Agroforestry and Wildlife

What is agroforestry?

Agroforestry is the deliberate combination of trees or shrubs with crops or livestock. The USDA National Agroforestry Center describes several main practices: riparian forest buffers, windbreaks, alley cropping, silvopasture and forest farming.

What these share is that trees are managed as part of the farm system, not just left to grow. The benefits can include shade, shelter, soil protection, wildlife habitat and sometimes additional products such as nuts, fruit, timber or specialty crops.

Many small farms already have pieces of these systems without calling them that: a fence-line hedge, a stream edge left wooded or a shaded paddock. Seeing what you have is a good first step toward improving it on purpose.

• Riparian forest buffers
• Windbreaks and shelterbelts
• Alley cropping, silvopasture and forest farming

How does it help wildlife?

Trees and shrubs add structure to open farmland. They offer nesting sites, cover, food and perches, and they connect patches of habitat. Flowering trees and shrubs support pollinators, and diverse plantings support the insects that feed many birds.

The value for wildlife depends on design. A planting with a mix of native species and layers offers more than a single row of one species. The USDA National Agroforestry Center publishes information on how different practices relate to wildlife and pollinators.

• Adds cover, nesting and food
• Connects patches of habitat
• Supports pollinators and insects

Which practice fits a small farm?

Riparian buffers suit land beside water, windbreaks suit exposed sites, and silvopasture suits those who graze animals and have tree cover or want to establish it. Alley cropping places rows of trees with crops between them, and forest farming grows shade-tolerant crops under existing woodland.

Choose by your goals, land and resources. Starting with one modest practice is more realistic than trying several at once, and it lets you learn how the system behaves before you expand.

• Match practice to site and goals
• Start with one small project
• Consider equipment, labor and timeline

What are the trade-offs?

Trees take years to mature, and their roots and shade compete with crops or pasture for water, light and nutrients, especially at first. Poorly spaced trees can reduce yields or make machinery use difficult.

Tree planting also commits land for a long period. Think through how a planting may affect future use, neighboring property, sight lines and access, and what happens if you sell or lease the land.

Spend time on the unglamorous questions as well. Who will do the pruning, how will you protect the trees, and what will you do if a species fails? Practical answers matter more than an ambitious design that never gets finished.

• Shade and roots can compete with crops
• Layout affects machinery access
• Plantings are a long-term commitment

How do you plan an agroforestry project?

Start with a written goal and a simple sketch showing the land, water, slopes, buildings and existing trees. Look at soil and drainage with the help of the Web Soil Survey and your conservation district.

Then ask for technical advice. NRCS, state forestry agencies, extension and the National Agroforestry Center provide design information, and some assistance may be available. Choose species that suit your site and avoid invasive plants.

• Write goals and draw a site sketch
• Use soil maps and local advice
• Choose well-adapted native species

What care and management does it need?

Young trees need protection from browsing and competition, and pruning or thinning later keeps the system productive. Livestock and equipment should be kept away from new trees until they can withstand damage.

Plan for harvest, if there is one, and for timing around nesting season where possible. Keep records of what you plant and what happens, because agroforestry decisions play out over many years.

Keep photographs and notes from the start. A planting that looks sparse in its second year can look very different by its eighth, and a clear record helps you and any advisor judge what is working.

• Protect young trees from animals and equipment
• Plan pruning and thinning
• Keep records over many years

What about rules, money and long-term plans?

Rules about tree planting, timber harvest, setbacks and land use vary by state, county and town, and farm program participation can add conditions. Ask local officials and program staff before making commitments.

Financial and technical help may be available through NRCS, state agencies and conservation groups, but programs change. Ask what is offered, what is required and how long you must maintain the planting before you sign anything.

• Check local rules on trees and harvest
• Ask about program contracts and terms
• Think about future land use before planting

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.