Dissertation
Social and Ecological Effects of Silvopasture in Washington State
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005263
Abstract
Silvopasture in Washington State is not well studied and thus little is known about this practice in this region. The first objective of this research project was to understand farm composition and farmer goals for silvopasture. To accomplish this, I conducted a statewide survey administered via interviews of practitioners to determine the social, economic, and ecological drivers and demographics of farmers utilizing silvopasture. To identify landowners using silvopasture and gain insights into its perceived usage and impacts, I contacted and interviewed multiple state and federal agency representatives. This research provided evidence that silvopasture is being used and that further research is needed to determine the economic viability and ecological effects of this practice.A second objective was to determine the effects of silvopasture and other types of forest grazing on forest structure, composition, and edaphic properties. Due to the combined effects of fire suppression and historic logging and grazing practices; dry pine forests of the Interior Columbia Basin are susceptible to high severity fires, soil compaction, and erosion. Limited research suggests that silvopasture may reduce fuel loads while maintaining ecosystem services. Through field data collection and statistical analyses, I determined that the prescribed grazing density associated with silvopasture and continuous grazing reduced litter, duff, and surface vegetation without significant alteration of vascular plant evenness and abundance. Analysis of physical and chemical soil properties determined that silvopasture resulted in significantly lower bulk density and soil compaction than continuous grazing but both measures were higher than in ungrazed sites. Similarly electrical conductivity was highest in continuously grazed sites when compared to silvopasture sites. This suggests that silvopasture is a more suitable land management practice when compared to more traditional forest grazing methods.
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Details
- Title
- Social and Ecological Effects of Silvopasture in Washington State
- Creators
- Mark Batcheler
- Contributors
- Marcia Ostrom (Advisor)Mark Swanson (Committee Member)Lynne Carpenter-Boggs (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 95
- Identifiers
- 99901019231301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation