What We Can Learn From Silvopasturing in Other Corners of the World

[Brett Chedzoy]

This forum unintentionally drew an initial concentration of members from the northeastern US, though many folks have since joined from other parts of the country and globe (welcome!).  Silvopasturing practices certainly need to be customized to the local area and situation, but the principals remain largely the same no matter where working trees and livestock are raised together in a sustainable manner. 

In hopes of broadening discussions, participation and what we can learn from others that are not in our back yards, I'm going to start this blog (please add to it!) and share some of my personal experiences with silvopasturing in a place that's far away, but near and dear to me: Argentina. 

Having just returned from a wonderful, crazy, rare family trip to Argentina, I'm busy catching up at the office and farm - but will post at least once a week over the coming months under this blog to get the ball rolling.  Again, please share what you've seen, read about and do in other parts of the world with regards to silvopasturing.

 

[Brett Chedzoy]

What's more beautiful than a tree-covered landscape?  Answer: a tree-covered landscape with livestock!  Some pictures from the recent trip...

hey, not bad for an amateur photographer trying to keep one eye on the road and one hand on the wheel.  Caught these goats along the side of the highway in the Province of San Luis (Argentina) browsing in a mesquite/quebracho forest

A few days later further north in the Province of Salta.  Although these pictures were taken at the height of the dry winter season (yes, it's winter in the southern hemisphere in August), there still isn't a lot of lush grass on the ground during the wetter summer months in this area.  Browse from spiny and thorny trees like mesquite, chanyar (sorry, don't know how to make the squiggly little n thing on this forum) and other mostly-leguminous trees provide the primary source of nutrition for livestock - in this case, a group of dairy goats.

A bit further down the road, and just outside of Cafayate - one of Argentina's major wine regions.  Most of the trees and shrubs in this area (browse) are restricted to the valley bottoms. 

A view from our ranch in the Sierra Mountains of central Argentina (Cordoba) - some Criollo horses hiding out in the pines.

[Ricardo Zachrisson C.]

How large is your forest in the Sierra Mountainas in Cordoba, do you have cattle ?

[Ricardo Zachrisson C.]

By large I mean is it a solitary forest in the Mountains that you planted or is there more natural or artificial forests around you ?