Abstract
Drawing on almost one hundred contemporary farmers‘ experiences, within a French agroforestry experimental network, socio-economic and ecological approaches are combined to assess a set of agroforestry techniques. Among this network, twelve livestock farms were selected in contrasting bioclimatic regions and classified according to land use, stock number and family situation. Farmers were interviewed to define the primary objectives assigned to agroforestry and to build up several scenarios of agroforestry development on their farm. A dynamic resource model was used to predict the effects of agroforestry development on crop and timber production as well as on labour organisation and amenities. An example of simulation, comparing three agroforestry management projects, based on new plantations at wide spacing, farm forestry and silvopastoral thinnings, is developed for a farm in the Cévennes (southern France). The outputs of the model, related to labour requirements, stock number dynamics and landscape diversity are discussed in relation to farmer‘s perception of the role of trees in the farm operation, and the indirect economic benefits sought.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acevedo M, Urban D and Ablan M (1995) Transition and gap models of forest dynamics. Ecol Appl 5(4): 1040–1055
Baudry J and Baudry-Burel F (1982) La mesure de la diversité spatiale. Relations avec la diversité spécifique. Utilisation dans les évaluations d’impact. Acta Oecol 3(2): 177–190
Bergez JE, Balandier P and Etienne M (1997) Sensitivity analysis of the ALWAYS silvopastoral simulation model across contrasting pedoclimatic conditions. In: Proceedings Agroforestry for sustainable land-use, 23–29 June 1997, pp 231–235. Montpellier, France
Bergez JE, Etienne M and Balandier P (1998) ALWAYS: a plot-based silvopastoral system model. Ecol Model, in press
Debussche M, Godron M, Lepart J and Romane F (1977) An account of the use of transition matrix. Agroecosystems 3: 81–92
Dennis D (1989) An economic analysis of harvest behaviour: integrating forest and ownership characteristics. For Sci 35(4): 1088–1104
Droin E (1994) Simulation de l’impact du développement de l’agroforesterie ou de la jachère sur la dynamique du paysage: cinq études de cas en région méditerranéenne. Memoire ENITA, Bordeaux, France
Dupraz C (1994) Prospects for easing land tenure conflicts with agroforestry in Mediterranean France: a research approach for intercropped timber orchards. Agroforestry Systems 25: 181–192
Etienne M and Herlant P (1997) A model for designing sustainable agroforestry systems. In: Calatrava J and Doppler W (ed) Proc. 2nd European Symposium Rural & Farming Systems Research, pp 52–55
Guitton JL (1994) Essais de plantations agroforestières en Corse du Sud. Rev For Fr 46, no special: 96–101
Herlant P (1997) Simulation de techniques agroforestières sur la dynamique et l’organisation de systèmes d’exploitation. Master Sciences forestières, ENGREF, Montpellier, France
Huntsinger L and Bartolome J (1992) Ecological dynamics of Quercus dominated woodlands in California and southern Spain: a state-transition model. Vegetatio 99/100: 299–305
Knowles R (1994) New Zealand experience with silvopastoral models at the stand and estate levels. In: Schultz R and Colletti J (eds) Opportunities for Agroforestry in the Temperate Zone Worldwide, pp 199–218. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Long G (1974) Diagnostic phytoécologique et aménagement du territoire. Masson ed, Paris
Msika B (1993) Modélisation des relations herbe-arbre sous peuplements de quercus pubescens et Pinus austriaca dans les Préalpes du Sud. PhD Ecology, Univ. Aix-Marseille III, Marseille, France
O’Neill R, Krummel J, Gardner R, Sugihara G, Jackson B, De Angelis D, Milne B, Turner M, Zygmunt B, Christensen S, Dale V and Graham R (1988) Indices of landscape pattern. Landscape Ecology 1(3): 153–162
Rapey H (1994) Les vergers à bois précieux en prairie pâturée: objectifs, principes et références. Rev For Fr 46, no special: 61–71
Rapey H (1995) Plantation de feuillus précieux en prairie paturée chez des propriétaires privés: résultats d’essai et contexte technico-économique, Rapport Cemagref-INRA Clermont-Ferrand, 25 pp
Rapey H (1997) Evaluation économique à l’échelle d’un ménage des systèmes agroforestiers de régions tempérées: problématique et méthode. In: Proceedings Agroforestry for sustainable land-use, 23–29 June 1997, pp 231–235. Montpellier, France
Thannberger-Gaillarde E (1997) Contrat agri-environnemental et production de bien commun. PhD Economy, ENSA Montpellier, France
Thomas T (1991) A spreadsheet approach to the evaluation of the economics of temperate agroforestry. In: Jarvis P (ed) Agroforestry, principles and practices, pp 207–236. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Westoby M, Walker B and Noy-Meir I (1989) Opportunistic management for rangelands not at equilibrium. J Range Manage 42(4): 266–274
Willis R, Thomas T and Van Slyken J (1993) Poplar agroforestry: a re-evaluation of its economic potential on arable land in the United Kingdom. For Ecol Manage 57: 85–97
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Etienne, M., Rapey, H. Simulating integration of agroforestry into livestock farmers‘ projects in France. Agroforestry Systems 43, 257–272 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026493811593
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026493811593