Abstract
The creation of riparian forest buffer zones for water quality management in agricultural landscapes takes land out of production, incurring an economic loss for the landowner. However, planting and harvesting techniques, such as those employed in indigenous systems of tropical agroforestry, can enhance riparian forest buffer strips with economically viable species. This kind of riparian forest buffer can be harvested and generate income from otherwise unproductive tracts of land. This practice would make the implementation of riparian forest buffers more acceptable to farmers, by generating income while helping to improve water quality. The present project provides an economic model for the harvest of non-timber products (fruits, nuts and ornamentals) from riparian forest buffer zones in the Chesapeake Bay region. Potential gross income from harvest is calculated to demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy. Given certain assumptions, the gross income can amount to $60,934.30/ha/year.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alcorn JB (1989) An economic analysis of Huastec Mayan forest management. In: Browder JO (ed) Fragile Lands of Latin America, pp 182–206. Westview Press, San Francisco
Alcorn JB (1981) Huastec noncrop resource management: implications for prehistoric rain forest management. Human Ecology 9(4): 395–417
Anonymous (1993) Forest buffers raise concerns for farmers. In: Trees and the Bay, November Bay Journal. Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis, Maryland.
Clay J and Clement C (1993) Selected species and strategies to enhance income generation from Amazonian forests. FAO Forestry Paper, FAO, Rome
Davies K (1994) New and old northern tree crops. PO Box 601, Northampton, MA 01061
D’Elia CF (1995) Sustainable development and the Chesapeake Bay: a case study, pp 161–176. In: Munasinghe M and Shearer W (eds) Defining and Measuring Sustainability. The World Bank, Washington, DC
Forestry Work Group (1993) The role and function of forest buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Basin for nonpoint source management. Nonpoint Source Subcommittee, Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis, Maryland
Fosberg F (1973) Temperate zone influence on tropical forest land use: a plea for sanity, pp 345–350. In: Meggers BJ, Ayensu ES and Duckworth WD (eds) Tropical Forest Ecosystems in Africa and South America: A Comparative Review. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC
Godoy R, Lubowski R and Markandya A (1993) A method for the economic valuation of nontimber tropical forest products. Economic Botany 47: 220–233
Gouin F (1990) Pussy Willow as an Alternative Crop. Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland System, Vegetable Views 1(3): 5–7
Holdridge LR (1967) Life zone ecology. Tropical Science Center, San Jose, Costa Rica Leach C (1983) Colonial Berries: Small Fruits Adapted to American Agriculture. The National Colonial Farm Research Report 11. The Accokeek Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Leach C (1984) Colonial Uses of Nut Trees. The National Colonial Farm Research Report 21. The Accokeek Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Lichtenberg E, Lessley BV and Howard HD (1991) Maryland farmers’ adoption of best management practices for nonpoint source pollution control. Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin 345. University of Maryland System, College Park, Maryland
Lowrance R et al. (1995) Water Quality Functions of Riparian Forest Buffer Systems in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Nutrient Subcommittee, Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis, Maryland
Mendelsohn R (1993) Non-timber forest products, pp 1425–1448. In: Pancel L (ed) Tropical Forestry Handbook, Vol. 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
National Research Council (NRC) (1983) Ecological aspects of development in the humid tropics. National Academy Press, Washington DC
Odum EP (1978) Ecological importance of the riparian zone, pp. 2–4. In: Johnson RR and McCormick JF (eds) Strategies for Protection and Management of Floodplain Wetlands and Other Riparian Ecosystems. General Technical Report WO-12, USDA Forest Service, Washington DC
Odum HT (1983) Systems Ecology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York
Perfecto I, Rice RA, Greenberg R and Van der Voort ME (1996) Shade coffee: a disappearing refuge for biodiversity. Bioscience 46: 1466–1475
Peters CM, Gentry AH and Mendelsohn RO (1989) Valuation of an Amazonian rainforest. Nature 339: 655–656
Peterson NR (1991) Genetic Resources of Temperate Fruit and Nut Crops. Pawpaw (Asimina). Acta Horticulturae. International Society for Horticultural Science
Pinedo-Vasquez M, Zarin D and Jipp P (1992) Economic returns from forest conversion in the Peruvian Amazon. Ecological Economics 6: 163–173
Plotkin M and Famolare L (eds) (1992) Sustainable Harvest and Marketing of Rain Forest Products. Island Press, Washington DC
Pryor EB (Undated) Orchard fruits in the colonial Chesapeake. national colonial farm Research Report 14, The Accokeek Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Pryor EB (1984) Heaven’s favourite gift: viticulture in colonial Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. National Colonial Farm Research Report 23, The Accokeek Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Scharabok K (1994) Tree Crops and the Evolution of Forest Farming. Forest Farming and Gardening. The Permaculture Activist #31
Stang EJ (1990) Elderberry, highbush cranberry, and juneberry management. In: Galleta G and Himelrick D (eds) Small Fruit Crop Management, pp 363–382. Pretince Hall Career & Technology, New Jersey
USDA (1997) Agriculture Information Bulletin # 408. Growing Fruits and Nuts
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Robles-Diaz-de-Leon, L.F., Kangas, P. Evaluation of potential gross income from non-timber products in a model riparian forest for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Agroforestry Systems 44, 215–225 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006246510419
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006246510419