Natural resource professionals’ engagement with landowners on silvopasture in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Landowners manage for multiple objectives (e.g. timber production, wildlife habitat, or as a legacy for heirs) and natural resource professionals (NRPs) are tasked with providing guidance and technical assistance. However, if a landowner is interested in silvopasture, NRPs may be of limited assistance if they are unfamiliar with what the practice entails. To understand their perceptions about and knowledge of silvopasture systems, we surveyed NRPs in four professional categories (Natural Resource Conservation Service, state forestry service, cooperative extension, and registered foresters) within four Southeastern U.S. states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi). Natural Resource Conservationists were more likely to have been asked about silvopasture practices (59%) than cooperative extension agents (34%) or registered foresters (39%) in these states (p = .001). Georgia and Florida state foresters were asked about silvopasture more often (63% and 67%) than their counterparts in Alabama (29%) or Mississippi (25%). Landowner visits were common (80%) by NRPs, and many provided some form of technical assistance (74%) or print information (58%) to the individuals they served. State forestry service professionals’ differed from other groups most often. Ten of 11 factors presented as potential obstacles to silvopasture establishment and management were ranked by all participants as “somewhat important”. NRPs familiar with silvopasture rated the landowner barriers of “lack [of] technical assistance” (p = .004) and “lack demonstration” (p = .019) as less important than unfamiliar NRPs. Continuing education on silvopasture management could benefit state forestry service professionals and registered foresters in these states.