Natural History Wanderings

The New York Times recently reported on the benefits of trees to traditional agriculture.  The U.S. Forest Service has a National Agroforestry Center that is encouraging the use of trees in farming to decrease the need for water, fertilizers and pesticides. Some of the benefits agroforestry:

• reduction in  wind and water erosion
• fertilize by taking nitrogen from the atmosphere and send it into the ground
• produced nutrient rich mulch through leaf decomposition
• can scrub out  pollution from farm runoff in streams
• provide habitat for bee and butterfly pollinators
• provide shade for cows
• absorb greenhouse gases

Read more in the NY Times Quiet Push for Agroforestry in U.S.