestry: some examples

Cost-efficientmethodsfortreeregeneraQon

Grazingexclusion

Nurseryshrubs

Naturalprotectors(prunedbranches)

ArQficialwirethornyshelters

Chemicalorganicrepellents

Designofcomprehensivestrategies(socialparQcipaQon)

IntegraQnggrazinglivestockwithtreelayerconservaQonandregeneraQon:

Cost-efficient protectors for tree regeneraQon, included virtual fencing and GPS-based devices, and management

pracQcescompaQblewithtreeregeneraQon.

Innova&ons for HNV agroforestry: some examples

Pasturequality/FodderAutonomy Grazingschemes.Cost-efficientHerdingOvercomestrongseasonalityof“natural”forageresources:

Legumerichpermanentpastures;WoodyForageBanksCost-efficientherding.Technology:Invisiblefencing;GPStracking;

MulQpurposeGPScollar

IncreasepastureproducQvityandquality Moreefficientandevenuseofextensiveforageresources

RestoraQonofdegradedpastures/disturbedareas Livestockspecies

SmartGPScollars

Innova&ons for HNV agroforestry: some examples

Virtualfencing&Remoteshepherding(negaQve

sQmulaQon:ultrasonicandelectricsignals)

ProtecQonofregeneraQon(inexpensiveRFID(Radio

FrequencyIDenQficaQon)tags)

LivestockDiseasesControl(e.g.transmissionoftuberculosis

bywildungulatesandanimalssuchaswildpigsthatcohabit

withlivestock)bykeepthedomesQcanimalsfromdrinking

inthesamepondsasthewildlife.

AnimalreproducQvemaleswithouthumansupervisionis

alsoademandedfuncQonalityprovidedbythecollar,since

maQngswillbedetected,recordedandtransmiMedtoa

remoteserverstorage.

Innova&ons for HNV agroforestry: some examples

ValuingtradiQonalandnewmarketableproducts:

Branding strategies to communicate to consumers the high quality

andlow(orposiQve)ecologicalfootprintofwood-pastureproducts.

(i)  Elaboration of innovative techniques for the long term production of timber and non-timber agroforestry products;

(ii)  Integrated analysis of economic and environmental values to incorporate recreational and ecosystem values in public policy;

(iii) Modeling and predictive tools to create integrated systems of support for decision making;

(iv) Elaboration of policy proposals to reinforce the public environmental goods and services provided by agroforestry of high nature and cultural value; and

(v)  Development of effective institutions and governance structures to help value and manage silvopastoral systems.

TOONCLUDE&GOFORWARD

AcknowledgementThe AGFORWARD project (Grant Agreement N° ) is co-funded by the European Commission, Directorate General for Research & InnovaQon, within the th

FrameworkProgrammeofRTD,Theme-Biotechnologies,Agriculture&Food.Theviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisreportarepurelythoseofthewritersand

maynotinanycircumstancesberegardedasstaQnganofficialposiQonoftheEuropeanCommission.

FullreportsareaccessibleatAGFORWARDprojectportal(www.agforward.eu/index.php/en/FarmerNetworks.html).