V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E T W O

6-77 TERMS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS

AGROFORESTRY practices like windbreaks and riparian forestbuffers provide valuable services to us in the form of windprotection, soil stabilization, and water quality. But, they canalso deliver many marketable non-timber products like berriesand mushrooms, decorative florals, and herbal products.

This issue of Inside Agroforestry provides a glimpse into theforest, beyond the obvious, to get you seeing the non-timberforest products for the trees. ]

11A NEW STANDARD

FOR AGROFORESTRY

4-55 THE “I’S” HAVE IT

A sample of valu-able products thatcan be found inforest ecosystemsinclude: pine straw,shiitake mushrooms,maple syrup, andjack-in-the-pulpit(pictured above).

More research is needed

NAC Director’s CornerA commentary on the status of agroforestry by Dr. Greg Ruark, NAC Program Manager

2 Inside Agroforestry | Volume 16, Issue Two

THE demand for specialty forest products has beengrowing rapidly over the past decade. Numerous plantspecies that are thought to have nutritional, medicinal, orculinary benefits are native to the understory of pine andhardwood forests throughout United States, but little isunderstood about how to intentionally propagate and culti-vate most of them. As a result, these plants are typically har-vested by gathering them from the wild. Several of these,like ginseng, goldenseal, cohosh, and edible mushroomsalready have strong consumer markets. Unfortunately, theirhigh economic value has created a situation whereby manyspecies are already being over-harvested, threatening theirlong-term viability. To date, agroforestry systems have beendesigned that allow a few of these plant species, like gin-seng, to be cultivated under a forest canopy. However, littleis known about how or if other understory plant speciescould be intentionally cultivated.

Many farmers and private forest landowners with lim-ited resources are seeking alternative production systemsthat will allow them to increase the income they derivefrom their lands. In many instances profitability will deter-mine whether they will remain economically viable toremain on the land. In forests where valuable understorybotanicals already exist, guidelines for sustainably har-vesting them are needed, while on lands where they do notoccur an improved understanding of the site conditionsrequired to establish them is needed. NAC is coordinatingwith universities, state forestry agencies, conservation dis-tricts, and non-profit organizations to develop science-based guidelines for agroforestry cultivation systems forspecial forest products to provide landowners with eco-nomic opportunities that can be readily integrated into theirongoing operations. ]

Digging deeperTHE awareness of non-timber forest prod-ucts (N T F P) has grown over the last decade.Concern about the sustainability of theresources from which N T F P S originate andconsideration for the economic stability ofthe people who are involved in the harvestingand sale of these plants has also increased.Unfortunately, the information and knowl-edge needed to determine if collection activi-ties are socially, economically, or ecologi-cally sustainable is still lacking.

To help bridge this gap, three compre-hensive guides are available for some of themost sought after botanical plants: blood-root, galax, and goldenseal. Each publica-tion addresses botany and ecology, medic-inal and other uses, market trends, cultiva-tion, and conservation issues.

Bloodroot – named for the blood-red sapfound throughout the plant, particularly inthe roots. Native Americans used bloodrootas a dye, love charm, and medicine. Today,it is used to cause expectoration and toclear the respiratory pathways of mucus.

Galax – an evergreen groundcover har-vested for use in the floral industry. Peopleliving in the mountains of North Carolinaand other rural Appalachian locations have

harvested galax to supplement theirincomes since before the 20th century.

Goldenseal – originally used by NativeAmericans as both a medicine and a dye,the herb was eventually adopted by settlersand eclectic physicians in the 19th century.The alkaloids in goldenseal have beenfound to have antibiotic, anti-inflamma-tory, antispasmodic, and tonic effects. ]

For a copy ofthese, and other,publications visitthe Non-TimberForest Productswebsite at:http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/special_fp.htm

Volume 16, Issue Two | Inside Agroforestry 3

WE know forests deliver food, medicine, and countless othergoods. Common sense tells us about forest cents, but just howmuch cents does the forest have?

Though no formal estimates have been made of the totalvalue of the NTFP markets, available data illustrate the eco-nomic importance of some individual products. Certainly, theaggregate value of non-timber forest products far exceedsthese examples.

Medicinal and herbal products

Herbs and medicinal products are an extremely important component of modern medicine and health supplement

industries. Plants from the forest provide treatments for suchdiseases as cancer, leukemia, heart disease, and pain relief formajor trauma. Over 40 percent of prescription drugs,

accounting for $15 billion in sales in 1997, contain at least onenatural element.

In 1998, the total retail market for medicinal herbs in theUnited States was estimated at $3.97 billion, more than doublethe estimate for North America in 1996. Based on 2001 prices,the average wholesale value of forest-harvested ginseng in afour state region of Appalachia exceeded $18.5 million.Exports of forest-harvested ginseng from 1993 through 1996grew more than 300 percent. The estimated growth in themass market for black cohosh, for the year ending in July1998, was approximately 500 percent.

Edible products

Many culinary NTFP are considered specialty items and aresold directly to buyers like gourmet restaurants, specialized

grocery stores, and health food stores or to consumersthrough farmer’s market-type venues. The products are con-sumed fresh, canned, frozen and dried or used to make value-added products.

Here, needles of a naturally regen-erated long-leafpine forest areraked for resale.Straw can beraked, baled, andsold to garden centers. Land-scapers and home-owners use pinestraw as a mulch orground cover ingardens and land-scaping projects. NAC file photo

The demand forspecialty foods suchas jellies, sauces,and marinades continues to grow. Photo courtesy of James Chamberlain, U S F SResearch Scientist,Blacksburg, VA

see Economics on page 10

Raking in the green stuff

Some forest-basedmedicinal products,like goldenseal,have long-estab-lished markets andrepresent an on-going economicopportunity. Photo courtesy of Jeanine Davis, North Carolina State University

James ChamberlainU S F S Research Scientist, Non-Timber Forest Products,Blacksburg, VA

4 Inside Agroforestry | Volume 16, Issue Two

Many choices exist for growingnon-timber forest products. Afterdeciding whichproduct to specialize in, there is a broadspectrum of managementoptions to choose from.

With an “i”towardmanagementintensity

Over the past 15 years, the Belton family near Sandy, Oregon hasused a variety of approaches to generate supplemental income tohelp sustain their forest operation. Most of their forest land ismanaged for multiple species and ages. To generate enoughincome selling non-timber forest products, they sell higherquality products for top dollar. These value-added commoditiesrequire considerable hand labor to harvest and process.

Some of the products that the Beltons harvest include cut,potted, or balled plants for the floral and nursery industries. Theyhave sold various ferns and other floral greenery like salal,sphagnum moss, and vine maple. Popular potted plants havebeen red-flowering currant, flowering dogwood, tiger lilies, andbleeding heart. Red alder and wild cherry are sold as hardwoodchips for smoking meats. Western redcedar bark, a favorite ofNative Americans, is used to make baskets in the Northwest and12” x 5” x ¾” cedar planks are sold for cooking salmon. Variousmushrooms can generate significant additional income as well.

Although wood products are the most common source ofincome for many forest owners, finding a niche and value-addedmarket for a wider variety of the non-timber commodities fromthe forest will help generate additional revenue necessary to stayin business.

Wild harvesting / wildcraftingWild harvesting is collecting food, decorative, or medicinalproducts that grow naturally in the woods. Cutting cedar boughsfor a wreath or picking berries on the side of a road is wild har-vesting. Harvesting forest products on public lands is a way oflife for a significant number of people around the country.Sustainable harvesting can have a positive effect on the forest byremoving products efficiently while protecting site productivity,minimizing impacts on wildlife, water, and soil and encouragingregeneration of desirable species.

Photo by James Chamberlain, U S F S Research Scientist, Blacksburg, VA

Volume 16, Issue Two | Inside Agroforestry 5

Chip Harris began digging ginseng and goldenseal with his fatherin the 1970s. Today, he is experimenting with ginseng, goldenseal,and black cohosh cultivation on his farm in southern Ohio.

As his concern about the sustainability of wild populationsincreased and it became more difficult to find good roots, Chipmovwed from wild crafted ginseng to wild simulated ginseng.He says, “Eventually, if you wildcraft enough, you get thenotion to cultivate.”

So Chip transplanted some wild ginseng to their farm. Today,he harvests only the mature roots, leaving the younger ones togrow for later harvest. He hopes this will minimize the labor heand his father must put into cultivation and lead to self-sus-taining patches. Harvesting medicinal roots requires a combina-tion of hard physical labor, skill, and luck.

While income is his primary motivation, spending time in thewoods is rewarding. His wife has talked about spending moretime making crafts and they discussed the possibilities ofstarting a pick-your-own raspberry patch and cultivating bitter-sweet for the decorative market. But, for now with help fromhis father, Chip is concentrating his energies on goldenseal andcohosh. He hopes that medicinal plants will generate “a signifi-cant side income” that will carry them into retirement.

His father taught him about managing the forest and how tomake a living off the land. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, his familysold evergreens and moss to florists for Christmas decorations.Today, the William Slagle “Walnut Meadows” farm nearBruceton Mills, West Virginia, among other things, raises blackwalnut, ginseng, and shiitake mushrooms.

Slagle says, “ginseng requires intense management, you mustwork the ground by hand.” He has six acres of cultivated gin-seng growing in raised beds in a variety of sites under the trees.He digs anywhere from 200 to 1,200 pounds of roots per yearwhich he sells to outlets in Hong Kong and New York.

Slagle is a retired vocational education teacher. As his profes-sion would indicate, he enjoys educating others. Each year, hisstudents benefited from applying classroom skills to a realworking farm; they came out to Walnut Meadows to help withthe ginseng, or the shiitake mushrooms, or the walnut trees.

“I hate to see land lay idle and I need an income while my10 acres of black walnut trees mature,” Slagle says. “This 100acre farm has been good to our family and we have been goodto the land.” ]

Wild simulated / forest tending / forest enrichmentWild simulated plants are intentionally planted and cared for inconditions that mimic their wild habitat as much as possible.Essentially, the plants are allowed to grow naturally; mostgrowers do not spray fungicides or add any additional fertilizer.It is simple, inexpensive, and requires few inputs. Modifyingwoodland vegetation to better meet landowner objectives is ashift in management activities to adapt and improve growthrate, volume, quality, and values of trees and non-timber forestproducts in forest. Common forest tending activities include:thinning, pruning, weeding, seeding, and fertilizing.

Woods cultivated / forest gardeningIntensively managed, a cultivated forest garden is a purposelydesigned system of trees, shrubs, and perennial plants. Theseplants are mixed to mimic woodland ecosystems and includetrees, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables. The yields are directlyuseful to humans. In a woods cultivated system, the objectiveis to produce the highest yield feasible; all modern productionpractices and pest control products are used including tilling,soil amendments, raised beds to control soil drainage, mulch,and pesticides.

NAC file photoNAC file photo

Unconventional

options

Whatever the chosen term, these prod-ucts are all based on plants or fungi orother flora materials. Wildlife, otherfauna, or water and other ecosystem ser-vices are not included in the definition asthey have designated management cate-gories in national legislation and are wellrecognized in forestry.

Non-timber forest products comefrom plants; parts of plants, fungi, andother biological material. They are har-vested from within and on the edges ofnatural, manipulated or disturbed forests.NTFPs include fungi, moss, lichen,herbs, vines, shrubs, or trees. Roots,tubers, leaves, bark, twigs and branches,fruit, sap and resin, as well as wood, areharvested to make non-timber products.

NTFPs are commonly classified intofive product categories.

A VARIETY of terms (e.g., non-tradi-tional, secondary, minor, non-wood, andspecial or specialty) have been used todescribe products that come from foreststhat are not timber-based. National legis-lation uses the term, “forest botanicalproducts,” to describe these products.The USDA Forest Service defines themas, “special forest products.” A morecommon and widespread term is, “non-timber forest products” (NTFP).

There is growing interest in using nativeplants for landscaping. Native plant nurs-eries are popping up all over the placeand more than 500 are listed in theDirectory of Plant Material Providers,published by the USDA Forest Service.

Pine straw, rakedfrom southern plan-tations, is used aslandscaping mulch.Photo by Terry Bryant, Carthage, NC

6 Inside Agroforestry | Volume 16, Issue Two

James ChamberlainC usfs research

Scientist; Non-Timber Forest

ProductsJ Blacksburg, VA .

Non-timber

forest products

BforXinnovativelandowners

Landscape

products

Plants collected to produce crafts are numerous. Wood-basedcrafts are produced from trees or parts of trees, excluding prod-ucts made from cut timber. Some important wood-basedNTFPs in the central hardwood region include sassafras stemsfor walking sticks, willow branches for furniture, and white oaksplits for baskets. Products made from vines, such as smokevineand grapevine, are included in this category. The number ofspecies that could be used in production of crafts is only limitedto the crafter’s imagination and market acceptance.

Scarlet curls willowcan be used tomake gift baskets.Photo courtesy of Nebraska Forest Service

Craft products

Z

EVolume 16, Issue Two | Inside Agroforestry 7

Markets have been steadily increasing for floral and greenery products like white pine andgalax (pictured), Spanish moss, and flowers. Photo by James Chamberlain, U S F S Research Scientist, Blacksburg, VA

Medicinal proper-ties of plants can befound in the leaves,roots, and bark oftrees or shrubs, orin the leaves,berries, or fruits ofherbaceous plants. Photo courtesy of Deborah Hill, ExtensionProfessor, University ofKentucky

In the southernAppalachian hard-wood region of theUnited States, foodfestivals are orga-nized around theemergence of wildonions, knownregionally as ramps. Photo courtesy of James Chamberlain, U S F SResearch Scientist,Blacksburg, VA

floralEand

Culinary industry

Many forest plants are harvested and usedin the floral industry. For example, curlywillow and dogwood shrubs that havebeen incorporated into windbreaks orriparian buffers can be harvested for floralarrangements. In the Pacific Northwest,salal leaves, beargrass, and noble firboughs are common in the floral industry.Sprigs and long-lengths of grapevine andsmokevine also may be used as compli-ments or back drops in floral arrange-ments. Several species of moss and lichenare harvested from the forests for theEuropean floral industry. ]

decorative

products

Plants harvested from the forest for theirtherapeutic value are marketed either asmedicines or as herbal remedies. Manyprescriptions dispensed in the UnitedStates contain active ingredients extractedfrom higher order plants. More than 125plant species are harvested from southernforests for their medicinal value, withmore than 80 percent of the forest-har-vested ginseng coming from Virginia,Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.The central hardwood region of the U.S. isthe principal source of many medicinalplants, including black cohosh, Americanginseng, goldenseal, and bloodroot.

B

Edible NTFPs include: mushrooms,fungi, fruits, ferns, greens, roots, andtubers. Mushrooms and fungi are prob-ably the most well known forest edible.The production of maple syrup is bigbusiness, particularly in the Northeast.Huckleberries and blueberries are col-lected and eaten for personal enjoymentor sold for cash income. Fiddleheads(young, tightly coiled fronds of the ostrichfern), dandelion greens, and poke salat areeaten in the spring, as well. Eastern blackwalnuts, muscadine grapes, raspberries,blackberries, and persimmons are gath-ered, consumed, and sold.

Medicinal andL dietarysupplements

8 Inside Agroforestry | Volume 16, Issue Two

PEOPLE have been “managing” land andits resources since the beginning of time.Everyone’s livelihood depended onobserving, utilizing, and respecting thenatural resources that surrounded them.As our ancestors migrated, so did theplant species that they used and valued.As a result, seeds and stock of traditionalculinary and medicinal herbs with cher-ished characteristics were transported tonew locations. Along with the plantscame knowledge about them.

While indigenous people seldom usedthe term “managing,” anthropologistshave long documented the significance oflocal knowledge to resource stewardship.Today, people who live and interact aspart of an ecosystem often have traditionsthat have persisted over long periods oftime. Not only did immigrants bringlong-established forest product knowl-edge and practices with them, but they

adapted these cus-toms to their newenvironment andborrowed frompeople theyencountered. Bysharing stories,spiritual beliefs,harvesting tech-niques, sustain-ability methods,and recipes, eldershave transferred,and continue topass along, anextensive variety

of skills and information to younger gen-erations. These indigenous knowledgesystems are often referred to asTraditional Ecological Knowledge andWisdom (TEKW).

What is especially significant aboutTEKW are the attitudes, motivations,intimate connections, and cultural influ-ences that underlie the daily interactionsbetween the human and nonhuman ele-ments. Understanding an ecosystem,and how to successfully manage it, ismore than just recognizing biologicalprocesses; it is about understanding andrespecting the interconnection of all ele-ments, including people and their beliefsand behaviors.

From early history to the present,non-timber forest products (NTFPs)have contributed to a family’s suste-nance in a variety of ways. Along withfarming, diaries of Midwestern settlersdescribe consuming their own maplesugar to avoid the expense of pur-chasing sweetener and then selling someof the sugar for much needed cash.Other economic uses that are integratedwith livelihood strategies include family-centered subsistence, gift giving, barter,petty commodity production, and sale asglobal commodities.

Lots of NTFPs and customs existacross the United States. Regional usesand cultural traditions reflect these dif-ferences. Various plants and traditionsare found in contrasting forest ecosys-tems from the rain forests of the PacificNorthwest, the mixed conifer-hardwoodforests of the Southeast, the centralhardwoods of the Midwest andAppalachia, the conifers of the Lakestates, and in the New England forests.

Nonagricultural plants continue to bevital to us for food and medicine and asutilitarian and ceremonial materials. Thehistorical relationship between people andplants and the social structures and inter-actions within which these uses forms ourcurrent understanding of NTFPs.

Based on research and publications by MarlaEmory, Research Geographer, USFS NorthernResearch Station, Burlington, VT. ]

Edited by Kimberly StuhrTechnology Transfer Specialist / InsideAgroforestry Editor, USDA NationalAgroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE

Understanding an ecosystem, and howto successfully manage it, is more

than just recognizing biologicalprocesses; it is about understanding

and respecting the interconnection ofall elements, including people and

their beliefs and behaviors.

mmmmmmmm

Migrationrofq qplants ,q7peoplee,

and nrtradition0mox*

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year for an average mulberrytree to over $100 per year for mature Chinese chestnut, apricot, and peach trees.

• The potential value of NTFPs on three one-acre sample plots in the city are on par with the per acre values suggested for other urban forests benefits such as energy savings and pollution prevention.

• Urban NTFPs and their collection also provide important educational, nutri-tional, cultural, and recreational benefits.

• Key issues surrounding urban NTFPs collection include: the lack of collectorempowerment, conflicts among collectors and property owners, healthissues and safety, and sustainable harvest and ecological impact issues.

Adapted from Community Resources.Exploring Urban Non-Timber ForestProducts: The Hidden Nutritional,Economic, Cultural, and EducationalResources Of The Urban Environment. ]

Volume 16, Issue Two | Inside Agroforestry 9

Don’t overlook urban forest products

COMMUNITY trees, private and publiclandscaping, and gardens in the urbanenvironment can often provide nuts,fruits, mushrooms, and decorative greensand cones that can be collected. Thoughnot exactly forest farming, in Baltimore,MD people collect, use, andeven sell Chinese chestnuts,walnuts, maple sap, ginkgofruits, figs, and honey.

Community Resources, a non-profitorganization based in Baltimore, exploredthe uses, issues, and values of urban non-timber forest products (NTFPs). In addi-tion to field and market observations, theresearchers conducted over 100 inter-views to discover the uses, benefits, andvalues, both monetary and personal, asviewed by both environmental profes-sional and local collectors.

Key findings of this research include:

• Over 103 products from 78 species are collected by individuals and organizations in Baltimore City.

• These 103 include edible products (43 percent), medicinal products (8 percent), horticultural or nursery products (31 percent), and craft and decorative products (18 percent).

• Products are collected by a wide diversity of ethnic and socio-economic

groups including African-American, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, Eastern European-Americans, and Anglo-Americans.

• Products are collected from street trees, park trees, yards, vacant lots, roadsides, and forested areas.

• The direct net economic value of 60 products ranges from about $0.30 perpound for Pokeweed to over $10 per pound for some seeds and mushrooms.Net per tree values range from $4 per

Examples of urban NTFP’s collected in Baltimore, MD

Edible

peaches, figs, mulberries, wineberries, chestnuts, gingkonuts, maple syrup,honey, morels,chanterelles

Craft

pine boughs, pinecones, boxwood,grapevine, forsythiasprigs, willow bark

Medicinal

sassafras bark,jewel weed, beepollen, maitakemushroom

Horticultural

ash seeds, walnuts,acorns, seeds ofvarious cultivars,bamboo, ferns,dogwood seedlings,oak seedlings,native azaleas

Some of these products could be in your neck of the woods.

In addition to non-timber forest products, urban woods provide air quality and coolingeffects, stabilize soil, and provide wildlife habitat and scenic beauty. Photo by Richard Straight,

USDA National Agroforestry Center

w

d3

A Baltimore non-profitexplored the value of ofurban N T F P s.

q

In 1999, the estimated wholesale value of wild edible mush-rooms in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho was $41.1 million.The value of mushroom exports from the Pacific Northwestvaries annually from $50 million to $75 million, depending onharvest levels. In 1996, collectors of eastern black walnuts werepaid more than $2.5 million. Volunteer fire departments inwestern North Carolina generate from 30 to 90 percent of theirbudgets from annual ramp (wild onions or leeks) festivals.

Decorative products

The floral industry relies heavily on products gathered fromthe forests. Many forest plants and parts of plants are used indecorative arrangements to complement and furnish the back-drop for flowers as well as for the main component of driedornaments. The end uses of these forest plants includewreaths, baskets, greenery, roping, and dried flowers.

For example, in 1995, the U.S. exported moss and lichen,much of which came from southern forests, valued at morethan $14 million. The sales of a pine roping company in south-west Virginia exceeded $1.5 million in 1997. Within Oregon

and Washington, the industry generates more than $180 millioneach year in direct payments to harvesters and landowners.Bough collection, for holiday wreaths, is a major economicactivity in the northern states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

It takes time to understand the ins and outs of local,national, and international markets for non-timber products.But as you can see there is profit potential if one is willing toinvest the time and effort. ]

10 Inside Agroforestry | Volume 16, Issue Two

N T F P websites

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

910

Economicscontinued from page 3

There is a gooddemand forN T F P ’ s used in the floral industry.Products such assword fern (pictured), mosses,birch bark, cones,boughs, willowbranches, andothers are used for a variety of purposes. NAC file photo

www.fs.fed.us/ne/burlington/research/ne4454/nontimb/This site contains information on gathering skills,norms, livelihoods, products, uses, and more.

www.sfp.forprod.vt.eduServes as a national clearinghouse for N T F P harvestersand growers, marketers, processors, and end-users.

www.forestryencyclopedia.net/Encyclopedia/Appalachian/resource_management/non-timber_forest_productsPresents definitions, historical perspective, marketoverview, management, and sustainability of resourcesabout N T F P s harvested from oak ecosystems.

www.specialforestproducts.comEstablished to help users look beyond timber and pulp-wood with N T F P s found in Midwestern woodlands.

www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/agroforestry/sare/This Cornell University site focuses on ginseng, goldenseal, and mushroom production.

www.agroforestry.net/overstory/overstory.htmlThe Overstory is a free email agroforestry journal forpractitioners, researchers, professionals, and enthusiasts.

www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/sfp/Everything you need to know before harvesting on theTongass National Forest is located here.

www.herbalgram.orgContains research reviews, grants, conference reports,book reviews, and legal and regulatory information.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet?cultural=yesOffers plant guides about culturally significant plants.

www.royalroads.ca/programs/faculties-schools-cen-tres/non-timber-resourcesSupports the sustainable utilization of N T F P s in thetemperate and boreal regions of the world. ]

Volume 16, Issue Two | Inside Agroforestry 11

The Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS) completed the suite offive agroforestry practice standards whenit added “multi-story cropping” to theNational Handbook of ConservationPractices in 2006. Multi-story cropping isdefined as, “an existing or planted stand oftrees or shrubs that are managed as anoverstory with an understory of woodyand/or non-woody plants that are grownfor a variety of products.”

This practice standard is intended toencompass what the NationalAgroforestry Center and other agro-forestry specialists call, “forest farming.”Forest farming has been defined as, “theintentional manipulation, integration, andintensive management of forested landsthat capitalize on specific plant interac-tions to produce non-timber products.”This is not just wild harvesting of someunderstory plants such as mushrooms, butis a very intentional management system.

Many high-value non-timber forestcrops (NTFPs) (e.g., ginseng, goldenseal,black and bluecohosh, ramps, anddecorative ferns)are cultivated underthe protection of aforest canopy thathas been modified to provide appropriatemicroclimate and light conditions.Meanwhile, the timber stand improvementactivities are carried out to develop theappropriate understory conditions. Forexample, thinning less desirable trees andpruning lower branches on the eventual

Bruce WightN RC S Lead Agroforester, U S D A

National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE

Forest farming by any other nameMulti-story cropping is anew N R C S practice standard

As many as seven layers may be found in a multi-story operation: the canopy, low-treelayer, shrub layer, herbaceous layer, ground-cover layer, rhizosphere, and a vertical layer(climbers). Photos by Tony Ingersoll, USDA NRCS

crop trees can result in the production ofclean, knot-free wood that will eventuallybring a higher economic return.

NRCS field staff from the PacificIslands advocated the development of aconservation practice standard that woulddescribe some of the traditional manage-ment of their forests where plant cropsare grown in multiple layers within theforest from the forest canopy through themid-level layers on down to the forestfloor. After much discussion, the term“multi-story cropping,” was selected asthe best term to describe this manage-

ment approach. The multi-story croppingconservation practice standard has threegeneral purposes:

• improve crop diversity by growing mixed but compatible crops having different heights on the same area;

• improve soil quality by increasing utilization and cycling of nutrients and maintaining or increasing soil organic matter;

• increase net carbon storage in plant biomass and soil. With the national practice standard developed, NRCSstate staffs now have the option of developing a state standard that will be specific to conditions in the state.

The multi-story cropping conservationpractice will help facilitate sustainablemanagement systems that incorporateNTFPs into a landowner’s operation. Anumber of innovative landowners arealready applying multi-story cropping.Tom Wahl, in southeastern Iowa, isdeveloping “four story agriculture” withgrants from the Practical Farmers of Iowaand the Sustainable Agriculture Researchand Education program. The four levelsinclude: medicinal roots from under-ground, medicinal plants at ground level,wood from the tree trunks up to abouttwelve feet, and at the fourth level thefruit, nuts, and leaves that are produced inthe canopy. ]

With a national standard developed,N R C S state staffs now have the optionof developing a state standard.

USDA National Agroforestry CenterEast Campus–UNLLincoln, NE 68583–0822

PRSRT STDPOSTAGE & FEES PAID

USDA — FSPERMIT NO G-40

October 23–27, 2007Society Of American Foresters (S A F )National Convention: “Sustaining America’s Forests.” Portland, OR. Contact: SAF, 866–897–8720, http://www.safconvention.org/natcon-07.

November 12–13, 2007Wildlife Habitat Council Nineteenth Annual Symposium: “The Value Of Green.” Baltimore, MD.

http://www.wildlifehc.org/events/symposium.cfm.

February 4, 2008Call For Papers. American Water Resources Association (A W R A) Summer Specialty Conference: “Riparian Ecosystems & Buffers: Working at the Water’s Edge,” June 30 – July 2, 2008, Virginia Beach, VA.Contact: atodd@fs.fed.us,

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The USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) is a partnership ofthe Forest Service (Research and Development and State andPrivate Forestry) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.It is administered by the Forest Service, Southern Research Station;and its program manager and headquarters are located in Huntsville,AL, on the campus of Alabama A&M University, while NAC’s staffare located at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE; University ofIdaho, Moscow ID, and in Blacksburg, VA. NAC’s purpose is toaccelerate the development and application of agroforestry tech-nologies to attain more economically, environmentally, and sociallysustainable land use systems. To accomplish its mission, NAC inter-acts with a national network of partners and cooperators to conductresearch, develop technologies and tools, establish demonstrations,and provide useful information to natural resource professionals.

PolicyUSDA policy prohibits discriminationbecause of race, color, national origin,sex, age, religion, or handicapping condition. Any person who believes heor she has been discriminated against inany USDA-related activity should immediately contact the Secretary ofAgriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

Opinions expressed in “InsideAgroforestry” are those of the authorand do not necessarily represent thepolicy of the USDA Forest Service andthe USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service.

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For more upcoming events, visit our website calendar: www.unl.edu/nac/calendar.htm.