Objectives of the Agroforestry Division

Definition:

"Agroforestry is an approach to land use that incorporates trees into farming systems to accomplish environmental, economic and social goals, and allows for the growing of trees and crops on the same piece of land"

Current Status:

• Agroforestry continues to be high on AAFC's agenda - A national agricultural land and agroforestry strategy is being developed to address priority agricultural land use, land capacity and land management issues, and to ensure the future sustainability of the agricultural land resource base. Agroforestry continues to play an integral role in improving the competitive position of the ag sector.
• The Division is moving from a regionally focused Centre to providing service and expertise nationally.
• A recent independent study estimated the public good from shelterbelt trees provided through the Prairie Shelterbelt Program since 1981 to be as much as $600 million and the value of private good to be as much as $340 million.
• Division staff and resources are devoted to the development and delivery of national environment-based programs. Shelterbelts and other agroforestry practices are recognized as Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and are being applied across the country as part of Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) which will use trees to achieve measurable and meaningful environmental goals.

Agroforestry Programs:

• Prairie Shelterbelt Program (PSP): an on-going program which provides technical services and tree and shrub seedlings at no charge for planting shelterbelts, or for agricultural conservation and land reclamation projects in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and north-eastern British Columbia. The program is administered by the AAFC Shelterbelt Centre at Indian Head, Saskatchewan.
• Shelterbelt Enhancement Program (SEP): a $4-million, five-year initiative (to March 31, 2006) designed to reduce greenhouse gases through increased shelterbelt establishment on agricultural lands across the Canadian Prairies. Through the SEP, the Centre's services are expanded to improve shelterbelt planting success, while reducing costs to landowners. As part of the program, clients are supplied with weed-controlling materials and specialized mulch-application equipment.

Function of the Division:

The Agroforestry Division uses a comprehensive and integrated approach. The Research Unit, the Technology Development and Transfer Unit, and the Tree Production and Distribution Unit work closely together to create knowledge, technology transfer tools and products, and high-quality plant material. Similarly, the Agroforestry Division operates in an integrated manner with the Directorate, Branch and Department to ensure that agroforestry practices have a role in the sustainable management of Canada's agricultural land base.

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