Agroforestry
Embedding agroforestry in the web of life
Agroforestry blends agriculture and trees, and commonly includes practices like alley cropping, forest farming, silvopasture, riparian forest buffers, and windbreaks. The term agroforestry has grown popular in certain parts of the country, however, it is not as commonly used in New Mexico, despite the fact that agroforestry is more woven into the culture here than many of us realize – from cattle grazing in public forests, to graziers running their livestock under pecan trees, to trees grown along river banks for stabilization and to prevent cattle overgrazing riparian areas, the practices exist around us.
We’ve included many resources below to help you learn more about agroforestry and assess if it makes sense to implement some of these concepts on your land. We will continue uploading resources to this page as the project continues. Questions? Comments? Email leahpw@quiviracoalition.org.
The agroforestry resources below were made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, National Agroforestry Center, under the authority of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978.
Written Resources
This is a synthesis of Indigenous-led agroforestry, and agroforestry more generally, historically and currently in the Southwest, including examples and techniques. It is one part of a collaborative project that has been conducted by Indigenous land stewards who have contributed in the roles of consultants, writers, researchers, and filmmakers. The main author is K. Alicia Thompson with support from Quivira Coalition, Trees, Water & People and the Southwest Agroforestry Action Network.
Una traducción al español está disponible aquí.
Leah Potter-Weight, Quivira’s education and outreach project manager, wrote about the Southwestern Tribal Agroforestry Outreach Project for the Green Fire Times. Read the piece, which starts on page 23.
Video Resources
One of the project’s case study participants is Santa Ana Native Plants Nursery, which seeks to maintain and grow traditionally-important plants and trees, and support land rehabilitation efforts such as post-wildfire recovery and pollinator restoration. Watch this video to learn more about their visions and practices!
Project teammember Alicia Thompson speaks about Indigenous agroforestry in the Southwest, historically and currently. And the connection between agroforestry, traditional ecological knowledge, and other forms of Indigenous land stewardship at this recorded talk at REGENERATE 2023.
This presentation is an introduction and virtual walkthrough of the Espanola Healing Foods Oasis, a 1.5-acre ethno-botanic public demonstration, research, and edible food garden in Espanola, New Mexico. Emerging from what was a weedy, erosive slope between the Espanola City Hall and Valdez Park, an adjoining city municipal park, the EHFO is a home to edible and medicinal plants of cultural and ecological significance.
Project teammember James Calabaza shares about the SW Tribal Agroforestry Outreach Project at the SWANN 2023 conference. He discusses important learnings from the project, traditional ecological knowledge, the importance of thoughtful relationship development with Tribal-led groups, and more.
Hear about the 30 year journey of the agroforestry site of the Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute.
Podcast Resources
Roxanne Swentzell turned a small piece of bare, dry earth into a garden/forest that produced enough food and wood to maintain a family of four. She founded the Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, which teaches how to understand and live on the land and allow it to flourish. Hear an interview with her on the Down to Earth podcast.
Get in touch!
Want to reach out to one of the case study participants? Contact them through the links below.
Santa Ana Native Plants Nursery
Mike Halverson, Manager
Cell: 505-382-3348
Office: 505-867-1323
Tewa Women United’s Healing Foods Oasis
Talavi Denipah Cook, Program Manager
talavi@tewawomenunited.org
Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute
Contact info on website above
