Forest Farming
Forest farming is another sustainable land use practice, which can diversify farm income and enhance the structure of the forest for years to come. It is important to understand the interaction between the overstory level of trees and the understory level of plant growth in order to manage effectively a forest farming operation. Long-term as well as short-term growing activities take place in a forest farming project as the trees take many years to mature and the shade loving crops growing beneath them take a considerably shorter span of time to become full-grown.
There are many advantages to forest farming, such as the improved health of the forest and increased income opportunities. Disadvantages to the agroforestry process are the potential lack of knowledge to effectively manage tree and plant growth for optimum benefit of each, the method requires a great deal of management, and the markets for the products that can be grown in this system are not completely developed.
The main goal of sustainable land use and forest management is to harvest the trees for lumber and other wood products and harvest the shade tolerant plants for nontimber products while at the same time working to maintain the health of the forest. Watershed protection and preservation of wildlife areas is a vital component of this practice. The removal of trees that are not beneficial to the overall goals is part of the process.
Choosing the correct trees for maximum potential benefit economically must be measured against the trees potential benefit to the surrounding ecosystem. When the forest is correctly managed, there will be a higher economic yield and higher biodiversity in the forest. The problem with growing trees as a cash crop is that it takes several years for the trees to mature for harvest. This is where the forest farming aspect becomes understood for its benefit to the landowner's income. For example, shiitake mushrooms grow best in shade and can use upright logs to grow on.
Shade loving plants such as mushrooms, ginseng, and goldenseal can be grown in the forest's understory and provide short-term crop income for the landowner while waiting on the trees to mature and harvest. However, controlling the overstory is required for the maximum benefit to the plants grown underneath. For example, the forest canopy must be controlled to allow the correct amount of light to filter down to the plants on the forest floor.
Forest farming as a sustainable land use practice employs the principles of taking an existing forest structure and intentionally reshaping it in order to create the most beneficial components for economic and ecological growth. Not only does the overstory level of the forest need to be pruned and thinned, but the understory of the forest floor must also be cleared of undesirable vegetation. Tilling the land, fertilizing and weeding are all common practices of farming that will continue to play a part in this type of farming as well, but can differ in the level of management. For instance, wild-stimulated forest farming does not till the land but rather rakes leaves, exposes the soil and seeds the ground.