Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management

360 Pages·2009·14.11 MB·English

by  Ian Nuberg

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In its early days, agroforestry may have been viewed as the domain of the ‘landcare enthusiast’. u
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Today, integrating trees and shrubs into productive farming systems is seen as a core principle
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of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management provides the m
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foundation for an understanding of agroforestry practice in both high and low rainfall zones
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across Australia. a
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Three major areas are discussed: environmental functions of trees in the landscape (ecosystem m
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mimicry, hydrology, protection of crops, animals and soil, biodiversity, aesthetics); productive n
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functions of trees (timber, firewood, pulp, fodder, integrated multi-products); and the
implementation of agroforestry (design, evaluation, establishment, adoption, policy support).
The book also includes a DVD that features videos on forest measurement and harvesting, a N
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Farm Forestry Toolbox and many regionally specific agroforestry resources. b
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Written by leading researchers and practitioners from around Australia, Agroforestry for Natural

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Resource Management will be an essential resource for students in agroforestry courses, as well
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as a valuable introduction to the field for professionals in related areas. e
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R
e Ian Nuberg • Brendan George • Rowan Reid
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(Editors)
Agroforestry for natural
resource management
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A g r o f or e s t r y
for natural resource
management
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© Ian Nuberg, Brendan George and Rowan Reid 2009
All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent
amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the copyright owner. Contact CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Agroforestry for natural resource management/edited by
Ian Nuberg, Brendan George and Rowan Reid.
9780643092242 (pbk.)
Includes index.
Bibliography.
Agroforestry – Australia.
Agroforestry – Australia – Environmental aspects.
Agroforestry – Australia – Economic aspects.
Sustainable agriculture – Australia.
Natural resources – Management – Australia.
Nuberg, Ian.
George, Brendan Hugh.
Reid, Rowan.
634.994
Published by
CSIRO PUBLISHING
150 Oxford Street (PO Box 1139)
Collingwood VIC 3066
Australia
Telephone: [phone]
Local call: 1300 788 000 (Australia only)
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.publish.csiro.au
Front cover: Trees integrated into the farming landscape. Noel and Kim Passalaqua’s farm (Jayfields Nursery)
near Holbrook. Photo by R. Reid.
Back cover (left to right): Photo by B. George; Photo © NSW Department of Primary Industries,
Photographer David Barnes; Photo by I. Nuberg.
Set in 10.5/12.5 Adobe Minion
Edited by Adrienne de Kretser
Cover and text design by James Kelly
Typeset by Desktop Concepts Pty Ltd, Melbourne
Printed in Australia by Ligare
The book has been printed on paper certified by the Programme for
the Endorsement of Forest Chain of Custody (PEFC). PEFC is
committed to sustainable forest management through third party
forest certification of responsibly managed forests.
CSIRO PUBLISHING publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and
journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research
activities of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of, and
should not be attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO.
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Contents
Contributors x
Acknowledgements xi
1 Agroforestry as integrated natural resource management 1
Ian Nuberg, Rowan Reid and Brendan George
Integrated NRM: a time of great change for the better 1
What is agroforestry? 1
Agroforestry in Australia 5
Agroforestry for integrated NRM 10
Design and planning processes in agroforestry 11
Summary and invitation to this book 14
References 18
Part I Environmental function of trees in the landscape 21
2 Agroforestry and the functional mimicry of natural ecosystems 23
EC Lefroy
Introduction 23
Implications of the mimic concept 25
Perenniality and the trade-off between production and persistence 28
Competition rules in early-stage succession 30
Managing perenniality and competition 31
Conclusion 32
Acknowledgements 33
References 33
3 Using trees to manage local and regional water balances 37
Keith Smettem and Richard Harper
Introduction 37
How trees use water 38
Groundwater flow systems 42
Ecological optimality and the groundwater balance 43
Conclusion 48
References 48
4 Agroforestry for the management of water, salt and agricultural diffuse
source pollutants 53
Tim Ellis and Albert van Dijk
Hillslope processes 53
Agroforestry plantings as sinks for water and pollutants 55
Guiding principles for designing plantings to trap sediments 56
Catchment water balance and stream flow 59
Impacts of agroforestry on catchment water balance and stream flow 60
Impacts of agroforestry on stream salinity 60
Guiding principles and modelling tools for catchment-scale planning 63
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vi Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management
Conclusion 64
References 65
5 Trees protecting dryland crops and soil 69
Ian Nuberg and Michael Bennell
Introduction 69
Early understanding of the value of windbreaks 69
Physical damage processes 73
Australian National Windbreaks Program 76
Protecting crops from physical damage 80
Cost–benefit analysis of windbreaks 81
Conclusion 82
References 83
6 Biodiversity and habitat enhancement 87
David Salt and David Freudenberger
Introduction 87
Defining biodiversity 87
Enhancing habitat 89
Modifying agroforestry to enhance biodiversity 89
Applying theory to specific agroforestry situations 98
Agroforestry’s role in protecting biodiversity 102
References and further reading 104
7 Environmental risk in agroforestry 107
Margaret Byrne, Lynley Stone and Melissa Millar
Introduction 107
Weed invasion 108
Genetic contamination 110
Assessing the risk 115
Managing the risk 120
Conclusion 122
References 122
8 Landscape aesthetics and agroforestry 127
Grant Revell
Introduction 127
Landscape assessment models for agroforestry 129
Landscape management planning and design guidelines 131
New projects for integrated agroforestry lead land management 134
Conclusion 139
References 141
Part II Productive function of trees in the landscape 143
9 Wood as a farm product 145
Rowan Reid
Introduction 145
Hardwoods and softwoods 145
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Contents vii
Tree growth and wood production 146
Log value and prices 152
Principles of silviculture 154
References 158
10 Growing high-quality sawlogs 161
Rowan Reid
Target logs for sawn timbers and veneers 161
Learning from nature: how native forests grow wood 163
Silvicultural regimes 167
Practical guides for managing competition 169
Pruning for clearwood sawlogs 172
How to prune 176
Silviculture for multiple values 179
References 180
11 Farm firewood production 183
Peter Bulman and Ian Nuberg
Introduction 183
Favourable environment for a firewood industry 183
Plantation firewood species 186
Firewood silviculture 187
Firewood harvesting and processing systems 191
Viability of growing firewood 192
Role of firewood production in natural resource management 195
Acknowledgements 196
References and further reading 196
12 Pulpwood production 199
Richard Harper, Keith Smettem, Rowan Reid, Andrew Callister, John McGrath
and Paul Brennan
Introduction 199
Evolution of the industry 200
Contractual arrangements 201
Agroforestry using pulpwood species 202
Potential negative impacts of plantations 206
Market prospects 206
Site and species selection 208
Soils and landscapes 209
Yield prediction 212
Site and stand management 212
Conclusion 216
Acknowledgements 216
References 216
13 Trees in grazing systems 219
Rowan Reid
Introduction 219
Pasture production near trees 220
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viii Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management
Natural pest control 223
Grazing near trees 223
Stock shade and shelter 225
Trees for shelter 227
Integrating trees and grazing at the farm level 230
References 235
14 Saltbush for forage production on saltland 239
EG Barrett-Lennard and HC Norman
Introduction 239
Saltland in Australia 239
Salinity, waterlogging and inundation 241
Matching sites to pastures 243
Animal nutrition 244
Profitability 245
Water use 245
Establishing saltbush 246
Conclusion 247
Acknowledgements 247
References 247
15 Productive use and rehabilitation of saline land using trees 251
Nico Marcar
Introduction 251
Extent and nature of dryland salinity 251
Genotypic differences in response to salt and waterlogging 253
Minimising risks to growth 256
Economic considerations 260
Prospects for saline land rehabilitation 261
Conclusion 263
Acknowledgements 263
References 263
16 Integrated production systems 267
John Bartle
Introduction 267
Why mallee? 268
Mallee industry design and development 269
Wider application of the mallee model 273
New species, new products and new industries: FloraSearch 277
Conclusion 278
References 278
Part III Implementation of agroforestry 281
17 Financial and economic evaluation of agroforestry 283
David Thompson and Brendan George
Introduction 283
Private and social objectives 285
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Contents ix
Financial investment analysis 286
Discounting 290
Treatment of inflation: real vs nominal discount rates 292
Investment criteria 293
Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis 298
Economic analysis: the broader social analysis 300
Conclusion 305
References 306
18 Enhancing the environmental benefits of agroforestry through government
policy mechanisms 309
David J Pannell
Introduction 309
Economic rationale for policy intervention 310
Causes of market failure 310
Net benefit test for market failure 314
Evidence for and against market failure related to agroforestry 315
Types of policy intervention 318
Who should pay? 318
Conclusion 319
References 320
19 Adoption of agroforestry in Australia 323
Digby Race
Introduction 323
Growth of farm forestry in Australia 324
Australian policy context 325
Farm-based forestry: contention and agreement 326
Interest in agroforestry 327
Socioeconomics of agroforestry in the wheat-sheep zone 327
Which landholders might adopt agroforestry 329
Supporting agroforesty adoption: putting trees on Australian farms 331
International experiences and lessons 335
Conclusion 335
References 336
Index 341
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