Temperate Agroforestry Systems

Practiced in some parts of the world for more than 6,000 years, agroforestry is a system for growing trees and agricultural crops concurrently on the same land. Much research has focused on the tropics, where land shortages and rapid population growth demand efficient production of both wood and crops. However, agroforestry may prove equally important in temperate regions, where sustainable farming techniques are solving some problems in traditional agriculture. This book explores temperate agroforestry, concentrating on areas where the greatest advances and adoptions have taken place: North America, China, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and continental Europe. With its wide range of examples, this volume will be valuable for anyone concerned with agroforestry research, practice or policy. It will also be useful for students in agriculture, ecology, environmental studies and forestry in temperate regions.