Introduction:
The proposed research aims to investigate the impact of establishing silvopasture in New Zealand pastures and its effects on pasture productivity, invertebrate biodiversity, and providing alternative production systems. The research goal is to test the hypothesis that silvopasture systems, when combined with holistic grazing management strategies, can result in improved landscape diversity that positively impacts soil health and invertebrate biodiversity, makes farm production more diverse and resilient, and improves the financial viability of backcountry farms in New Zealand.
Background:
New Zealand has undergone a rapid transformation over the last 150 years from ecologically diverse rainforests to pastures dominated by only a few exotic species, leading to a decline in invertebrate biodiversity within agricultural landscapes. It is imperative to reverse this trend by designing landscapes that accommodate suitable habitat to sustain invertebrate populations. The decline of invertebrate populations has a negative impact on pollination, soil health, and other ecosystem services. A combination of silvopasture tree plantings and holistic grazing pasture management is explored as a model of regenerative pasture farming that has a beneficial impact on invertebrate biodiversity, improves soil health, and diversifies farm production without adversely impacting pasture productivity.
Objectives:
The main objectives of this research project are as follows:
Methodology:
The study will be conducted on a 600-hectare farm site in Hawkes Bay which already has silvopasture plantings (1-3 years old) and manages grazing of beef cattle using holistic grazing management strategies. On this site, three comparison study sites (within a grass and comparative silvopasture paddock) will be established where biological, chemical, and physical measurements of soil health and measures of night flying insect biodiversity will be recorded. Invertebrate diversity will be estimated from changes in key indicator groups, including beetles and spiders caught in pitfall traps, flying insects attracted at dusk to light traps, and worms and other macro invertebrates recorded from soil samples.
These measures will be recorded four times a year (for each season), over a three-year period. Each year the data collected will be statistically analyzed to see a year-by-year trend in changes of soil health and invertebrate biodiversity in response to establishing silvopasture plantings. The financial opportunity cost of establishing and maintaining these planting will be investigated through a questionnaire for the farmer to complete each year.
Potential Benefits of Study:
Silvopasture systems could act as a means to improve pasture farm productivity in New Zealand while also improving soil health and invertebrate biodiversity. The potential benefits of silvopasture systems include improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, climate change mitigation, timber production, non-timber forest products, and diversified farm productivity. Silvopasture systems offer a sustainable and regenerative model of pasture farming that can lead to a more profitable and ecologically sound farming system.
Conclusion:
This study is important in developing strategies that reverse the decline of invertebrate biodiversity in New Zealand and improve the financial viability of backcountry farms. By exploring silvopasture systems combined with holistic grazing management strategies, the study will evaluate the potential of silvopasture systems for diversifying farm productivity, while improving soil health and invertebrate biodiversity. The study aims to provide farmers with a sustainable and profitable
The proposed research aims to investigate the impact of establishing silvopasture in New Zealand pastures and its effects on pasture productivity, invertebrate biodiversity, and providing alternative production systems. The research goal is to test the hypothesis that silvopasture systems, when combined with holistic grazing management strategies, can result in improved landscape diversity that positively impacts soil health and invertebrate biodiversity, makes farm production more diverse and resilient, and improves the financial viability of backcountry farms in New Zealand.
Background:
New Zealand has undergone a rapid transformation over the last 150 years from ecologically diverse rainforests to pastures dominated by only a few exotic species, leading to a decline in invertebrate biodiversity within agricultural landscapes. It is imperative to reverse this trend by designing landscapes that accommodate suitable habitat to sustain invertebrate populations. The decline of invertebrate populations has a negative impact on pollination, soil health, and other ecosystem services. A combination of silvopasture tree plantings and holistic grazing pasture management is explored as a model of regenerative pasture farming that has a beneficial impact on invertebrate biodiversity, improves soil health, and diversifies farm production without adversely impacting pasture productivity.
Objectives:
The main objectives of this research project are as follows:
- To determine the impact of silvopasture systems on invertebrate biodiversity in pasture farms in New Zealand.
- To assess the effect of silvopasture systems on biological soil health indicators such as earthworms, spiders, soil carbon, soil structure, pasture diversity, and pasture brix.
- To evaluate the potential of silvopasture systems for diversifying farm productivity by assessing the economic benefits of integrating trees with pasture farming.
Methodology:
The study will be conducted on a 600-hectare farm site in Hawkes Bay which already has silvopasture plantings (1-3 years old) and manages grazing of beef cattle using holistic grazing management strategies. On this site, three comparison study sites (within a grass and comparative silvopasture paddock) will be established where biological, chemical, and physical measurements of soil health and measures of night flying insect biodiversity will be recorded. Invertebrate diversity will be estimated from changes in key indicator groups, including beetles and spiders caught in pitfall traps, flying insects attracted at dusk to light traps, and worms and other macro invertebrates recorded from soil samples.
These measures will be recorded four times a year (for each season), over a three-year period. Each year the data collected will be statistically analyzed to see a year-by-year trend in changes of soil health and invertebrate biodiversity in response to establishing silvopasture plantings. The financial opportunity cost of establishing and maintaining these planting will be investigated through a questionnaire for the farmer to complete each year.
Potential Benefits of Study:
Silvopasture systems could act as a means to improve pasture farm productivity in New Zealand while also improving soil health and invertebrate biodiversity. The potential benefits of silvopasture systems include improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, climate change mitigation, timber production, non-timber forest products, and diversified farm productivity. Silvopasture systems offer a sustainable and regenerative model of pasture farming that can lead to a more profitable and ecologically sound farming system.
Conclusion:
This study is important in developing strategies that reverse the decline of invertebrate biodiversity in New Zealand and improve the financial viability of backcountry farms. By exploring silvopasture systems combined with holistic grazing management strategies, the study will evaluate the potential of silvopasture systems for diversifying farm productivity, while improving soil health and invertebrate biodiversity. The study aims to provide farmers with a sustainable and profitable