George Owens, an Advisory Council member, has practiced silvopasture on his 100 acres in different stages for the past 18 years. Members of the Advisory Council toured the property May 23 and saw firsthand the benefits of agroforestry.

Owens has 50 head of cattle on the property in his cow-calf operation. The trees are slash pine and loblolly pine that he thins out occasionally for timber and pulpwood. One stand of trees is 18 years old.

The visitors learned of the economic and environmental benefits of Owens’s silvopasture operation. The multipurpose land use provides greater income from the land. Owens can harvest the same volume of timber from the silvopasture and cow-calf operation as he could with only forestry use of the property. The cattle enjoy the shade of the trees –especially important during the hot summer months, and the land provides all the forage the cattle need. Another source of income from the property is hunting leases.

The forests and other vegetation are helping reduce nutrient runoff from manure.

"It’s environmentally advantageous because you improve water quality and environmental conditions," said Owens. "Nutrient uptake is the main advantage. The grass gives one level of filtration and tree roots give another."