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Around the world, planting crops and grazing livestock often means cutting down trees \u2014 with disastrous impacts on the climate. But are forests and farms really at odds?<\/p>\n
A groundbreaking new study<\/a> from Conservation International says no \u2014 instead it points to ways for forests and farms to co-exist and fight climate change without cutting into food production.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The world\u2019s agricultural lands, researchers write, hold vast, previously untapped potential for storing potentially climate-warming carbon \u2014 in fact, they could trap as much carbon as the global emissions of all cars combined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe findings are crucial for global climate efforts because they present a large-scale, cost-effective carbon removal strategy that can be implemented within existing agricultural landscapes,\u201d said the study\u2019s lead author, Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite, who heads Conservation International\u2019s forest restoration science. \u201cEven adding just a few trees per hectare could have a massive impact when applied across the 2.6 billion hectares identified in our study.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n What will it take to pull this off? Sprenkle-Hyppolite explains how farms could help fight climate change \u2014 without giving up a huge chunk of their lands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Conservation News: Let\u2019s start with the basics \u2014 why do farms and trees belong together?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite: <\/strong>The thinking in modern agriculture is that crops need sun and water, and trees compete for both \u2014 so let’s cut them down. But this has devastating impacts on nature and climate. In fact, agriculture is responsible for 90 percent<\/a> of all tropical deforestation, a major cause of climate-warming greenhouse gasses.<\/span><\/p>\n But in many places \u2014 particularly where traditional ways of agriculture are practiced \u2014 people have developed systems where trees and agriculture work together and are more resilient for it. For example, in Spain you have the dehesa system<\/a>, where pigs and cattle forage freely in oak savannas and ancient olive groves are sown with wheat and other crops. And of course, there are many examples in the tropics, where coffee is often grown<\/a> alongside cocoa, Brazil nut or acai.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It makes sense. The trees improve soil health and water quality while also attracting bees, birds and other pollinators. At the same time, they protect crops and livestock against extreme heat and drought by providing shade and increasing moisture in the soil. As climate change accelerates, we need trees more than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n And while we can\u2019t go back and prevent trees from being cleared for agriculture, that doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re stuck. There is enormous untapped potential to incorporate trees on existing farms. So, we decided to map the maximum number of trees that farmlands can sustain without hurting crop yields.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And what did you find?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n SSH: <\/strong>We found that 54 percent of agricultural lands \u2014 an area equivalent to the total land area of North America \u2014 could plant more trees, without sacrificing food security. That could translate to stashing away 3.3 billion tons of carbon per year \u2014 an amount greater than the global annual emissions from cars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And we\u2019re not asking farmers to give up a huge chunk of their land to do this. We\u2019re talking about working in the margins \u2014 planting a relatively small number of trees over large areas of land, such as the outer edges of farms. The United States, China and India have the highest potential because of their expansive industrial farmland and the temperate and tropical climates that are ideal for tree growth.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, this is not a one-size-fits all situation. The number and types of trees must be tailored to individual farms’ specific climate and situation. We\u2019re not talking about putting trees in deserts. We\u2019re not talking about planting trees that farmers would need to water. These trees should be able to survive on their own and suit the climate they\u2019re in. We took these factors into consideration and created a framework to help landowners, conservationists and policymakers understand what\u2019s possible.<\/span><\/p>\n Sounds like a win \u2014 so what\u2019s stopping farmers from planting more trees?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n SSH: <\/strong>For one, we\u2019re asking people to change the way they\u2019ve farmed for generations. Despite the benefits, that\u2019s never an easy switch. Also, there are policies and farming subsidies to consider. Some countries don\u2019t favor agroforestry practices \u2014 there are even laws that say cropland cannot have trees on it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But I want to be clear, we\u2019re not talking about implementing a new technology. Trees are readily available and relatively easy to plant. People have been practicing agroforestry for thousands of years. Much of the challenge lies in changing mentalities and the preconceived notion that land must be completely cleared to be productive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n SSH: <\/strong>We\u2019re focusing now on how we can take this research and make it actionable. To start, policies must make planting trees more attractive to farmers \u2014 and countries\u2019 climate action plans must incorporate these practices. The study\u2019s maps can be used by policy makers to target areas that are best suited for more trees.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re also thinking about how farmers can make money by planting trees on their land. That could come from selling credits<\/a> tied to the amount of carbon sequestered by trees, or selling the fruit or other products from the trees they plant.<\/span><\/p>\n In Canada some growers alternate hardwood nut trees with poplar trees. Poplar trees grow very fast and big \u2014 meaning, they store lots of carbon quickly \u2014 and the nuts can be sold for profit. That\u2019s just one example, there are countless opportunities to maximize the relationship between trees and agriculture. Our study looked at about 90 varieties of trees, but there are thousands of types of trees that could be used.<\/span><\/p>\n My hope is that this study makes people re-evaluate what is possible. Ultimately, this is really about the climate crisis. We need to find rapid ways to scale carbon sequestration and this \u2014 because of the amount of land it is possible on \u2014 is the most extensive and ready-to-go solution that the world has for carbon removal.<\/span><\/p>\n Further reading:<\/strong><\/p>\n Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates<\/a>. Also, please consider supporting our critical work<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n