Keeping forests central in agroforestry policies

Keeping forests central in agroforestry policies
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 02, 2025

As governments and conservation groups promote tree planting to combat climate change, a new study from Yale School of the Environment scientists highlights another valuable strategy: forest-based agroforestry (FAF). FAF integrates crop production into existing forests, maintaining and enhancing their carbon sequestration capacity while supporting biodiversity and local livelihoods.

"Forest-based agroforestry can achieve similar climate benefits as planting trees in open fields," said Karam Sheban '28 PhD, '20 MF, co-author of the study published in Nature Climate Change. "The big takeaway is that human management of forests can result in better outcomes for forests, people, and the climate. It is not a zero-sum game."

Unlike traditional agroforestry, which places trees on agricultural lands, FAF combines existing forests with agricultural activities. This integration can enhance carbon stocks, provide sustainable harvests, and support indigenous and traditional land stewardship practices.

Despite these benefits, FAF often receives less support and funding than other agroforestry initiatives. The study identified two misconceptions contributing to this: that industrial agroforestry systems with global commodity crops are equivalent to traditional approaches, and that results from tropical forests can be generalized to temperate and boreal systems.

"There's a narrative that human activity in forests causes degradation, and that we should leave forests untouched to maximize climate benefits. But humans have supported forest health for thousands of years," Sheban explained.

The researchers call for FAF to be explicitly included in agroforestry policies, clearer distinctions between sustainable and industrial systems, and increased research on diverse FAF practices to inform policy and land management.

"For natural climate solutions involving trees, everyone is currently focused on carbon removal through planting," said study co-author Mark Bradford, E.H. Harriman Professor of Soils and Ecosystem Ecology and faculty director of the Yale Applied Science Synthesis Program. "Yet, forest management often necessitates removing some trees for the collective benefit of the forest. Effective management can achieve multiple services."

The study team also included Sara Kuebbing, Marlyse Duguid, Mark Ashton, Joseph Orefice, Alex C. McAlvay, and John Munsell.

Research Report:Keeping forests on the agroforestry agenda