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Trees and Sustainable Agriculture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Peter R. Schaefer
Peter R. Schaefer
Affiliation:
Associate Professor of Forestry; Horticulture, Forestry, Landscape and Parks Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007-0996.
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Abstract

In the United States, trees constitute an element in agriculture whose importance has been inadequately appreciated. In actuality, they are highly important in several ways. From the time of the earliest settlements, they have served as a source of building materials and energy. They protect the soil against erosion by wind and water. When used as windbreaks adjacent to crop fields, they protect crops against the damaging effects of wind on crop yields. As windbreaks for livestock, they increase feed conversion efficiency, improve weight gains, and increase the survival rate ofnewborns. They provide habitat for wildlife and contribute aesthetically to the appearance of the countryside. They protect water resources. Trees need to have the story of their great benefits more widely and emphatically told.

Keywords

building materialsenergy sourcesoil erosion protectioncrop yield increaselivestock protectionwildlife habitataesthetic landscape enhancement
Type
commentary
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 4 , Issue 3-4 , December 1989 , pp. 173 - 179
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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