Progress 07/01/24 to 06/30/25
Outputs Target Audience:Important target audiences include both practitioners (e.g., beginner farmers, Young Farmers Coalition) and professionals who interface with the public and landowners on agricultural and forestry issues (e.g., private consulting foresters, NRCS, Timberland Owners and Organic Farmers Associations, Society of American Foresters).Specifically, during this 2024-2025 reporting period, this project engaged the following target audiences: Practitioners, including both beginner farmers and established producers interested in adopting or learning more about agroforestry practices. Agricultural and forestry professionals: Individuals/organizations who regularly interface with the public and landowners, such as private consulting foresters, NRCS personnel, Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs), Timberland Owners and Organic Farmers Associations, and members of the Society of American Foresters. Extension and Outreach specialists: Cooperative Extension, that is, professionals involved in agricultural/forestry education, outreach, and technical support. Academic/Research community: Undergraduate and graduate students, university faculty, and researchers participating in both classroom settings and research teams. General public: Individuals participating in the socioeconomic surveys at grocery stores and farmers markets to assess willingness to pay. 4-H youth development programs and 4-8 and high school educators Policy and government stakeholders: Regional and national policymakers (e.g., USDA National Agroforestry Center Research Program), agency staff (i.e., NRCS, state and national forest service staff, Maine Dept. of Ag, Conservation, and Forestry) International audiences, through programs with university faculty and students in Quebec, Canada, Sichuan Province, China and Cuenca and Tena, Ecuador. Changes/Problems:The greatest disruption to our progress during this reporting period was the notice we received from USDA on April 30, 2025, to "pause issuance of grant funding during the transition of government". Although this pause was ultimately lifted on June 11, the 42 days that we were unable to access the grant funding, combined with the uncertainty that this situation created, resulted in several delays and modifications to the project plans, as summarized below. The process of establishing the university-based agroforestry experiments is highly time sensitive, as it requires pre-ordering plants and supplies, hiring field assistants, contracting professionals, conducting site preparation treatments, among other time-sensitive activities--all of which require funding. Because of the early spring timing of the pause, these activities were suspended, and many had to be postponed until next field season, resulting in delays in implementation process to next year (see Table 3 for anticipated timeline). The early spring timing of the pause also disrupted our collaboration with Cooperator farms, as we were in the process of finalizing the MOUs with cooperators and contracts with technical assistance providers when we received the notification from USDA. Once the pause was lifted, we were able to move forward on finalizing the MOUs and contacts (see Table 1 for details). Nevertheless, some of the work with cooperator farms will be delayed, depending on the particular timeline and needs of each project (e.g., harvesting on the silvopasture sites; site preparation and planting of the food forests). The offering of Agroforestry NR 781/881 at UNH was postponed until spring 2027, because the pause occurred during the May 2025 deadline for notifying the registrar's office of the 2025-2026 academic course schedule. Additionally, the Department Chair strongly advised postponing the course so that it can be offered on an alternate year schedule from another conflicting course that will likely attract a similar student population (NR731 Agriculture and Environmental Change: Challenges and Solutions). Thus, the long-term benefits of higher enrollment and enhanced department, college, and university level support should substantially outweigh any costs associated with the delay. The timing of the pause also disrupted the purchase of critical equipment and supplies needed to monitor the environmental conditions across the agroforestry experiments, especially the sensors and hand-held equipment that will be used to collect measurements on microclimate (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation) and soil moisture. Efforts are currently underway to complete these purchases as quickly as possible; however, we anticipate some challenges related to limited supplies that typically occur later in the field season as well as increasing costs due to the tariffs and other market-related distruptions. The pause also interrupted our search for a successful candidate to fill the position of Assistant Research Professor of Agroforestry at UNH. We are now in the process of re-posting this position and will continue recruiting candidates until the position is filled. Finally, another modification not related to the pause involved refining the terminology used to refer to one of our focal agroforestry systems--the "multi-strata polycultures". Based on feedback from various project partners and stakeholders, we agreed that this terminology was confusing and not easily accessible to our broad audience, and thus, we are now using the term "food forest" to refer to this agroforestry system. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, six PhD and two MS students have joined the project (see Table 2), two focusing on the social sciences, five on the biophysical sciences, and one on interdisciplinary science. These students have received training and professional development in applied agroforestry research methods, including experimental design, biometrics, dendrology, soils, and field data collection, and data management and analysis. Graduate students have been working with their major advisors to develop their research proposal, which they will present to the project team in Fall 2025. They have also gained valuable experience presenting their research findings to academic and lay audiences, as well as writing and submitting abstracts to present their results at upcoming conferences (e.g., five graduate students will attend the North American Agroforestry Conference in July 2025; four graduate students will attend the Society for American Foresters Annual Convention in October 2025). Post-doc Gerrior received training in social science research methods through playing a key role in designing and delivering the two participatory co-design workshops and using social science methods to analyze the results. Gerrior is currently leading the communications effort, including serving as interim editor of the project's newsletter: The New England Agroforester. Combined, these training opportunities will support Gerrior's long-term professional goals in regenerative agriculture education and extension. Post-graduate fellow Nyanzu has assumed primary responsibilities for implementing Yale University's field experiments, thereby receiving valuable training in agroforestry experimental design, forest inventory, and data collection procedures. He has also participated in the project's two co-design workshops, which exposed him to interdisciplinary research approaches and networking opportunities. Two project managers, Smith and Guman, have significantly enhanced their knowledge and skills in managing a large, complex project with diverse collaborators, partners and other stakeholders. Smith has focused his efforts and responsibilities on managing the research aspects of the project, including coordinating the field work, providing training in measurement and data collection techniques, and mentoring the research technicians. Smith participated in the Northeast Forest Farming Conference at the Smokey House Center in Danby VT (9/6-8, 2024), allowing him to build his knowledge and networking opportunities around this agroforestry practice. Guman has focused his efforts and responsibilities on managing the budget, including procurement, financial planning, and managing new hires and onboarding procedures, while also supporting overall project integration efforts, field work activities, and leading field crews. Additionally, given Guman's parallel role as an MS student focusing on silvopasture, he participated in a training workshop to build his skills and knowledge on this agroforestry system: SIlvoPro Trianing: Pasture to Silvopasture Technical Training with Trees for Graziers (Lancaster, PA, 11/5-7, 2024). Project technicians Bolling, Hoag, and VanHise have honed their skills in data collection, measurement techniques, and lab procedures, and have also had the opportunity to directly train and supervise undergraduate assistants. Bolling's eight months working with the project contributed to their successful application to a Technical Assistance Forester position at Help For Landowners in North Carolina, where they are continuing to support agroforestry farmers in that region. Both Hoag and VanHise have expressed interest in pursuing graduate studies related to agroforestry, and this experience provides a strong foundation on which to build their future graduate careers and beyond. Hoag also participated in three on-line agroforestry training courses hosted by The Savanna Institute during winter 2025. Several project extension staff (Green, Roberge, Hastings, Grosvenor) and a scientist (Bawa) participated in the University of Missouri's Agroforestry Training Academy in May 2024, where they received training in the technical and educational outreach aspects of agroforestry systems. This experience was instrumental in supporting UNH Cooperative Extension's efforts to develop similar training opportunities adapted to the New England region. Initial programs included two training events this Spring 2025: a silvopasture training for extension and NRCS staff on May 23 (27 participants), and a twilight silvopasture tour on June 30 (~25 participants), while materials are in development to support planned workshops this summer and fall (see details below). Table 2. Overview of project staff, students, and postdocs during the first year reporting period of the ADAPT project. Name Institution Focus area(s) Role Dates Aaron Guman UNH Budget/project integration Project Manager & Msc student June 2024- Spring 2025- Ryan Smith UNH Research coordination Project Manager June 2024- Victoria Bolling UNH Field/lab work Research Technician 6/24 - 2/25 Shannon VanHise UNH Field/lab work Research Technician Summer 2024- Aaron Hoag UNH Field/lab work Research Technician Winder 2025- Umama Ruba UNH Social science PhD student Summer 2024- Sajja Panta UNH Economics PhD student Summer 2024- Laurie Mooney UNH Food forest systems PhD student Spring 2025- Jannatul Ferrous UNH Soils PhD student Spring 2025- Edwin Garcia UNH Forest farming systems PhD student Summer 2025- Krystal Bagnaschi Dartmouth Interdisciplinary science PhD student Fall 2024- Cayce Morrison Yale Environmental management MSc student Jess Gerrior UNH Social Science research & Communication Postdoc Summer 2024- Bernard Nyanzu Yale Biophysical Post-grad fellow Summer 2024- Two early-career faculty members, Assistant Professors Ong and Bawa, have gained valuable opportunities for training and professional development through their participation as co-PIs on the project. This experience has required developing their leadership skills, including the ability to contribute to strategic, timely, and effective decision-making processes associated with coordinating a large and complex interdisciplinary project. Additionally, Bawa gained experience with guiding the socioeconomic team through the IRB application and approval process, as well as supporting the professional growth of his first graduate student (Panta). Ong is gaining experience as the PI on the subcontract to Dartmouth Colleague, whereby she is coordinating all of Dartmouth's research activities and mentoring a PhD student and postdoc. Ong (and Asbjornsen) also participated in a field visit organized by PI Ashton and SP Orefice to visit the forest farming activities and newly created Experimental Linear Gap at the Yale-Myers Forest in February 2025. Participation in this project by several project scientists (e.g., Bawa, Bruce, Contosta, Ducey, Smith) has also offered an important opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in agroforestry, which is outside of their primary scientific disciplines. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Here, we consider several project components that focus on dissemination about agroforestry to diverse communities of interest: Education, Extension, Communication, and general Outreach activities Education The project's Cooperative-Extension-Education team has begun laying the foundation for the 4-H Youth Development program, which will launch an Agroforestry cohort in Fall 2025. As part of this effort, the team has built connections with ReTreeUS and Kittery Land Trust and they both are ready to be a site-based resource and a leverage point (with ReTreeUS' existing partner schools cross-promote the youth cohort and adult education opportunities in the coming year) involved as the cohort gets established. The Education team was also involved in organizing a workshop for 10 youth at the 4-H Teen Conference (June 23-25, 2025 at UNH), focused on the topic: An Education: Cultivating a Career in Conservation (by Lizzy Franceschini, South East Land Trust). Research findings and project activities have been integrated into classroom instruction at different levels (lower and upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students), allowing students to engage directly with current research topics and methods related to agroforestry in the following courses: - Economics of Forestry (NR 643): Students explore the financial viability of integrating agroforestry practices within working forests. The project's scenarios and datasets are used to illustrate trade-offs between traditional forestry and diversified systems, including the economic incentives and barriers to adopting silvopasture systems. Students evaluate cost structures, revenue streams, and risk considerations specific to agroforestry systems. - Environmental and Resource Economics Perspectives (NR 411): Focuses on ecosystem services valuation, consumer willingness to pay for sustainably produced agricultural products, and broader economic and policy tradeoffs involved in land-use change. Students are exposed to survey design and discrete choice experiments specific to agroforestry. - Silviculture (NR 729/829): Silvicultural techniques for achieving diverse management goals, including the production of non-timber agroforestry products (i.e., maple syrup, mushrooms, livestock, etc.) are discussed and incorporated into management plans. A panel of researchers and extension staff present on different agroforestry practices and discuss career opportunities with students. - UNH's Tropical Ecology (NR 734/834) course: Tropical agroforestry and agricultural systems are discussed as one of the important ecosystems within tropical landscapes. - Yale's Science and Practice of Temperate Agroforestry (ENV 692a) course: Lectures and field trips highlight agroforestry systems in New England, with a focus on silvopasture and forest farming. Extension UNH Cooperative Extension (led by PI Roberge) organized two training events in 2025: - silvopasture training for extension and NRCS staff on May 23 (27 participants) - a twilight silvopasture tour on June 30 (~25 participants) Additionally, materials have been developed to support planned training modules this summer and fall focusing on all three agroforestry systems (silvopasture, food forest, and forest farming). Project results were also shared with a broad community of practitioners, landowners, and professionals through presentations at regional conferences (NAREA, SAF), stakeholder workshops, periodic ADAPT meetings, and informal outreach (e.g., WTP interviews at grocery stores and farmers markets). Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) were engaged in the co-development of implementation plans and budgeting tools to enhance the practical feasibility of silvopasture establishment. Communication An important milestone was the creation of a Project Website (hosted by UNH Extension) to disseminate information about ongoing agroforestry research and educational and training opportunities in agroforestry in New England: xxx Additionally, we also established the framework for publishing a newsletter focused reaching a broad audience of people interested in agroforestry in New England--The New England Agroforester--which we anticipate will be published monthly, beginning August 2025. As interim editor, Gerrior is focusing her efforts on creating the newsletter template and soliciting information and articles for the first publication. During this reporting period, project in-reach included biweekly to monthly meetings by the Research Team, Integration Team, and Leadership Team ensured effective communication and integration of project components. To further facilitate in-reach and progress on planning, we formed Science Teams for each of the three agroforestry systems (each led with one or two project researchers), responsible for the Research Plans. Finally, we are also applying a project management tool, the "RACI matrix", which clarifies roles and responsibilities by outlining who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each task or activity. This tool is to support the work by Project Managers Smith and Guman by preventing confusion, streamlining decision-making, and ensuring efficient project execution. General Outreach Activities We have presented our preliminary results at a variety of conferences, workshops, and stakeholder meetings spanning a range of subject areas, including agricultural economics, forestry, silvopasture, and integrated land management, reaching both academic and practitioner audiences (see 'Other Products' for details). Given the significance of agroforestry globally and the importance of forging international partnerships to enhance learning and promotion around agroforestry practices, our team has also been engaged in several international initiatives and opportunities: Co-PI Bawa visited with faculty from Sichuan University, China (June 2025), where he observed firsthand agroforestry systems related to sericulture (silk production) including integration of mulberry cultivation (food for the silkworms) with other crops and livestock. Ecuadorian faculty (7) and students (4) from the Universities of Cuenca and Amazonica visited UNH (Sept. 2024) and participated in field visits to university agroforestry experiments and local agroforestry farms. Asbjornsen gave an invited talk at the University of Quebec, Canada in January 2025 on the USDA-SAS ADAPT project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Here, we present our plans for future work within each of the three major project components: research (biophysical and socioeconomic), extension, and education, followed by project integration. Research - Biophysical Our upcoming efforts focus on completing the establishment of the university agroforestry experiments, continuing data collection, and working with Cooperator farms to design, establish, and monitor their field trials. University experiments Table 3. Overview of planned activities for each of the five agroforestry experiments by university Agroforestry system Dartmouth UNH Yale Silvopasture by addition Bat monitoring summer 2025; harvesting winter 2025-26; seed forages spring 2026; baseline measurements 2026 Install fencing and water lines & seed forages fall 2025; grazing 2026; continue data collection Bat monitoring summer 2025; harvesting and seed forages fall 2025; grazing 2026; baseline measurements Silvopasture by subtraction Plant saplings into open pasture spring 2026; baseline data collection of soils, vegetation, microclimate <> <> Food forest polyculture Continue data collection on established food forest Baseline data collection monitoring vegetation, soils Site preparation fall 2025; plant seedlings spring 2026 Experimental linear gap Install deer fencing fall 2025; Baseline data collection summer/fall 2025; plant seedlings spring 2026; measurements of soil, vegetation, microclimate 2026 <> Forest farming-silvicultural enrichment planting Identify site and initiate site preparation treatments fall/winter 2025-2026; enrichment planting spring 2026 Site preparation fall/winter 2025-26; conduct enrichment planting into silvicultural treatments spring 2026 Enrichment planting into shelterwood completed; analyze soils and microclimate; first season's growth measurements in fall 2025 Data collection protocols - brief overview: Microclimate: For each agroforestry system, 6-8 stations will be established across the dominant microclimate gradient to continuously monitor soil moisture, photosynthetically active radiation, and temperature and humidity, complemented with more intensive point measurements of soil moisture and solar radiation. Soils: Soil samples will be collected to evaluate spatial variation in soil physicochemical properties (i.e., texture, bulk density, pH, C, N, and infiltration rates) that might drive variation in agroforestry crop performance. More intensive soil sampling on silvopastures will enable detection of changes over time. Vegetation: Plant growth data will be collected at the beginning and end of each growing season and combined with allometric equations to derive estimates of productivity and biomass accumulation. Research - Social Science Our plans focus on developing the market analysis and enterprise budgets for different agroforestry systems and understanding the factors influencing agroforestry adoption by farmers. Market analysis A Willingness to Pay (WTP) survey will be implemented to 600+ consumers across stores and farmers markets in the region during summer 2025 to elicit price premiums for agroforestry products. Discrete Choice Models will be used to analyze the data. During spring/summer 2026, we will develop a Willingness to Accept (WTA) model to assess the financial conditions required for farmers to adopt agroforestry practices. Results of the WTP and WTA studies will be integrated to determine the economic opportunities around agroforestry markets in New England. Farm enterprise budgets Data collection protocols are being developed for cooperators to systematically record their expenditures during agroforestry implementation and management. Training in these protocols will occur in winter 2026 and data collection will begin in Spring 2026. Adoption of agroforestry practices During 2025-26, we will systematically collect and analyze county-level data from the Census of Agriculture and other publicly available datasets to investigate temporal and spatial patterns in agroforestry adoption, and use advanced statistical techniques to explore the economic, environmental, and social factors affecting adoption. Research - Publication and Dissemination of Results We currently have 13 publications in varying stages of development and which are expected to be submitted during the next reporting period (5-socioeconomic, 6-biophysical, 2-interdisciplinary). Extension UNH Cooperative Extension will conduct two Twilight Tours on Silvopasture: July 2 - Meeh 3 Farm, Canterbury NH: https://extension.unh.edu/event/2025/07/silvopasture-twilight-meetings-july-21st-meeh-3-farm-canterbury-nh September 15 - Winnicut River Farm, Stratham NH: https://extension.unh.edu/event/2025/09/silvopasture-twilight-meetings-september-15th-winnicut-river-farm-stratham-nh The first two modules for the Northeast Agroforestry Training program (NEAT) will take place in 2025, each consisting of pre-event reading assignments/on-line videos followed by an intensive two-day hands-on field experience. The Silvopasture module is scheduled for August 14-15, and the food-forest and forest farming module for fall 2025. In 2026, NEAT will again offer two modules for these agroforestry systems, and each module will be expanded to include additional visits to participating cooperator farms in the region. Twilight tours in 2026 will focus on all three agroforestry systems, with at least two tours organized to university and/or cooperator sites for each system. The New England Agroforestry Network will continue to be supported by the project website and newsletter, both of which are hosted by UNH Extension (see "Communication" below). Education 4-H Youth engagement efforts will include recruitment of agroforestry youth ambassadors who will support greater retention and engagement of youth in agroforestry programs. The pathway curriculum will include the following 5 sessions leading up to the summer intensive: (1) Forestry careers and systems overview; (2) field tools and tree ID, (3) agroforestry design principles; (4) landowner collaboration and communication; and (5) landowner client interview and preparations. The summer session will consist of: (1) site visits to demonstration farms; (2) design studio with agroforestry champions, and (3) final presentations and New England agroforestry tour. Education efforts will also focus on recruiting middle and high school educators (via email and social media), using established networks with teachers interested in maple sugaring, as well as with 4-H and other educational associations. To date, we have received 10 educator applications and a Zoom information session will be held this summer 2025. The 2025-26 cohort will begin in September 2025, including an intensive immersive experience with visits to several agroforestry farms. Participating educators in this 2-year program will attend at least three 4-H field trips, give a public presentation of their experience, develop a lesson plan with agroforestry principles, complete a pre- and post-survey, and submit student evaluations. Project Integration Activities Communication: The ADAPT Project Website and the newsletter The New England Agroforester will both launch during summer of 2025 and are anticipated to serve as central communication links with the larger community of different audiences interested in learning about concepts and opportunities around agroforestry. In particular, these communication venues will effectively disseminate information about technical aspects of agroforestry practices, enterprise budgets and marketing, and training and educational opportunities related to agroforestry. Team meetings: The Research Team, Integration Team, and Leadership Team will continue to meet on a bi-weekly to monthly schedule, as needed. All-Hands Meeting: Tentatively scheduled for December 2025.
Impacts What was accomplished under these goals?
During this first project year, the accomplishments build on one another over time, reflecting the interconnected and interdisciplinary nature of this integrated research, extension, and education project. Thus, a chronological discussion of these accomplishments, as presented below, best highlights these relationships and overall progression of our work. Prior to the formal July 1, 2024, project start date, we recruited two project managers, a research technician, three PhD students, and one postdoc (Table 1). An interdisciplinary rapid field assessment conducted during summer 2024 of 30 existing agroforestry farms (38 agroforestry systems) throughout New England documented the cumulative knowledge and experience of early adopter agroforestry farmers. The biophysical measurements included species composition, vegetation structure and biomass, soil properties, and farmers' species preferences and management practices. The social science research assessed livelihood opportunities of early agroforestry adopters, including their goals, motivations, and driving values, and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) facing agroforestry farmers. The combined results supported subsequent project activities by informing the design of the co-design workshops, creating a network of agroforestry practitioners and technical experts, and building capacity. In October 2024, a participatory co-design workshop was held with diverse stakeholders to identify key challenges and research questions for silvopasture agroforestry systems. The workshop was attended by 34 stakeholders, including 6 farmers, 3 technical assistance providers, 17 university researchers and graduate students, 3 cooperative extension staff, and 5 representatives from state NRCS offices. The workshop helped build a shared framework for collaborative research on silvopasture systems with cooperator farms over the next five years. The results are summarized in an executive report shared with project participants and posted on our website. In December 2024, we held our first all-hands full team meeting at UNH, which was attended by 55 project collaborators, including farmers, technical assistance providers, government agency representatives, researchers, educators, extension staff, project managers, technicians, and graduate students. The project team presented the results of the rapid field assessment, silvopasture workshop, and future project plans, followed by discussion and input. Key outcomes included building a sense of community, ownership, and commitment to achieving common goals within the team, and feedback provided on how to improve project components such as communication, training certifications, coordination, clarifying terminologies around agroforestry, and timelines. A separate meeting with the Advisory Board and Leadership Team the following day allowed for valuable recommendations on how to best focus future efforts, including setting clear 3-year targets, carefully quantifying ecosystem service and biodiversity impacts, engaging new and non-adopters, strengthening outreach and in-reach, and engaging government and industry representatives. In February 2025, we held our second participatory co-design workshop, bringing together diverse stakeholders to identify key challenges and research questions for food forest and forest farming agroforestry systems. The workshop was attended by 60 stakeholders (15 farmers, 12 extension staff and government agency representatives, 5 graduate students, 16 researchers,12 technical assistance providers). The workshop established a shared vision for collaborative research on food forest and forest farming systems with cooperator farms over the next five years. The results were summarized in an executive report shared with project participants and posted on our website. During winter/spring 2025, three PhD students, two MS students, one postdoc, one post-graduate fellow, a part-time communications specialist, and two research technicians were recruited to the project (Table 1). During Spring 2025, the project team focused on planning for the field season, with two key accomplishments: (1) Data Collection Protocols were developed for measurements of microclimate, vegetation, and soils; and (2) Research Plans were finalized for the following university-based agroforestry experiments, including details on research questions and objectives, study design, species selection, and implementation and management: - Silvopasture by addition - Silvopasture by subtraction - Food forests - Experimental Linear Gap - Forest Farming-Silviculture enrichment planting During the first project year, significant progress has been made on establishing the university-based agroforestry experiments: - Silvopasture-by-subtraction systems were fully established on UNH lands; planning and site preparation activities were conducted by Yale and Dartmouth. - Silvopasture-by-addition sites were identified and plans developed for site preparation and implementation. - Foodforests fully established by UNH and Dartmouth; site preparation conducted by Yale. - Experimental Linear Gaps created at Yale, UNH, and Dartmouth; site preparation initiated. - Forest Farming enrichment planting conducted within a shelterwood-seed tree silvicultural regeneration treatment at Yale and five species planted into four microzones. - Measurements of vegetation, soils, and microclimate were collected for the above agroforestry experiments during the 2025 field season. - Soil samples from both the summer 2024 rapid site assessment (above) and university experiments are being analyzed in the laboratory for texture, pH, organic matter, C, N, and macro- and micronutrients. Progress on establishing the agroforestry field trials on cooperator farms has focused on planning activities with each cooperator to understand their goals and each farm's biophysical conditions as a basis for co-designing the trials. Key accomplishments include: - MOUs were signed between UNH and eight Cooperator Farms (Table 1). - Contracts with Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) signed for the Food Forest sites. Contracts with Silvopasture and Forest Farming TAPs were delayed due to the pause but will be signed soon. - Farm Teams composed of a Project Manager, TAP, Scientific Advisor, Graduate Student, and Cooperator Farmer formed for cooperator farms with active MOUs and TAP contracts. - A budget analysis tool for systematically tracking relevant expenses and revenue streams at cooperator farms created and piloted with silvopasture cooperators. Additional accomplishments related to the social science research include: - Developed and piloted consumer WTP surveys to assess demand and market potential for products from silvopasture and agroforestry systems at grocery stores and farmers markets. - Preliminary data compiled from public datasets, including the Census of Agriculture to assess regional trends and drivers of agroforestry adoption. - Full methodology developed for continuing the SWOT analysis (i.e., matrix construction, consistency checks, super matrix modeling). Table 1. List of Cooperator Farms, the focal agroforestry system to be established, and the status of the MOUs. Cooperator Farm Agroforestry System Date signed/anticipated The Ecology School Food Forest 5/22/25 Apple Creek Farm Silvopasture 5/29/25 Wild Harmony Farm Silvopasture 5/29/25 Island Grown Initiative Food Forest 5/22/25 Kittery Land Trust Food Forest 6/16/25 Solitude Forest Farm Food Forest 6/24/25 Pawtucket Farm Food Forest 8/25 Ramble Creek Farm Silvopasture 8/25 Branch Hill Farm Forest Farming 8/25 Southeast Land Trust Forest Farming 8/25 TBD Forest Farming 11/25 TBD Silvopasture or Forest Farming 11/25 *Note: Education and Extension accomplishments are presented in the next two sections due to space limitations.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Asbjornsen, H., M. Ashton, R. Bawa, A. Contosta, K. Guerdat, T. Ong, S. Roberge. 2025. Promoting Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture in New England through Regionally Adapted Agroforestry Systems. 2025 SAF National Convention, October 22-25th, 2025 (Hartford, Connecticut)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Bagnaschi, K., L. Mooney, T. Ong, H. Asbjornsen. 2025. Food forests offer a novel approach to sustainable forestry, integrating education, community engagement, and research. 2025 SAF National Convention, October 22-25th, 2025 (Hartford, Connecticut).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Bawa, R., 2025. Agroforestry Adoption in New England: A SWOT-ANP Assessment. Granite State Division Annual Meeting/ New England Society of American Foresters, February 14th, 2025 (Bartlett, NH).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Asbjornsen, H. Project ADAPT: Promoting Climate smart and sustainable agriculture through regionally adapted agroforestry systems in New England. Maine Permaculture and Agroforestry Convergence. Maine Ecological Design. July 20-21, 2024, Unity Maine.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Panta, S., and R. Bawa. Agroforestry Adoption in New England: A SWOT-ANP Assessment 19th North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC), July 23 -25th, 2025 (Columbia, Missouri)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Guman, A, R. Bawa, R. Smith. Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives on Research Priorities for Silvopasture in New England and Beyond. 19th North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC), July 23 -25th, 2025 (Columbia, Missouri)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Smith, R. and Bawa, R. 2025. A Portrait of Agroforestry in New England: Silvopasture, Food Forests, and Forest Farming; 2025 SAF National Convention, October 22-25th, 2025 (Hartford, Connecticut)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Asbjornsen, H., M. Ashton, R. Bawa, A. Contosta, K. Guerdat, T. Ong, S. Roberge. 2025. Promoting Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture in New England through Regionally Adapted Agroforestry Systems. 19th North American Agroforestry Conference (NAAC), July 23 -25th, 2025 (Columbia, Missouri).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Panta, S. and R. Bawa. Agroforestry Adoption in New England: A SWOT-ANP Assessment. Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association (NAREA) 2025 Annual Meeting, June 10th, 2025 (Burlington, VT)
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