Developments in forest farming

Publication date: 30-09-2025
Extent: 30 pages

Contributions by: Margaret Gove Bloomquist, North Carolina State University, USA

Chapter synopsis:

The agroforestry practice of forest farming is gaining traction as a useful land practice. Demand for forest farmed raw material and products is high as evidenced by consumer interest in sustainable, domestic, and local products, and priority for conservation of wild populations. The goals are to optimize production and support ‘conservation through cultivation’, ‘under the canopy’. The scale, site parameters, interaction of species, and level of management help define forest farming operations. Forest farmed and wild stewarded populations may serve as unique opportunities for widespread accessibility to forest farming. Challenges within the forest farmed supply chain present opportunities for new businesses and expanding operations of existing businesses. Forest farming brings together the fields of forestry, plant sciences, traditional knowledge, animal husbandry, agronomy, and horticulture, along with food safety, regulatory considerations, consumers, and industry. Communication, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among forest farming stakeholders is paramount to the future of the industry.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2024.0141.16