What is Silvopasture?
Silvopasture is a kind of agroforestry that involves purposefully integrating trees into ranches for livestock. It provides shade for the livestock living in the pasture as well as improving the variety of diet improving the amount of meat that they provide. It also sequesters 5-10 times more CO2 than pastures without trees do by storing CO2 in biomass and soil; this more than counteracts the effects of the livestock. Silvopasture is beneficial to farmers and ranchers if they plant trees that produce fruits or nuts or anything else that can be sold as produce. Silvopasture also benefits the plants as some pasture grasses grow better in partial shade, silvopasture through diversification can also help to prevent overgrazing.
Where would this be implemented?
The first and primary place would be in farmlands and ranches that already exist. It would be done in small ranches and bigger ranches, and could also be done in any new ranch. New ranches can also be placed in already existing forest but they require modification to allow for the most benefits.
What does the timeline look like?
Any statistics mentioned are in a timeline of 30 years, from 2020-2050.
How would this be implemented?
The first step to implementing silvopasture is to get existing ranchers on board with the idea of silvopasture. To do this, we could pitch to them the ways both they and their livestock benefit from using silvopasture on their ranches. The next thing to tackle would be the cost of implementing silvopasture on each individual ranch. According to food.org, "Unruh estimates his system costs a farmer about $15 a tree, and he usually plants about 50 stems per acre. Based on those calculations, a farmer with 25 acres would have to spend $18,750. And that’s a small farm." Based on those statistics, it will be hardest to convince small farmers and ranchers to implement, especially during the pandemic when people around the world are struggling to make a living wage.
What would this cost?
The net first cost to implement this solution is between 206.75 billion and 272.91 billion US dollars, which is very pricey for planting a bunch of trees, but this is also a worldwide cost estimate, meaning this is the cost for implementing this solution around the world.
How much CO2 is sequestered?
It's estimated that silvopasture will sequester between 26.58 and 42.31 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere if it's implemented by 2050.
What are potential benefits and drawbacks?
The main and obvious benefit of silvopasture is the amount of CO2 sequestered if it is used. You also have additional income as a farmer or rancher if you plant trees that produce fruit or nuts, and you have healthier livestock and contribute to a more ethical meat industry. The main drawback is the cost of this solution, the cost of it is about $420 per acre. It isn't very practical for small farmers and ranchers, but if we can find a way to make it more affordable while still keeping it an efficient solution, it will better benefit everyone.