Browsing by Author "Mercier, Kelly"

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    Creating silvopastures – Some considerations when planting trees into pastures
    Fike, John H.; Downing, Adam K.; Munsell, John F.; Frey, Gregory E.; Mercier, Kelly; Pent, Gabriel J.; Teutsch, Christopher D.; Daniel, J. B.; Fisher, K. Jason; Adams, Miller; Groh, Todd (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017)
    Silvopastures — integrated tree-forage-livestock production systems — have the potential to boost farm resource use and income. These systems take advantage of the beneficial interactions among system components, add biodiversity, and increase animal comfort. The intentional and careful combining of trees and livestock in time and space can yield both short-and long-term returns and have positive environmental outcomes. In well-managed silvopasture systems, trees can reduce livestock stress by protecting them from inclement weather or by reducing ambient temperatures and radiation. They can provide marketable timber and nontimber products and improve environmental quality by reducing water runoff and capturing nutrients and by reducing animal use of surface waters.
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    Creating Silvopastures: Some Considerations When Thinning Existing Timber Stands
    Fike, John H.; Downing, Adam K.; Munsell, John F.; Daniel, J. B.; Teutsch, Christopher D.; Mercier, Kelly; Pent, Gabriel J. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2016-09-30)
    Discusses the concept of silvopastures, the inclusion of trees with forage and livestock production in a rotational grazing system. This system can improve forage production, animal comfort, increase farm resource use efficiency, increase farm income, and reduce environmental costs. This system is also more sustainable.