The silvopastures of the Bluegrass

[Tom Kimmerer]

I have worked for many years in the woodland pasture ecosystem of the Bluegrass, called by the renowned ecologist E. Lucy Braun "the most anomalous vegetation in North America.

Through my research, I discovered that this is an ancient ecosystem established by American bison before European settlement. Farmers who settled here found open woodlands shading grass and cane and were able to raise cattle and sheep (horses came lateer) without clearing forests. As a result, hundreds of thousands of these trees still exist.

I wrote my first book, Venerable Trees - History, Biology and Conservation in the Bluegrass about this ecosystem. It is in all respects a silvopasture ecosystem.

At present, I am writing a book about our relationships with trees in a time of climate change. There will be a chapter on agroforestry and silvopasture. I hope to learn more on this forum, and will likely want to visit and interview some of the active farmers on here.