Grant funds agroforestry plan for SUNY Adirondack farmlands

Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District joins forces with college
QUEENSBURY, New York (Nov. 22, 2021) — The Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District is pleased to announce a new grant program, Education on Agroforestry, funded by Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) and Northeast Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC). The grant funds a pilot program to develop education and implementation of an agroforestry plan for SUNY Adirondack’s farmlands. 

Traditional agroforestry focuses on producing agricultural products from the forested landscape, such as maple syrup, but this project puts conservation of agricultural fields and ecosystems at the forefront. Plans include installing forest hedgerows and waterway buffers in and around agricultural fields to conserve water, reduce erosion, grow commercial tree crops such as chestnuts, and improve ecological diversity. 

With this grant, the Warren County Conservation District, SUNY Adirondack’s Agricultural Business program, and The Farm @ SUNY Adirondack will work together to promote research, education and implementation of new agroforestry projects in our region. The grant will fund three public workshops designed for college students, farmers, agricultural professionals and the public to develop a management plan for fields on SUNY Adirondack’s campus. The workshops will be held throughout the summer and fall of 2022. 

Education on Agroforestry will improve and protect natural resources on the farmland and benefit water quality in the Lake Champlain Watershed, and provide guidance for farms in our region to adopt agroforestry practices. 

For more information about the project, contact Nick Rowell at 518-623-3119 or nrowell123@nycap.rr.com.