Types of silvopastoral system: an overview

Publication date: 30-09-2025
Extent: 10 pages

Contributions by: Jim McAdam, Queen’s University Belfast and Irish Agroforestry Forum, Ireland

Chapter synopsis:

In temperate regions, as the main agricultural land uses are livestock grazing or tillage, the most applicable agroforestry practices are silvopastoral systems (where trees are grown in grazed or mown pasture in a regular or varied pattern) and silvoarable systems (where trees or shrubs are grown in rows between an arable crop). A silvopastoral system is a land use type which is a three dimensional complex ecological mix where seasonal and temporal evolution of the system delivers a wide range of ecosystem services. In this chapter the definition of silvopastoral systems will be considered as those where trees are grown in grazed pasture in a regular or varied pattern. The value of the system lies in its complexity and its capacity to be resilient within an increasingly challenging climatic framework.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2024.0141.09