Cows and Trees - Silvopasture as an Afforestation Project

Industrial cattle farming is one of the most significant contributors of GHG emissions in the world, emitting between 10-15% of the world’s greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere every year. In forested environments, these emissions are generated in two stages. The first is by clearing the land of trees, often using the ‘slash and burn’ technique in developing nations, which releases all of the carbon those trees were storing in their trunks, leaves, branches, and roots. The second, once the cattle are grazing on the landscape, is the generation of large amounts of methane, which is one of the most potent greenhouse gasses in terms of its relative contribution to climate change.

Modern agricultural practice says that cattle should graze in large open fields, but it turns out that cows, pigs, and other livestock are naturally forest-dwelling creatures. In fact, silvopasture is one of the oldest forms of agriculture practiced by humans. Silvopasture is when livestock are raised in a forested environment that also contains the necessary grasses and plants they need to flourish. It is an agricultural system that is slowly regaining popularity as both farmers and consumers seek alternative forms of agriculture that are more humane than some modern industrial techniques and are also climate conscious. It could also make for an excellent ARR carbon project.

The concept is fairly simple. Plant trees in an already existing pasture to achieve a balance of forest cover and edible grassland in the future. If done properly with the correct tree species mix, grasses, and herbaceous plant mix, a farmer can create an agricultural system that sequesters carbon, is healthier for the livestock, and produces more income over time than a traditional open field.

In many active silvopasture systems, the biodiversity of plants and animals has increased nearly 50% relative to pastures, while sightings of rare or threatened species have increased as well. In terms of carbon sequestration, the benefits are fairly obvious. Trees, even when planted at 50% stocking, can hold far more carbon than open fields, sometimes by several orders of magnitude. There is also evidence showing that plants and grasses grown in silvopasture systems are healthier for livestock and result in less methane generation.

Silvopasture could make an excellent ARR carbon project component. Industrial cattle farming has ravaged the Amazon and other forests for decades. Introducing silvopasture to ranchers as a carbon project with the opportunity to generate revenue from the sale of credits could entice some to adopt the technique and reintroduce trees to a landscape that otherwise would have remained open field. This approach may be appealing to ranchers who, when presented with an ARR project, are typically asked to exchange their livelihoods to plant trees instead.

As the realities of climate change become clearer every day, maybe providing cows with a lot more shade starts making sense.