Appalachian Sustainable Development, in partnership with Interlace Commons, Savanna Institute, Cornell University, North Carolina State University, University for Missouri Center for Agroforestry and Virginia Tech, has been awarded funding from the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation (EMEF) to improve agroforestry technical assistance for forest farming, alley cropping, and silvopasture to meet the growing support needs of farmers. To increase agroforestry adoption, project partners will combine collective expertise to implement Trainings for Natural Resource Professionals that provides agroforestry education and builds a network of agricultural technical service providers.

This model will include an online course for virtual learning throughout the U.S. and regional in-person training at demonstration sites in the Midwest led by Savanna Institute, Northeast led by Interlace Commons, and Southeast led by Appalachian Sustainable Development. Focus practices will include forest farming, alley cropping, and silvopasture initially in 2022-23, with room for expansion to other agroforestry practices over time.

Training will be made available to public, private, and non-profit TSPs, K-12 educators, and farmers interested in implementing agroforestry practices. Intentional justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) efforts will be made to actively engage people from diverse communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQA+, economically distressed, and other underserved populations.

Please fill the short survey below if you’d like to stay up to date on training opportunities as they develop. For further information, please contact Stesha Warren, Agroforester, swarren@asdevelop.org.