Backyard Agroforestry: Sustainable Food Production in a Changing Climate

Food production can be difficult no matter where you're growing, but growing food on a smaller scale, in areas like backyards, small farms, urban areas, and shared community spaces, comes with its own sets of challenges. Agroforestry, the intentional integration of trees into food production systems, can be utilized in smaller growing spaces to maximize food production while also improving the environment, improving economic returns, and helping adapt to the effects of climate change. In this presentation, we will discuss different types of agroforestry practices, how different practices can be applied in smaller production areas, ecological design principles to think about, and steps for starting an agroforestry system in your area.

Katherine Favor is a fellow in the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education Agroforestry Climate Hubs. She received her MS in Agroforestry from the University of Missouri Columbia, where her research focused on vineyard agroforestry systems in Argentina. She has worked as an Agroforestry Specialist both nationally and internationally, helping farmers and ranchers learn about and adopt agroforestry and other climate-smart practices. In her work at the National Agroforestry Center of the USDA Forest Service, she works primarily with the USDA Climate Hubs to research and promote agroforestry as a tool for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The Sustainable Living Series is presented by the Oregon State University Extension Land Steward Program, Master Gardener™ Program, and the Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District.